Nebraska Judge Denies Railroad’s Motion for Separate Trials on FELA, FRSA Liability

LINCOLN, Neb. — A federal magistrate judge has denied BNSF Railway Co.’s motion for separate trials on various claims and damages sought by a former employee, but decided to hold the issue of punitive damages for a second trial.

Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska has scheduled a pretrial conference for Feb. 14 on David Bliss’ allegation that he was terminated for sustaining and reporting a work-related injury and that BNSF’s retaliatory actions violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

The magistrate judge’s Oct. 9 order also included decisions on several expert …