THE BULLETIN December 2017 VOL. 10 No. 8 www.aargcc.org 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS Publications Committee Members ............................................................................. 3 New Agents Committee Members .............................................................................. 4 General Claims Conference Officers ......................................................................... 5 IICA Administrative Committee Members ............................................................... 6 General Claims Conference Committee Chairs ........................................................ 7 Past Chairpersons ........................................................................................................ 8 Incoming Chairpersons Report .................................................................................. 9 Don Lord Writing Competition Winners (2017) ....................................................... 10 Personalities: Jeff Beck – Union Pacific Railroad ................................................... 12 Keeping Track: John Krcmar – Canadian Pacific Railway .................................... 13 Meet Some of Our Newest Members .......................................................................... 14 Members Moving Up (Promotions) ............................................................................ 18 Members Moving On (Retirements) .......................................................................... 19 General Claims Conference Meeting Announcement (Oct 2018) ........................... 20 Basic and Advanced Railroad Claims Schools (May 2018) ..................................... 20 Trial Summaries ........................................................................................................... 21 In Memoriam: Ira “Gene” Hinnant – Union Pacific Railroad ............................... 25 In Memoriam: Elizabeth M. Dewitte – BNSF Railway Company .......................... 26 Operation Lifesaver and Railroad Claims Professionals ......................................... 27 New Claim Agents’ Forum – A Perspective on Claims Work ................................. 32 Spotlight on Our Advertisers: Atlas Settlement Group, Inc. ................................... 34 Don Lord Writing Competition Information (2018) ................................................ 36 First Place – Don Lord Writing Competition (2017) – Chad Stewart Writing Submission: “All Eye’s Aboard: Inward-Facing Cameras and Cellphone Detectors” ........................................................................................ 38 Looking Back: “The Eternal Triangle: Doctor – Patient – Claim Agent.” (September 1964) ........................................................................................................ 44 Case Notes by Stuart A. Schwartz, Legal Editor FELA — Submission of Evidence — Jury Verdict (Mark Bullock vs. BNSF Railway Company) ............................................................ 51 1 THE BULLETIN VOL. 10, NO. 8 DECEMBER 2017 FELA — Occupational Illness — Release — Plea in Bar (Alan Barry Cole, Executor of the Estate of Aaron Jethro Cole vs. Norfolk Southern Railway Company) ................................................................................................... 62 XING — Occupied Crossing — Summary Judgment (Shawn T. Ezell vs. Kansas City Southern Railway Company) ................................. 70 FELA — Occupational Injury — Statute of Limitations (Corey White vs. Union Pacific Railroad Company) ................................................. 75 XING — Wrongful Death — Summary Judgment (Catherine Stouffer, Individually and on behalf of Gary Lee Stouffer, et al. vs. Union Pacific Railroad Company) ...................................................................................... 79 MISC — Regulation of Locomotive Idling — Declaratory Order (State of Delaware vs. Surface Transportation Board) ............................................. 87 FELA — Lifting Injury — Summary Judgment (Michael J. Holloway vs. Union Pacific Railroad Company) ................................... 93 FELA — Defense and Indemnification — Summary Judgment (Evanston Insurance Company vs. Sandersville Railroad Company) ....................... 97 FELA — Train Operations Incident — Jury Verdict (Thomas R. Wilson, Appointed Trustee of the Chapter 7 Estate of James E. Johnson vs. Union Pacific Railroad Company) ..................................................................... 104 XING — Private Crossing — Indemnification — Jury Verdict (Harsco Corporation vs. CSX Transportation, Inc.) ................................................. 113 Advertisers Index ........................................................................................................ 118 Advertising and Subscription Information .............................................................. 119 Help Keep the Claims Personnel Directory Current ............................................... 121 The Bulletin Mission Statement, Cover Photo Credit, and Caption ...................... 122 THE BULLETIN December 2017 2 THE BULLETIN VOL. 10, NO. 8 DECEMBER 2017 Publications Committee CHAIRPERSON LEGAL EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR Terry Richey Stuart A. Schwartz Jim Swan Regional Manager Claims Senior General Attorney Manager Training Norfolk Southern Corporation Norfolk Southern (Ret.) Union Pacific (Ret.) 425 Holiday Drive 2224 Mt. Vernon St. 18416 Atlas Street Pittsburgh, PA 15220 Philadelphia, PA 19130 Omaha, NE 68130 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBERS Jeff Beck Dale Cisecki Tasha Howell Manager Risk Management Manager General Claims Senior Claim Agent Union Pacific Railroad Canadian Pacific Railway Norfolk Southern Corporation 10031 Foothills Blvd. Suite 920, 401 - 9th Avenue 2040 E. 106th St. Roseville, CA 95747 Calgary, AB T2P 4Z4 Chicago, IL 60617 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Alan K. Mettert Shelly Molaschi Lorri Savidge Claim Agent Senior Claims Specialist Claims Manager Norfolk Southern Corporation Amtrak BNSF Railway Company 8111 Nelson Rd. 1001 Loyola Avenue 201 North 7th Street Fort Wayne, IN 46803 New Orleans, LA 70113 Lincoln, NE 68508 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Russell L. Schanlaub Michael Schmidt Jeri Wright Mgr. Field Investigations II District Claims Rep. Claim Agent CSX Transportation, Inc. Canadian Pacific Railway Kansas City Southern 1700 167th Street 11306 Franklin Avenue, 4601 Hilry Huckaby Ave. Calumet City, IL 60409 Franklin Park, IL 60131 Shreveport, LA 71107 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Send articles for publication, communications, e.g., personnel changes, changes of address, requests for subscriptions, etc. to the Managing Editor. Articles submitted for publication are subject to the editorial license of the editors. The articles, information, and opinions set forth in this publication are not necessarily accepted or adhered to by any particular railroad, its management, the General Claims Conference, or the Association of American Railroads. This information is disseminated for the purpose of promoting thought and interest in topics related to the railroad industry. _____________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2017 AAR General Claims Conference All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. 3 THE BULLETIN VOL. 10, NO. 8 DECEMBER 2017 New Agents Committee Brian DiMaio (Chair) Jessica DeLaRosa Evan Griffin Mgr. Field Investigations I Claim Representative Claim Agent CSX Transportation, Inc. BNSF Railway Company Kansas City Southern 116B Druid Street 3611 W. 38th Street 201 Industrial Park Drive Jacksonville, FL, 32254 Chicago IL 60632 Pearl, MS 39208 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] James Higgins Jeff Rinker Vince Staten Claim Agent Manager Claims &Litigation Risk Mitigation Officer Norfolk Southern Corporation Canadian Pacific Railway CN 4860 W 150th Street 3200 Railroad Ave. 2351 Hickory Avenue Cleveland, OH 44135 Davenport, IA 52802 Harahan, LA 70123 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] William Underwood Risk Management Representative Union Pacific Railroad 100 North Broadway, Ste. 1500 St. Louis, MO 63102 [email protected] Mission Statement Serve as a resource for the AAR Publications Committee and the railroad claims industry by submitting articles and features for publication in The Bulletin. Act as a point of contact for those new to the industry to help stay connected to some of the newest thoughts and ideas for the greater good of the railroad claims field. Promote The Bulletin to groups and individuals within the railroad claims industry and those that support it. 4 THE BULLETIN VOL. 10, NO. 8 DECEMBER 2017 General Claims Conference Officers Association of American Railroads 2017-2018 Term Chairperson 1st Vice Chairperson 2nd Vice Chairperson Brenda Gunn Jack Elmore Greg Simmons Senior Risk Manager Assistant Vice President Dir. Casualty Management CN Kansas City Southern Canadian Pacific Railway Homewood, IL Kansas City, MO Minneapolis, MN Executive Secretary Treasurer Pam Nwosu Lee A. Miller Paralegal Director Risk Management AAR CSX Transportation, Inc. Washington, DC Brentwood, TN Executive Committee Members G. D. Aughenbaugh (CSXT) Chad Barron (CP) Paris Davis-Reed (AMT) (904) 366-5492 (608) 742-6910 (202) 906-2332 (904) 245-2513 fax (608) 745-1294