Attorney Fintan Dooley worked in hazardous employments before he went to law school. These included work in the oil fields of Wyoming and Louisiana. He witnessed disasters, brain injuries, and death. The disasters were caused by missing bolts and broken cables.
Dooley has completed a variety of heavy truck, auto, collision, and under ride cases which have crushed children and smashed adults. He effectively worked with traffic control engineers and human factors experts. Recruiting experts who will have a rapport with client, judge and jury is critical for success.
Dooley has completed a complex disaster case involving railroad freight car loading. Those accidents frequently result in amputation or death. The project resulted in a presentation to the Railroad Section of the American Trial Lawyers. The result was innovation of a new remedy for workers. In the freight car loading case, he recruited and coordinated a team of experts and lawyers drawn from five states. The outcome still helps injured railroad car loading workers and their survivors across the globe. Today, workers injured by railroad equipment can sue railroads even though they are not employed by railroads. The claims are based upon legal theories of product liability and joint venture. Owners of railroad equipment may no longer defend asserting that the Railroad Safety Appliance Act immunizes them. They are liable for unsafe or defective freight car appurtenances.