Jason M. Bultinck vs BNSF Railway Company, a Delaware corporation

Case Background

Plaintiff Jason M. Bultinck filed the lawsuit on March 17, 2022, in the Minnesota State District Court of Hennepin County (Case number: 27-CV-22-3273). Judge Kristin Siegesmund presided over it.

Cause

On December 18, 2019, Jason M. Bultinck, a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, was employed as a conductor by BNSF Railway Company, a Delaware corporation. Bultinck worked at BNSF's railroad yard in St. Paul, performing his duties as part of interstate commerce operations. While switching railcars on BNSF's tracks, Bultinck observed a misaligned drawbar on one of the railcars he needed to switch. As part of his job responsibilities, Bultinck was required to realign any misaligned drawbars encountered during his work manually. Following the technique BNSF had taught him, Bultinck attempted to realign the drawbar using what he believed was an appropriate and reasonable level of human force. However, contrary to expectations, the drawbar did not move laterally as intended. Instead, it became stuck and rigid, causing Bultinck to stop abruptly. This sudden jolt resulted in significant strain to Bultinck's spine and lumbar region, leading to severe injuries.

Injuries

The incident caused Bultinck to suffer severe and permanent physical and emotional injuries, primarily affecting his spine and lumbar region. The unexpected jolt from the stuck drawbar subjected Bultinck's body to significant strain and trauma. The injuries sustained were not just temporary but had long-lasting effects on Bultinck's health and well-being. The sev