Author Profile

Charlie Goetsch

Charlie Goetsch

Phone: 203-777-1000
43 Trumbull Street New Haven CT 6510 United States

About

Charles C. Goetsch is a founding partner of Cahill Goetsch & Perry P.C. and has over 30 years experience trying civil cases in the federal courts of New York and Connecticut. His practice is focused on transportation law with a particular emphasis on railroad related matters. Charles has tried over 45 federal court jury trials and handled many appeals to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. More than a dozen of his cases have had multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements, and in 1997 he argued the ground-breaking case of Metro North Commuter R.R. v. Buckley before the United States Supreme Court.

Practice Areas

* FELA Railroad Injuries and Railroad Accidents * Rail Labor and Railroad Employment Law * FRSA and Railroad Safety Matters * Trucking and Motor Vehicle Injuries * FMLA Family Medical Leave

Professional Associations

* Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys * American Association of Justice * New York State Bar Association * Connecticut Bar Association, Federal Practice Section

Education

* LLM, Harvard Law School (1977) * JD, University of Connecticut School of Law (1976) * BA, Brown University (1973)

Bar Admissions

* New York (state and federal) * Connecticut (state and federal) * United States Supreme Court Bar

Recent Articles

FRSA Protects Injured Workers From Medical Treatment Interference

Charlie Goetsch
March 13, 2012 01:14

In a major decision clarifying the scope of the FRSA, OSHA confirms that a railroad's denial, delay, or interference with an injured employee's medical treatment constitutes adverse action recoverable under FRSA Section (a)(4). Section (a)(4) protects employees from adverse action due to the...

Dept of Labor Elevates Status of Whistleblower Office

Charlie Goetsch
March 02, 2012 03:30

In an encouraging sign to whistleblowers, the Department of Labor has elevated the status of its Office of the Whistleblower Protection Program (OWPP) so it now reports directly to the Head of OSHA, Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. This puts whistleblower protection on an equal footing with...

FRSA Alert! FRSA Protects Non-Injury Absences From Discipline

Charlie Goetsch
February 16, 2012 15:19

Any rail worker absence ordered by a treating doctor can no longer be used for attendance discipline purposes. That is the message of a ground-breaking decision interpreting the scope of FRSA protected medical treatment. Subsection (c)(2) of the FRSA prohibits railroads from disciplining employees...

The FRSA Is Not Subject to Title VII Burden Shifting

Charlie Goetsch
February 12, 2012 22:18

The burden of proof applicable to a Federal Rail Safety Act whistleblower protection case is markedly different from a Title VII discrimination case. And much more favorable to the employee. Title VII cases have a three step burden of proof: the employee establishes a prima facie case, the employer...

Two Decisions Clarifying FRSA Adverse Differential Treatment

Charlie Goetsch
January 31, 2012 14:22

  The Federal Rail Safety Act prohibits a railroad from "discriminating in any way" against an employee who engages in the protected activity of raising a safety concern or reporting an injury. Such discrimination can take many forms, but two recent decisions highlight a classic...