Title 45, RailroadsRelease 119-102
§56 Actions; Limitation; Concurrent Jurisdiction of Courts
Title 45 › CHAPTER 2 — LIABILITY FOR INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES › § 56
Summary
To sue under this law, you must file the case within three years from the day you first could have sued. You can file in a federal district court where the person you are suing lives, where the problem happened, or where that person is doing business when you start the case. Federal courts have the same power to hear these cases as state courts, so both types of courts can hear them.
Full Legal Text
Title 45, §56
Railroads, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued. Under this chapter an action may be brought in a district court of the United States, in the district of the residence of the defendant, or in which the cause of action arose, or in which the defendant shall be doing business at the time of commencing such action. The jurisdiction of the courts of the United States under this chapter shall be concurrent with that of the courts of the several States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification The first par. of this section is from act Apr. 22, 1908. The second par. of this section is from act Apr. 5, 1910.
Amendments
1948—Act June 25, 1948, struck out provision in last sentence relating to removal of actions. 1939—Act Aug. 11, 1939, changed limitation in first sentence from two to three years.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“District court” substituted in text for “circuit court” to conform to act Mar. 3, 1911, which transferred powers and duties of circuit courts to district courts.
Effective Date
of 1948 AmendmentAct June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 38, 62 Stat. 992, provided that the amendment made by that act is effective Sept. 1, 1948.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
45 U.S.C. § 56
Title 45, Railroads
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102