Asbestos, coal dust, sand dust (silica), diesel fumes and exhaust, are known carcinogens, which means exposure to these elements can lead to lung cancer. Similarly, fumes from solvents, welding, and other materials can also lead to cancer.
This is why railroad workers and other workers who usually work with such substances during their jobs are at increased risk of cancer. This is almost always the result of negligence and lax security measures on the part of companies they work for.
Lung cancer is a devastating medical condition that results in not only physical but financial and emotional distress as well. In these cases, workers and their families are entitled to financial compensation for their losses. Workers, or their family members, can file a lung cancer lawsuit to receive justice for those affected.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with any type of cancer as a direct result of their employer’s negligence, you might want to speak to a skilled Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) attorney as soon as possible.
How Diesel Exhaust Affects Railroad Workers
Diesel exhaust contains a large variety of toxic chemicals and particulates including benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. All of these elements have long been known to cause cancer, but when combined, they create a tremendously high risk of occupational disease in workers who are exposed to diesel smoke and exhaust.
The railroad industry is perfectly aware of this fact – or they should be. In the past, it was common for factory owners and manufacturers to fail to warn the workers and/or take the proper security measures. The risk was also compounded when locomotives were sent into insufficiently ventilated facilities or tunnels, or when rear-facing locomotive units emitted fumes and blew exhaust directly into the trailing locomotive.
Multiple studies have shown the connection between occupational diseases (including lung cancer) and diesel exhaust. Diesel fumes are especially deadly since chemicals and microscopic particulates are not visible to the eye, and easily enter the lungs when breathed in. These particles stay in the lungs since the body is not able to get rid of them.
Regardless of what their exact job responsibilities were (engineers, brakemen, firemen, conductors, etc.) all railroad workers get exposed to these toxic compounds to some degree. If you worked in the industry and became ill due to diesel exhaust, or someone you love lost their life due to such disease, you are entitled to compensation. If the railroad company knew about the dangers of diesel exhaust – or should have known – they can be held liable for their negligence.
How Asbestos Exposure Affects Railroad Workers
Asbestos materials have helped advance the railroad industry for over 100 years. Like every industry that requires heat protection for human life and machinery, the railroad industry has also depended on asbestos for the insulation protection against heat produced by coal-powered and steam engines, and for the production of engine parts and carriages.
Research also shows that railroad workers have a significantly higher likelihood than the general population of developing diseases associated with asbestos exposure including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Considering the long latency period of asbestos-related diseases, there is a very good chance that thousands of lawsuits are just waiting to be filed by the workers against the railroad corporations.
Lung cancer is one of the most rampant occupational diseases that affect railroad workers and it can result in permanent disability and even death. And the fact is, it is almost always preventable if only the railroad company made the effort to adhere to governmental safety regulations.
Under the FELA Act, a worker can sue the railroad company if their illness or injury was caused/contributed to by the latter’s negligence. Claims under the Federal Employers Liability Act may include compensation for the expenses associated with lost wages (current and future), surgery and radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Unlike the Workers’ Compensation Claim, the FELA also enables the workers to pursue damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering. The surviving family members of the worker can also bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the railroad corporation.
Schedule A Free Consultation With Leading FELA Attorneys In Virginia
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer due to your job in the railroad industry, your next step should be to contact an experienced law firm that has a track record to prove their skills.
At Shapiro, Appleton & Washburn, our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in lawsuits against the giant corporations in Virginia. We work with some of the best doctors, nurses, investigators, analysts, economists, and other experts in the country to build a solid case and ensure maximum possible compensation for our clients.
If you are looking for a team of attorneys that is willing to fight tooth-and-nail to get you justice, call us at 800-752-0042 and have your case evaluated at no charge.
References:
https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/case_results/asbestos-railroad-cancer-settlement.cfm