This is the third part of our FELA Railroad Injury Cases series, discussing some of our previous case histories and results our FELA lawyers were able to retain for injured railroad workers. Click the links to read FELA Railroad Injury Cases, Part I and FELA Railroad Injury Cases, Part II.
Toxic Railroad Spills, Derailments With Toxic And Hazardous Chemicals
Another type of injury claim involves exposure to chemical, toxic, or hazardous substances being transported by railroad. This can also include oil tanker cars that derail and cause fire, inhalation injuries, or evacuation of residents. With the increase in oil transport from Canada to the United States, oil-related fires and chemical injuries are increasing. Our firm has handled chlorine toxic spills (Norfolk Southern Graniteville case) and railroad worker claims of exposure to toxic chemicals on locomotive engines. For example, locomotives have massive batteries. In some cases, the batteries can get hot and overcharge and put off toxic chemicals. These chemicals can cause serious pulmonary (lung) injuries to railroad workers like engineers or conductors.
Related Toxic Railroad Spill Derailment Content
Our firm also has handled cases involving inhalation injuries from battery chemicals on locomotive engines. Many types of hazardous chemicals are transported by railroad, and regulations apply to govern many of these types of transportation activities by railroad car. A careful analysis must be made of whether a railroad violated any hazardous or chemical transportation regulations concerning injuries suffered from a derailment or spill of the substance when it was moved by the railroad or spilled at a derailment or crossing accident.
Asbestos Disease Claims, Mesothelioma, Asbestos Or Diesel Exhaust Fume Cancers
Asbestos is a well-known cause of permanent lung diseases and cancers, including mesothelioma terminal cancer, asbestos-induced lung cancer, colon cancer, and throat cancers. Our firm has represented many former railroad workers who have suffered from silicosis (sand or rock dust), lung disease, asbestos lung disease, or cancers caused by asbestos. First of all, we are familiar with the medicine relating to lung diseases or cancers caused by asbestos and other toxic substances from dozens of prior cases we have handled. Second, we have to know where to find evidence that the railroad was using asbestos, sand, or rock dust that may have caused other forms of lung diseases like silicosis or asbestosis. These dust diseases of the lung are often diagnosed by pulmonary (lung) doctors and radiologists who are skilled in looking for dust diseases of the lung on X-rays or CT scans.
Related Railroad Asbestos Lung Disease Content
We have worked with these specialists for many years, representing railroad workers who have come down with permanent lung diseases and who sought out experienced railroad injury lawyers to help prove that railroad occupational sources were the cause of their disease. In many cases, railroad workers were cigarette smokers and are concerned about whether we would be able to prove their case of asbestos cancer in a setting of cigarette smoking over prior decades. We have successfully represented many railroad workers who had smoking histories because there is well-documented medical literature that cigarette smokers who happen to have been exposed to asbestos for a prolonged period had a far greater risk of getting cancers as a result of the synergy between these types of exposures.
One of the particularly infuriating things about asbestos disease and cancer is that the railroads knew by 1960 of the cancer-causing synergy between cigarette smoking and asbestos in the workplace, but they never warned railroad workers that cigarette smoking coupled with inhaling asbestos made them up to 60 to 80 times more likely to develop cancers than if they were nonsmokers. About the terrible terminal cancer of the lung lining known as mesothelioma, a history of cigarette smoking does not increase the risk of mesothelioma at all. Mesothelioma can be a result of minimal exposure to asbestos in the workplace at the railroad.
For reasons not understood, some persons can come down with terminal cancer called mesothelioma 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos dust in the air. Because one or more exposures can even cause this incredibly toxic type of cancer, OSHA acted to ban new product asbestos insulating materials as its first official act when it was formed. It is invaluable for our railroad worker clients to know that we have collected industry internal asbestos documents that help prove what types of railroad equipment, insulating materials, and parts contained asbestos because the railroads essentially tried to hide the ball and require workers to demonstrate what they were exposed to decades before they are diagnosed with asbestos cancer or mesothelioma. We have successfully represented many workers, including engineers, brakemen/conductors, and track workers who contracted cancer after being exposed to asbestos-insulating materials in the workplace.
Consult with a Seasoned FELA Lawyer Today
A railroad injury or illness can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. If you have suffered a workplace injury or illness due to the negligence of your employer, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our skilled FELA attorneys. Our firm works diligently to get railroad workers and their families the financial compensation they deserve