Railroad Cancer Lawyer: How to File a FELA Railroad Lawsuit
Railroad employees who are exposed to toxic chemicals have the right to claim compensation under the Federal Employees Liability Act (FELA). A lawyer from the railroad industry can evaluate your case and assist you in seeking compensation.
Benzene is linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a variety of studies. Creosote and diesel exhaust are also carcinogens that can be found in trains.
Benzene
Benzene is a component used in many industries to make plastic dyes, adhesives, and solvents. It can also be present in gasoline and cigarette smoke, and has been linked to numerous health issues like acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CL) Multiple Myeloma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Workers in the chemical, oil refining, or shoe manufacturing industries are more at the risk of being exposed to benzene.
Railroad workers are usually exposed to a variety of carcinogens in the course of their work, such as diesel fumes, welding fumes and silica. If a railway worker develops a chronic illness or disease due to work exposure, they might be legally able to bring a lawsuit under Federal law.
Patrick Haines, a partner at Napoli Shkolnik, has filed two lawsuits in Fort Worth, Texas against BNSF Railroad for injuries that railroad workers suffered due to toxic exposures on the job. The plaintiffs are a male and a female who claim to have suffered from lung cancer, leukemia and bladder cancer.
The lawsuits filed against BNSF assert the Railroad was negligent in not taking steps to protect workers from exposure to carcinogens like benzene. The lawsuits also assert that the Federal Employers Liability Act was in violation. This law was passed in 1908 to ensure that railroad workers had the right to sue their employers for workplace injuries and illnesses, regardless of whether these conditions arise years or even decades after the end of a railroad worker's employment.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate, also called a plant-protecting chemical or herbicide is utilized in a variety of crops. It is also an ingredient in Roundup, a popular weed killer used by many commercial and home gardeners as well as farmers. Some studies have linked it to certain types of cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that glyphosate was "not likely to be cancerous to humans." However the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has been more scathing and said this chemical "probably carcinogenic."
A meta-analysis of four studies [17,2632] showed a link between glyphosate and hairy cell leukemia. The I 2 and P values however, were both low and the heterogeneity did not achieve statistical significance. A trim-and fill analysis was not able to detect bias in the publication. The meta-RR for the meta-RR was 1.4 (CI = 1.0 to 1.9).
In the European Union, where glyphosate is declared to be an active chemical, EFSA has conducted an assessment of the risk posed by the substance to the health of humans. In parallel, ECHA has carried out a hazard assessment of the substance. The two EU regulators have coordinated their work plans to ensure that the results of both assessments will be taken into consideration when making a decision regarding the renewal of glyphosate's approval.
The EPA requires herbicide manufacturers to conduct a variety of studies that focus on the toxicological characteristics of the herbicide, environmental fate, and possible non-target impacts. The EPA also conducts formal risk assessments using these data. These evaluations quantify the likelihood of human injury by analyzing biomonitoring of humans and food residues monitoring data, and applying models of exposure to humans.
Creosote
Creosote is a mixture of chemicals that is used to treat and prolong the life of railroad ties. It was utilized until 1984 in a railyard in Houston's Fifth Ward. A plume of contamination has gotten into the predominantly black, low-income community within. Creosote was identified as to be a possible cancer-causing chemical and residents have been fighting to clean up the site for a long time.
In a recent railroad verdict an ex-railroad worker has filed a lawsuit against his employer. He claimed that exposure to creosote as well as degreasing agents, as well with other harmful substances that caused him to develop the cancer. He says that he developed myelodysplastic disorder, which later progressed into acute myeloid leukemia. The plaintiff claims that he was responsible for picking up and dropping railroad ties off, after which he erected them "soaking wet." He claims the chemicals soaked into his clothes and skin while he worked and he also claimed that he did not had the proper protective equipment.
The lawsuit also claims that he suffered from burns to his hands, feet, and head, as well as from bad eyesight and weight gain as a result of the medications he's taking for his condition. He also suffered from impotence as well as memory problems. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with leukemia, an attorney can assist you in determining whether the toxic chemicals you use at your workplace could contribute to the disease.
class action lawsuit against railroads was once an essential element of railroad operations, despite the fact that it is now banned. Railroad workers who handled or were exposed to the harmful material were at a higher risk of developing cancers like mesothelioma and other pulmonary illnesses. Asbestos breaks down into microscopically thin fibers that can traverse the body and end up in the lungs. This can cause scarring of the lungs, known as asbestosis and mesothelioma. It is a threatening disease that affects lungs lining.
Railroad workers were often exposed to dangerous chemicals, including benzene and creosote. Despite the danger, some railroad companies resisted and denied the risks associated with asbestos for decades. It could have been because asbestos was profitable, and they hoped that employees wouldn't be able prove negligence.
People who have contracted illnesses or diseases as a result of exposure to railroad materials on the job should think about filing a FELA complaint. Compensation can help injured employees as well as their families pay for medical expenses and other financial losses.
A FELA lawyer can review your case to determine the exact amount of compensation you could be entitled to receive. Contact a seasoned railroad accident lawyer today to schedule an initial consultation for free.