Railroad Lawsuit - Exposure to Toxins Causes Emphysema and Mesothelioma
Railroad workers are exposed various toxic toxins that can harm them due to their work. Asbestos, a material used in older train cars to line and insulate them, is a harmful substance.
Unfortunately, these dangerous substances can cause serious harm to the lung of railway workers. Our FELA lawyers help those suffering from lung diseases that affect railroad workers and hold corporations accountable for their negligence.
Asbestos
Trains play a significant part in the country's freight network, even though railroads have lost their popularity in recent decades due to the increasing use of cars. Railroad workers have been exposed to toxins for a lengthy period of time which can negatively affect their health. Our Boston railroad worker asbestos lawyers note that railroad workers are at risk of developing lung diseases like mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Asbestos is a dangerous substance that can be broken into microscopically thin fibers that can be inhaled into the lung. These fibers can cause severe lung tissue scarring that could lead to a variety of serious respiratory illnesses like mesothelioma or asbestosis.
A man who was diagnosed with mesothelioma, after 30 years of service for the railroad has filed a lawsuit against Illinois Central Railroad. The railroad claims to have knowingly allowed him to work in hazardous environments without supplying him with adequate protective equipment or warnings about potential dangers. Bladder cancer lawsuit claims to have inhaled diesel fumes, chemicals, dust and powders, along with other particulates that affected his lungs.
Leukemia lawsuit claims that the Illinois Central Railroad did not provide him with sufficient medical treatment, hospitalization, therapy, and surgical care for his injuries and illnesses. According to the lawsuit, the railroad violated their Federal Employers Liability Act duty to provide a safe work environment for their employees.
Diesel fumes
Diesel engine fumes can have a negative effect on the health of railroad workers. In certain cases the fumes can lead to lung disease like COPD. In the event that a machinist had to breathe in diesel exhaust while working the company did not provide adequate protective equipment. In the end, the man was diagnosed with COPD and now needs to use oxygen tanks on a daily basis.
In the United Kingdom, where diesel exhaust from engines is commonplace in workplaces such as garages and bus depots a recent article by The Guardian reports that "UK legal claims are growing over exposure at work to the toxic diesel fumes." Diesel exhausts contain high levels of nitrogen oxides that can be harmful to human health. Nitrogen oxides can cause irritation to the nose, eyes and throat. They can also trigger short-term symptoms like a cough or phlegm. Inhaling diesel fumes could cause chest tightness and wheezing.
In addition to diesel fumes, other pollutants found in certain rail yard areas include creosote, chemicals, dust and powders. These toxins can be inhaled and can cause long-term issues like COPD and lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel engine exhausts as a carcinogen. The agency also warns that exposure to diesel exhaust may increase the risk of bladder cancer in men and women.
Smoking
A railroad conductor has filed an occupational illness claim recently and claims that his long-term exposure to toxic chemicals caused him to develop COPD. Bladder cancer lawsuit claims that his employer neglected to provide him with adequate safety equipment, which allowed him to inhale hundreds of chemicals on a daily basis. These contaminants include diesel exhaust, fumes silica, creosote, coal smoke, metal dusts sulfur dioxide, benzene, dioxins, chemical degreasers, and other airborne irritating substances.
These toxins can penetrate deep into lung tissue where they cause damage, which can eventually lead to chronic obstructive respiratory disease (also known as COPD). This chronic illness causes shortness-of-breath wheezing, chronic coughing and weight loss. In some instances it may also trigger asthma.
The Federal Employers Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. provides compensation for railroad employees suffering from emphysema and other respiratory illnesses caused by their work. 51. This law requires that railroads offer their employees a place of work that is reasonably safe.
However, this isn't always the situation. Railroad corporations are well aware of the risks associated with their work but they often fail to safeguard their workers. FELA was created to hold railroad companies accountable for their blunders. If you suffer from a medical condition that is associated with your railroad work, contact a mesothelioma lawyer who has dealt with FELA cases successfully.