Railroad Lawsuit - Exposure to Toxins Causes Emphysema and Mesothelioma
Because of the work they perform railroad workers are exposed to a variety of harmful toxins. Asbestos, which was utilized in older train cars to line and insulate them, is one such hazardous substance.
Unfortunately, these toxic substances can cause serious damage to the lungs of railway workers. Our FELA lawyers help those suffering from lung diseases that affect railroad workers and hold corporations accountable for their actions.
Asbestos
While railroads have lost favor in terms of transportation in recent decades since more people are turning to automobiles, trains are a major component of the nation's transportation network. Railroad workers have been exposed to toxic substances for a lengthy period of time which can negatively affect their health. Our Boston railroad worker asbestos lawyers observe that railroad workers are at risk of developing lung diseases like asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Asbestos is a hazard that can be broken into tiny fibers that can be breathed into the lung. These fibers can cause severe scarring of the lung tissue, which could lead to a number of serious respiratory diseases, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma or lung cancer.
A man who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in the last thirty years of working for the railroad, has filed a lawsuit against Illinois Central Railroad. He alleges the railroad knowingly allowed him to work in dangerous environments without providing him with adequate protective equipment or warnings about potential dangers. He claims he inhaled creosote and diesel exhaust, powders, chemicals, dust and other particulates that affected his lung.
The plaintiff claims that the Illinois Central Railroad did not provide him with adequate medical care, hospitalization, therapy, and surgical care for his injuries and illnesses. According to the lawsuit, the railroad did not fulfill their Federal Employers Liability Act duty to provide a safe working environment for employees.
Diesel fumes
Diesel engine emissions can have a negative effect on the health of railroad workers. In certain cases, these fumes can cause lung diseases like COPD. In the case of a machinist had to breathe in diesel exhaust during work the company did not provide adequate protective equipment. In the process, the man was diagnosed with COPD and is now required to utilize oxygen tanks on a regular basis.
In the United Kingdom, where diesel engine exhaust is common in workplaces such as garages and bus depots a recent article by The Guardian reports that "UK legal claims grow over exposure to toxic diesel fumes." Diesel exhausts contain high levels of nitrogen oxides which can be harmful to humans. Nitrogen oxides can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, and can cause symptoms that last a few minutes, such as a cough or Phlegm. Inhaling diesel fumes can also cause chest tightness and wheezing.
class action lawsuit against railroads that can be found in rail yards include dust chemicals, creosote, and dust. These toxins can be inhaled and can cause long-term problems such as COPD and lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel engine exhausts as carcinogens. The agency also warns that exposure to diesel exhaust may increase the risk of bladder cancer in men as well as women.
Smoking
A railroad conductor recently filed an occupational disease claim claiming that his prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals at work caused him to develop COPD. The claimant claims that his employer did not provide him with adequate safety equipment, which allowed him to inhale hundreds of chemicals every day. These poisons include diesel fumes as well as exhaust, silica dust, creosote as well as metal dusts in coal smoke, sulfur dioxide and benzene as along with chemical degreasers and dioxins.
These toxins can penetrate deep into lung tissue where they cause damage, eventually leading to chronic obstructive lung disease (also known as COPD). It is a chronic disease that causes shortness of breath, persistent coughing and wheezing as well as weight loss and, in certain cases, asthma.
Railroad workers who suffer from work-related emphysema or other respiratory illnesses may be eligible for compensation under Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. 51. This law requires railroad companies to provide their employees with an adequately safe environment to work.
However, this isn't always the reality. Railroad companies are aware of the risks that they face in their work, but they fail to safeguard their employees. This is why FELA was created to hold them accountable for. If you have developed an illness related to your railroad work, you should contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer that has handled successfully FELA cases.