Railroad Cancer Settlements

Railroad workers face a significant risk of contracting cancer as well as other serious diseases due to occupational exposures. A knowledgeable FELA attorney can help them get compensation under the Federal Employers Liability Act.

Employers in the railway industry may have exposed employees to toxic workplace toxins such as diesel exhaust, welding fumes, and silica sand. Certain of these hazardous chemicals can cause long-term health problems such as throat Cancer railroad cancer settlements cancer.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used in railroad construction since the 1930s. It was used for insulation and has been associated to lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Many machinists were exposed Chrysotile. It is associated with throat and larynx tumors as well as ovarian and ovarian cancers.

Railroad workers may have been exposed an endocrine-disrupting chemical that gets used in the degreasing procedure of parts used in locomotives. It is a poisonous chemical that can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin of the body. This chemical is often used in locomotive degreasers and solvents, which are frequently employed by railroad workers suffering from cancer.

A FELA lawsuit against a railroad can result in compensation for victims who have been injured and their family members. An experienced lawyer can assist injured railroad workers establish a link between their exposure to asbestos and their mesothelioma or other illnesses.

A victim can be assisted by an attorney during a deposition. This is an important element in constructing the case. Lawyers can assist clients to answer questions and defend them against inappropriate or offensive ones. This process can take anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks to complete. A railroad injury lawyer with years of experience can ensure that the process is as smooth as it can be.

Diesel Exhaust

Rail workers have been exposed to toxic chemical fumes for many years, which can lead to lung cancer and other diseases. These include diesel exhaust and other fumes, solvents, silica sand and creosote. Many have died due to these exposures. A knowledgeable attorney for railroad cancer could help find evidence that links a specific death or illness to the worker's railroad work.

The exhaust of diesel engines is made up of fine carbon particles (soot) which are organic compounds. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons comprise them, and they are known to cause cancer. They can be breathed in by the human body through the mouth, nose or throat. Long term exposure to diesel exhaust could cause a wide variety of health effects, such as irritation of the nose and eyes headaches, respiratory illnesses and lung cancer.

Numerous studies have shown that diesel exhaust fumes released by locomotives can increase the risk of lung carcinoma in railroad workers. This is in conjunction with asbestos-related cancer risks and other environmental pollutants (ETS) and smoking cigarettes in general.

It is possible to minimize some of these risks by ensuring that workplaces are outfitted with the proper air quality controls and that employees are aware how to use them correctly. This is particularly important as occupational exposures to diesel fumes are most common during routine maintenance tasks. Under FELA railroad companies are required to ensure that work is completed safely and that workers are aware about the dangers of breathing the toxins.

Creosote

Rail workers frequently perform their work with no protective gear and therefore inhale or inhale toxins when they touch them. The chemicals can also spill or splash on them. The concentration of the toxin exposure to coal tar creosote can cause leukemia or other forms of cancer.

Coal tar creosote consists of chemical compounds, but it contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's). These are well-known cancerous substances that cause skin, lung and leukemia. Creosote also contains phenol and other chemical compounds. These chemicals can cause a range of health issues, including kidney or liver problems and can lead to scrotal cancer among male railroad workers.

Railroad workers in Houston's Fifth Ward neighborhood and Kashmere Garden neighborhoods used creosote over years to treat the wooden railroad tie. When the use of the hazardous chemical at the site was abruptly ended and it sank into the ground and formed toxic plumes that moved under 110 low-income homes.

The toxic pollution that is affecting these communities is producing cancer clusters. Union Pacific, owner of the rail yard, has refused to clean it up and said that a thorough clean-up is too costly. A seasoned FELA attorney can assist victims to seek compensation for their injuries.

Silica

Silica is a crystalline mineral found in nature as quartz, and in the form of crystalline particles. It is used in a variety of ways, including as a food additive. The addition of silica into food can enhance texture, color, uniformity, and stability. It also helps in remineralizing teeth and bones.

But, when inhaled, crystal silica could cause health problems. The dust can cause irritation and tear to the linings of the nose, throat and lungs. This can cause scar tissue to build up, reducing the capacity of the lungs to absorb oxygen. In severe instances, it may cause silicosis. The symptoms caused by inhaling silica may take a while to appear, Throat Cancer Railroad Cancer Settlements and are often accompanied by other respiratory disorders. Smoking increases the risk.

A lawyer who represents railroad workers in settling cancer cases will help railroad workers link their health problems with past exposure to toxic chemicals on the job. A favorable settlement can help pay medical costs and offset financial losses due to decreased earning potential in the future. It could also include compensation for pain and suffering and other non-tangible consequences. A skilled lawyer will have the resources necessary to find relevant evidence and defend the interests of a client during settlement negotiations as well as in court. The lawyers at Doran & Murphy helped many railworkers settle their claims in a favorable manner.