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Emphysema lawsuit Settlements and Other Railroad Injury Illnesses

Diesel fumes, and other toxic substances that railroad workers breathe while working on trains cause thousands of Emphysema railroad settlement workers to become sick every year. These illnesses can be anything from COPD and cancer.

The two most prevalent respiratory illnesses that are caused by work are Chronic Obstructive pulmonary Disease ("COPD") as well as Emphysema cancer settlements. COPD is characterized as having breathing difficulties, breathlessness and symptom flare-ups.

Silica

Silica is a dangerous mineral that can impact your lungs and cause health issues. It is found in sand and stones and is released into the air when workers grind, crush or cut materials. It can be breathed in and enter your lungs through the nose, mouth, or eyes. This can lead to silicosis. It is a condition which causes inflammation, scarring, and nodules to grow in your lungs. This can lead to serious respiratory problems like Emphysema settlement and lung cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies silicosis as one of the pneumoconioses which is a group of interstitial lung disorders that also include asbestosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis (black lung). This is a long-term disease that can only be cured by ensuring that there are adequate security measures in place at the workplace.

Railroad workers who work on projects which require sandblasting or using abrasives could be exposed high levels of silica dust. Rail yards are a common spot to find these kinds of jobs.

In one instance, after nine years of work, a Sandblaster was diagnosed as having pulmonary Emphysema cancer settlements. The jury awarded him $600,000. His employer was aware that sandblasting is harmful, however, they did not take the necessary safety precautions. Silicosis is a condition that can affect anyone who breathes in silica. However, it is more likely to develop when exposure to silica has been chronic or prolonged.

Welding Fumes

Workers who are exposed to welding fumes are at high risk of developing respiratory ailments such as Emphysema railroad settlements. The effects of these fumes can be severe, especially for smokers who suffer from exposure and smoking. In one study, researchers examined data from 8,884 Korean welders from shipyards who underwent lung function tests and questionnaires on their charts as part of preplacement health examinations through 2009. The results showed a direct relationship between smoking and decline in lung function.

Welding fumes (WFs) cause damage to DNA strands through oxidation and breaks, and they also induce inflammatory changes in the airway epithelium. The fumes from welding steel have an oxidative and genotoxic effect due to the presence soluble manganese, chromium, and nitrotyrosine. The WFs created by the flux core arc hard surfacing (FCA - HS) and manual arc stainless steel (MMAW - and SS) welding processes have higher concentrations of soluble Mn & Cr than gas mild steel metal-arc (GMAW MS) fumes. In vivo studies have revealed that repeated inhalation of GMAW-MS and MMAW-HS fumes can cause lung damage, as well as the presence of more toxic and oxidative damage in the lungs of exposed rats than in the control.

Acute inhalation of MMAW-HS fumes increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers 8-isoprostanes as well as leukotriene B4 in exhaled breath condensate. The same thing happened to cause an increase in the malondialdehyde marker for oxidative stress in the lung of rats exposed to the fumes.

Diesel Exhaust

The exhaust fumes produced by diesel engines are so small that they can avoid many of the human respiratory system's defense mechanisms and penetrate deep into the lung tissue. Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust could lead to COPD and other lung ailments. According to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives published in 2007 on the subject of workers who were frequently exposed to diesel exhaust had a more high COPD mortality rate than those who weren't exposed.

Diesel exhaust is produced primarily through the combustion of diesel. It contains several hazardous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These chemicals are known to cause cancer and other serious illnesses. The black smoke produced by diesel engines is composed of 60 to 80% of soot which is pure carbon.

In a perfect world, railroad workers would stay in their locomotives' cabs when operating trains. Due to the nature and rigors of their work, railroad employees are exposed to diesel fumes emitted by other locomotives and cargo cars that are attached to a train.

A study found that railroad employees who were regularly exposed diesel fumes were more likely to develop a case of COPD. The employees who were engineers or conductors were more likely to be exposed to diesel fumes than those working in other jobs. Railroad workers have historically been exposed to a variety of industrial toxins such as asbestos, solvents, welding fumes, silica and creosote. FELA claims are filed by people who have suffered injuries due to these dangerous substances.

Asbestos

Asbestos, a fibrous mineral is linked to numerous lung diseases. It's hazardous because it breaks down into microscopically thin fibers, which float in air and can easily be inhaled. These tiny fibers can remain in the lung, where they may cause inflammation and scarring. Asbestos fibers can trigger lung cancer and mesothelioma as time passes.

Railroad workers have been exposed to asbestos for years, since many trains were fitted with brake shoes that were lined with asbestos, and other products that contain the material. Exposure to asbestos can increase the risk of developing cancers, such as mesothelioma, emphysema Lawsuit Settlements lungs cancer and other respiratory diseases. Rail workers are at risk of developing asbestos-related ailments, including mesothelioma, years after exposure.

Other respiratory diseases can also impact railroad workers, including chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Our team of attorneys has represented brakemen, conductors engineers, firefighters, and switchmen who were suffering from this illness due to smoking inhalation while working on locomotives. Smoking cigarettes can trigger all kinds of respiratory ailments and can make it harder to breathe. Fortunately railroad workers suffering from COPD are eligible for compensation. Baggett McCall can assist you to learn more about submitting claims.