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Railroad Settlements and Asbestos

In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act which provided funding for two transcontinental railroad companies through the granting of large amounts of lands for rights-of-way. Railroad workers who contract stomach cancer caused by railroad how to get a settlement as a result of exposures at work can sue employers under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).

A jury in Illinois gave $7.5 million to an ex- Union Pacific Trackman who died of acute myeloid leukemia. He blamed his blood-cancers on exposure to creosote benzene and other chemicals used to protect wooden railroad ties.

Creosote

Coal tar crosote is a wood preservative used to protect railroad ties from sun, cold, heat and snow. Workers are exposed solvents and chemicals, such as benzene in the application of coal creosote that is tar. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen can cause leukemia as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as other serious effects like heartbeat changes, convulsions liver damage, anemia and cancers of the lungs and body.

Our lawyers have successfully prosecuted several lawsuits against Union Pacific Railroad for exposure to coal-tar creosote. One of these cases resulted in the settlement of $7,500,000. The plaintiff was a track department employee, developed acute myeloid cancer due to exposure to toxic chemical compounds while on the job for 31 years. The jury found that the railroad failed to provide any personal protective equipment, and frequently exposed him broad range of toxic chemicals like coal-tar creosote as well as coal tar distillates, naphtha, carbolineum and other cleaning solvents.

Another claim involved the use of copper naphthenate as substitute for coal tar creosote. Copper naphthenate, while less harmful to the environment than creosote, is very dangerous. Copper naphthenate is known to cause lung, skin and nerve injury to the nerves, skin and lung. It also has the potential to contaminate soil and groundwater with benzene.

Benzene

Benzene is a colorless petroleum hydrocarbon that is used to make resins, plastics, and synthetic fibers. It is also found in diesel fuel and exhaust. Nearly all railroad workers are exposed to diesel fumes regularly on a basis. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen, and has been linked to leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

There is no safe level of exposure to benzene. It is absorbed through the skin and inhaled. Long-term exposure to benzene can harm blood vessels, causing irregular menstrual flow, aplastic anemia caused by railroad how to get a settlement and fertility issues. The chemical is also linked to certain types of cancers, including breast and lung cancer.

Benzene can be ingested orally but it is the most dangerous when inhaled. Inhaling benzene may cause headaches, dizziness or nosebleeds. It can also disrupt the immune system, pulmonary fibrosis caused By railroad how to get a settlement which may cause infections.

Recent reports have highlighted the high levels of benzene near two Chicago train station. Commuters and pulmonary Fibrosis caused By railroad how to get a settlement railroad workers were exposed to the excessive levels of pollution, which caused schools to shut down classes and cities to ask residents to stay in shelters. Railroad workers, which includes car department employees, locomotive machinists, electricians and pipefitters, regularly make use of benzene-containing items like Safety-Kleen parts washers and CRC Brakleen as well as thinners and paints. The chemical is also used in printing solvents.

Asbestos

The use of asbestos in the railroad industry was discovered in the early years. Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that were once widely used in construction due to their fire retardant corrosion-resistant, fire-retardant, and insulate properties. Inhaling these fibrous materials can lead to serious health issues such as lung cancer and asbestosis. These diseases can last up to 30 years before symptoms begin to manifest.

The EPA has stopped asbestos mining and processing in the United States, but it still appears in a number of products. This includes certain types of floor felt, paper, and fake fire embers. But, if these items are exposed to water or heat, they may release toxic asbestos fibers. They can also be released into the air when buildings are demolished or when homes are remodeled.

A recent study revealed that even five years of exposure to benzene significantly increases the chance of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Talk to your doctor if you have symptoms such as night sweats, or a sudden weight loss. They can do an analysis of your blood to determine AML.

The EPA recently settled a case with Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (GWRSI). GWRSI operates locomotives that emit nitrogen oxides and fine particulates (PM2.5) when they are running on diesel fuel. This EPA settlement requires GWRSI to replace any of its existing locomotives with new ones that comply with EPA emission standards.

Diesel Exhaust

As long diesel fuel continues to be used to power freight train railroad workers are exposed exhaust. Diesel exhaust is a mixture of toxic chemicals which include carcinogens like benzene and carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. It also includes particulate matter, polyaromatic hydrocarbons as well as nitrogen oxides.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified diesel exhaust as Group 1 carcinogen. Diesel exhaust can also cause respiratory ailments like chronic obstructive lung disease (copd caused by railroad how to get a settlement) or bronchiectasis. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2006 related the employment of railroad workers to COPD rates.

When locomotives and railcars are running and idle, they emit diesel exhaust. The machines and engines that are idle emit gases in addition diesel fumes. These include nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.

The odor of diesel exhaust is often visible in the cabs of locomotives where conductors and engineers sit for up to six hours at the same time. When workers enter and exit the cabins, the engines and equipment emit more diesel exhaust fumes and pose a risk to railway cancer and pulmonary fibrosis caused by railroad how to get a settlement (Suggested Site) problems.

Furthermore railroad mechanics are exposed to diesel exhausts in poorly ventilated roundhouses and shops. They work in enclosed areas with locomotives, track equipment and asbestos-insulated steam boilers.