Railroad Cancer Lawyer: How to File a FELA Railroad Lawsuit
Federal Employees' Liability Act (FELA) allows railroad workers exposed to toxic chemicals to file a claim. A railroad cancer lawyer can examine your case and assist you in pursuing compensation.
Benzene is linked to non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in a number of studies. Creosote and diesel exhaust are also carcinogens and are found in trains.
Benzene
Benzene is a component used in many industrial businesses to manufacture plastic as well as adhesives, dyes and solvents. It can also be found in gasoline, cigarette smoke, and has been linked with a variety of health issues like acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) chronic lymphocytic Leukemia (CL) Multiple Myeloma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Personnel working in the oil, chemical, refining, and shoe manufacturing industries are more at the risk of being exposed to benzene.
In the course of their jobs railroad employees are exposed to a range of carcinogens like welding fumes, diesel fumes and crystallized silica. If a railway worker develops a long term illness or disease due to workplace exposure, they might be in a position to file a lawsuit under Federal law.
Napoli Shkolnik partner Patrick Haines has filed two cases in Fort Worth, Texas, against BNSF Railway, claiming injuries railroad employees suffered as a result of toxic exposures on the job. The plaintiffs both males and the female counterpart, allege several long-term health issues, like leukemia, lung cancer bladder cancer and kidney cancer.
The lawsuits filed against BNSF assert that the Railroad was negligent in not taking the necessary steps to protect workers from exposure to carcinogens like benzene. Additionally, the lawsuits claim an infraction of Federal law, referred to as the Federal Employers Liability Act. This law was passed by Congress in 1908 to provide railroad workers with the right to sue employers for work-related illnesses and injuries.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate is an herbicide, or chemical that protects plants, which is used on a variety of crops. It is also a component of Roundup the most well-known herbicide that is utilized by commercial and residential gardeners. However certain studies have associated its use with certain kinds of cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that glyphosate is "not likely to cause cancer to humans." However, railroad lawsuit ’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has been more critical and has called this substance "probably carcinogenic."
A meta-analysis of four studies [17,2632] showed the connection between glyphosate as well as hairy cell leukemia. However, the I 2 and P values were not high and heterogeneity wasn't statistically significant. Trim-and-fill did not reveal bias due to publication. The meta-RR was 1.4 (95% confidence interval = 1.0-1.9).
In the European Union, where glyphosate is declared to be an active chemical, EFSA has conducted an assessment of the substance's risks to human health. ECHA also conducted a risk assessment for the substance. Both EU regulators have synchronised their work plans to ensure that both assessments are considered when a decision about the renewal of glyphosate approval is taken.
The EPA requires herbicide producers to conduct a number of studies that focus on the characteristics of the herbicide's toxicology as well as its environmental fate and potential non-targeted impacts. The EPA also conducts formal risk assessments using these data. These assessments assess the probability of human injury by analyzing human biomonitoring and food residues monitoring data, and applying models to assess human exposure.
Creosote
Creosote, a chemical mix, is used to extend the life span of railroad ties. It was used in a railroad yard in Houston's Fifth Ward until 1984, and a plume of contamination from the site has spread into a low-income, largely black community that is situated near. Creosote is a suspected carcinogen and residents of the neighborhood have fought for years to clean the area up.
In a recent railroad cancer case, a former railroad worker sued his employer, alleging that exposure to creosote, solvents used to degrease and other dangerous materials caused him to develop cancer. He claims to have developed myelodysplastic syndrome which eventually progressed into acute myeloid cancer. The plaintiff claims that he was responsible for picking up and dropping railroad ties, then putting them up "soaking wet." He claims the chemicals got soaked into his clothing and skin during his work and he also claimed that he did not had the appropriate protective equipment.
The lawsuit states that he suffered from burns on his hands, feet and head, poor eyesight and weight gain from the medications he is taking for his condition, infertility and memory loss. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with leukemia, an attorney can assist you in determining if the toxic chemicals in your workplace might have contributed to your illness.
Asbestos
Asbestos was a key element of railroad operations even though it is now prohibited. Railroad workers exposed to asbestos or who handled asbestos were at a higher risk of developing cancers such as mesothelioma and other pulmonary diseases. Asbestos is broken down into microscopically thin fibers that can travel through the body and lodge in the lungs. This can lead to scarring in the lungs, called mesothelioma and asbestosis. It is a threatening lung cancer that affects the lining of your lungs.
Railroad workers were frequently exposed to dangerous chemicals, such as benzene or creosote. Despite the dangers, some railroad companies have omitted or dismissed asbestos hazards for a long time. This could be because asbestos was profitable and they hoped employees would not be able demonstrate that their employers were negligent.
Anyone who has developed a disease or illnesses as a result of on-the-job exposure to railroad materials should consider making a FELA claim. Compensation is a way to help injured workers as well as their families pay for medical expenses and other financial losses.
A FELA lawyer can evaluate your case to determine the exact amount of compensation that you may be entitled to receive. For a free consultation, contact a skilled railroad accident lawyer today.