Railroad Cancer Lawyer: How to File a FELA Railroad Lawsuit
Federal Employees Liability Act (FELA) allows railroad workers who have been exposed to toxic chemicals to submit a claim. A knowledgeable railroad cancer lawyer could evaluate your case and help you seek compensation.
A number of studies have linked benzene with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Other carcinogens that are found in trains include creosote and diesel exhaust.
Benzene
Benzene is used in many industrial businesses to manufacture plastic dyes, adhesives, dyes and solvents. It is also found in gasoline, cigarette smoke and has been linked with a variety of health problems including acute myeloid lymphoma (AML) as well as Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CL) Multiple Myeloma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. People who work in the oil refining, shoe manufacturing and chemical industries are at a greater risk of benzene exposure in comparison to other workers.
Railroad workers are typically exposed to a range of carcinogens in the course of their work, including welding fumes, diesel fumes, silica. When a rail worker develops a chronic illness or disease due to work exposure, they could be legally able to bring a lawsuit under Federal law.
Patrick Haines, a partner at Napoli Shkolnik, has filed two lawsuits in Fort Worth, Texas against BNSF Railroad for injuries railroad workers suffered due to toxic exposures while working. The plaintiffs, one male and the female one, have claimed various long-term health issues, such as lung cancer, leukemia, kidney cancer and bladder cancer.
The lawsuits filed against BNSF assert the Railroad was negligent in not taking measures to safeguard workers from exposure to carcinogens such as benzene. The lawsuits also assert that the Federal Employers Liability Act was breached. This law was passed by Congress in 1908, to ensure railroad workers had the right to sue employers for work-related illness and injuries.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate is an herbicide, or chemical used to protect plants, that is used on many crops. It is also a component in Roundup widely used as a weed killer used by many commercial and residential gardeners and farmers. However certain studies have associated its use with certain kinds of cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stated that glyphosate "not likely to cause cancer to humans." However, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has been more critical and has called this product "probably carcinogenic."
A meta-analysis of four studies [17.26.32.discovered a link between exposure to glyphosate and the risk of hairy cells leukemia (HCL). However, the I 2 and P values were low and heterogeneity wasn't statistically significant. A trim-and fill analysis was not able to identify bias in publications. The meta-RR was 1.4 (95% confidence interval = 1.0-1.9).
EFSA performed an assessment on the dangers posed by glyphosate on human health in the European Union where it is listed as a substance active. ECHA also performed blacklands railroad lawsuit of the substance. The two EU regulators have synchronised their work plans to ensure that the results of both assessments will be considered when making a decision on the renewal approval for glyphosate.
The EPA requires herbicide producers to conduct a variety of studies focusing on the chemical properties of the herbicide as well as its environmental fate, and the possibility of non-target effects. The EPA also conducts formal risk assessments based on these data. These evaluations quantify the likelihood of human injury by analyzing biomonitoring of humans and monitoring of food residues and using models of human exposure.
Creosote
Creosote consists of chemicals used to treat and extend the life of railroad ties. It was employed until 1984 in a railroad yard in Houston's Fifth Ward. A plume of contamination has gotten into a predominantly black, low-income area close to. Creosote has been identified as a possible carcinogen. Residents of the neighborhood have fought for years to get the site cleaned up.
In a recent railroad verdict an ex-railroad worker has filed a lawsuit against his employer. He claimed that exposure to creosote as well as degreasing agents, as well as other hazardous materials led to his development of the cancer. He claims to have developed myelodysplastic syndrome that progressed to acute myeloid cancer. The plaintiff asserts that he was accountable to take railroad ties, drop them off and then put them in "soaking wet."
The lawsuit states that he suffered from burns to his feet, hands and head, poor eye sight and weight gain from the medications he is taking for the condition, impotence and memory loss. If you or someone you know is diagnosed with Leukemia, an attorney can assist you in determining whether the presence of toxic chemicals at your workplace could be the cause of the disease.
Asbestos
Asbestos was once a vital component of railroad operations despite the fact that it is now prohibited. Railroad workers who handled or were exposed to the toxic substance were at risk of developing cancers, such as mesothelioma as well as other pulmonary diseases. Asbestos fibers are so brittle that they are able to travel through the body and eventually end up in the lungs. This can result in scarring of the lungs known as mesothelioma or asbestosis, a fatal disease that affects the lining of the lung.
Railroad workers were often exposed to hazardous chemicals, such as benzene or creosote. Despite the dangers railroad companies have omitted and denied asbestos-related risks for years. It could be because asbestos was profitable, and the company hoped employees wouldn't have to prove negligence.
Anyone who has developed a disease or illnesses as a result of exposure on the job to railroad products should consider making a FELA claim. Compensation can help injured employees as well as their families and employers pay for medical costs and other financial loss.
A FELA lawyer will review your case and determine the exact amount you might be entitled to. Contact an experienced railroad injury lawyer today to arrange a free consultation.