Railroad Lawsuit - Exposure to Toxins Causes Emphysema and Mesothelioma
Railroad workers are exposed a variety of toxic substances that are a result of their work. Asbestos, which was used in older train cars to line them and insulate them, is one such hazardous substance.
Unfortunately, these dangerous chemicals can wreck havoc on the lung lungs of railroad employees. Our FELA lawyers help victims of railroad lung diseases hold corporations accountable for their negligence.
Asbestos
Trains continue to play a crucial part in the country's freight network, even though railroads have lost their popularity in recent decades due to the increasing use of cars. Railroad workers are exposed to toxins for a long time, which can negatively affect their health. Our Boston railroad worker asbestos lawyers observe that railroad workers are at risk of developing lung ailments such as asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Asbestos can be broken into tiny fibers that can be breathed into the lungs. These fibers can cause severe scarring of lung tissue, which could cause a variety serious respiratory ailments, including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.
A man diagnosed mesothelioma after 30 years of service for the railroad has filed a suit against Illinois Central Railroad. He claims the railroad knew about it and allowed him to work in hazardous environments without providing him with adequate protective equipment or warnings about potential dangers. He claims that he inhaled diesel fumes or chemicals, dust or powders, as well as other particulates that affected the lungs of his.
The plaintiff claims that the Illinois Central Railroad did not provide him with the proper medical treatment, hospitalization, therapeutic and surgical treatment for his injuries and ailments. According to his complaint the railroad violated its Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) duty to provide its employees with a safe working environment.
Diesel fumes
Diesel engine fumes can have a negative effect on the health of railroad workers. In some cases the fumes can cause lung ailments like COPD. In the case of a machine operator who was exposed diesel exhaust during work the employer did not provide the proper protective equipment. As a result, the man was diagnosed with COPD and now needs to use oxygen tanks on a daily basis.
In the United Kingdom, where diesel engine exhaust is common in workplaces, such as bus depots and garages, the latest article published by The Guardian reports that "UK legal cases increase over exposure at work to toxic diesel fumes." Diesel emissions contain high levels of nitrogen oxides which can be harmful to humans. Nitrogen oxides may cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. They can also trigger temporary symptoms like a cough or phlegm. Inhaling diesel fumes can cause chest tightness and wheezing.
In addition to diesel fumes, other contaminants found in certain rail yard areas include chemicals, creosote, dust and powders. These pollutants are inhaled and may cause long-term problems such as COPD or lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified exhausts from diesel engines as carcinogens. The agency also warns that there is evidence that exposure to diesel exhaust can increase the risk of bladder cancer for both men as well as women.
Smoking
A railroad conductor recently filed an occupational illness claim, claiming that his exposure to toxic chemicals at work caused him to develop COPD. He claims that his employer did not provide him with the proper safety equipment, which allowed him to breathe in a myriad of compounds every day. These poisons include diesel fumes as well as exhaust, silica dust creosote, and metal dusts found in coal smoke, sulfur dioxide and benzene as well as chemical degreasers and dioxins.
The issue with these poisons is that they're capable of getting deep into the lung tissue where they cause damage, and eventually cause chronic obstructive lung disease, also known as COPD. This is a chronic condition that causes breathlessness wheezing and coughing for a long time weight loss, and in some cases asthma.
Railroad workers who suffer from work-related respiratory illnesses such as emphysema, asthma, or other can receive compensation under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. 51. This law requires that railroads offer their employees a workplace that is reasonably safe.
However, this isn't always the situation. Railroad corporations are well aware of the dangers associated with their work but they often fail to safeguard workers. This negligence is what FELA was designed to be accountable for. If lawsuits against union pacific railroad have an illness linked to your railroad career contact a mesothelioma lawyer who has dealt with FELA cases successfully.