Railroad Lawsuits and Asthma
Railroad workers are often exposed to fumes and toxic chemicals such as silica, creosote asbestos, and creosote. The exposures can result in respiratory disorders like asthma.
Fortunately, victims can recover compensation under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). An asthma attorney for railroad lawsuits can be of assistance. Take a look at these examples of verdicts and settlements.
Diesel Exhaust
Since trains operate on diesel fuels, railroad cancer lawsuit (bang-alstrup.federatedjournals.com) employees are exposed all day to diesel fumes. The fumes consist of soot particles and toxic chemicals. Exposure to these fumes could contribute to asthma and other lung diseases.
Since the beginning of time, railroads have been aware of the dangers associated with diesel exhaust. Many companies have not taken the proper precautions to protect their employees. As a result, many railroad workers have suffered from respiratory ailments that are severe and debilitating.
The exposure to diesel fumes, when coupled with other workplace hazards such as asbestos, creosote and silica, can lead to life-changing lung diseases, railroad cancer lawsuit such as asthma. These conditions often hinder railroad workers from returning to their work and can affect the quality of their lives.
In one instance, our lawyers successfully defended a FELA lawsuit filed by an engineer working on locomotives who claimed he contracted leukemia and other cancers because of his exposure to toxic diesel fumes and toxic chemicals while working on railroad equipment. The court granted summary judgment in favor of the railroads in question, deciding that Plaintiff did not conduct an adequately thorough research into the details of his illness at the time of diagnosis and that his claims were not time-barred.
Dust
Rail workers are exposed to various dusts, like silica from ballast and coal dust. They can also be exposed to chemical or petroleum fuels. These harmful substances can be harmful to health and can cause respiratory ailments like asthma.
Our FELA lawyer has helped a lot of people claim compensation for their exposure. FELA allows workers with certain diseases to hold employers accountable for failing to protect them from dangers in their workplaces.
A Montana jury, for example has awarded $3.7 Million to an engineer from the past who was suffering from pulmonary fibroidsis. This is a lung condition that progresses due to scarring in the lung tissue. In his FELA claim, the defendant claimed that the inhalation of diesel fumes hundreds, if no thousands of times, contributed to the onset and progress of his lung disease. The testimony of the defense experts failed to convince jurors that the locomotive engineer’s lung disease was due to some other cause.
Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Sierra Club also successfully filed a lawsuit against BNSF Railroad over its coal trains. Each time a train crosses the Gorge it pollutes sensitive habitats for plants and wildlife, and tributary rivers, and the Columbia River. BNSF has accepted to stop transporting coal through the Gorge, and other locations.
Asbestos
railroad lawsuit settlements workers have for a long time been exposed to hazardous chemicals. While asbestos has been largely removed from the workplace, some toxic substances remain. Chemical solvents, for instance are found to cause asthma and other respiratory ailments. Railroad workers can sue their employers to recover damages.
In one instance the jury determined that a 61-year old locomotive engineer suffered from diesel asthma due to his work in the railroad controls limited lawsuit. The condition caused him to be placed on medical leave and lose his wages. He also had two back surgeries, including the multilevel lumbar spine fuse. All of this added up to substantial medical costs.
He said he was constantly exposed to diesel exhaust fumes as well as strong smells. He also stated that his body was constantly exposed silica particles chemical compounds, railroad Cancer lawsuit spray paints and black smoke. His chest tightened and throat hurt. He also had difficulty swallowing. He also was afflicted by allergies and chronic bronchitis.
Railroads successfully argued that the release of the plaintiff from 1996 should block his new suit because he knew about the risk being exposed to asbestos. Hughes Law Offices argued that the statute should be tolled until the plaintiff is diagnosed with cancer, to give him time to seek medical treatment and determine if the illness is connected to his work.
Poor Ventilation
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with lung cancer or lung diseases, mesothelioma, or other types of cancers that could be related to working in the railroad industry, then you may have the right to file a lawsuit under FELA against the company which employed you. FELA lawsuits can provide compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and suffering and pain. Contact an Houston FELA attorney today to discuss your case.
A jury has awarded an ex- Conrail engineer $2.6 million in the course of his occupational illness trial after determining that the retiree’s debilitating asthma was caused by his constant exposure to diesel exhaust fumes as he crewing locomotives at rail yards. The lawyers representing the plaintiffs argued that railroads did not prevent exposure by not installing adequate ventilation in locomotive cabs.
wasatch railroad contractors lawsuit workers are exposed to toxic chemicals, as well as diesel fumes. In the construction and maintenance of railroad materials asbestos, benzene, and other carcinogens are found. Sadly, these toxic materials can cause many different cancers as well as other serious health issues, including pulmonary diseases like asthma.
A Houston FELA attorney can help you make an employer accountable for their negligence in the event that you suffer from asthma resulting from your railway work, or your loved ones have been diagnosed with cancer that may be related to the rail industry. By contacting an experienced lawyer as soon as you can you will have the best chances of getting the financial compensation that you deserve for your suffering and losses.