Railroad Lawsuit - Exposure to Toxins Causes Emphysema and Mesothelioma
Due to the work they perform, railroad workers can be exposed to numerous toxic substances. One of these toxic substances is asbestos that was used to line and insulate older train cars.
Unfortunately, these harmful substances can cause serious harm to the lung of railway workers. Our FELA lawyers help those suffering from railroad-related lung diseases hold corporations accountable for their actions.
Asbestos
While railroads have lost favor as a means of transportation in recent decades as more people turn to automobiles, trains have a crucial role to play in the nation's transportation network. As such, railroad workers have long been exposed to various toxins that can influence their health. Our Boston asbestos lawyers for railroad workers note that railroad workers are at risk of developing lung ailments such as asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Asbestos can be a deadly substance that is able to break down into microscopically thin fibers which can be breathed into the lung. These fibers can cause severe scarring of the lung tissue, which can cause a variety serious respiratory illnesses, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
For instance, a man diagnosed with mesothelioma after working on the railroad for over 30 years has filed an Illinois Central Railroad lawsuit. The railroad allowed him to work in dangerous conditions, without providing protection equipment or warnings about potential hazards. He claims that he inhaled diesel fumes or chemicals, dust or powders, along with other particulates that impacted his lungs.
Furthermore, the plaintiff claims that the Illinois Central Railroad failed to provide him with the proper medical surgery, hospital, and therapeutic care for his injuries and illnesses. According to the lawsuit, the railroad did not fulfill their Federal Employers Liability Act duty to provide a safe working environment for employees.
Diesel fumes
The fumes released by diesel engines can affect a railroad worker's health. In certain cases, these fumes can lead to lung disease such as COPD. In the event that a machinist had to breathe in diesel exhaust during work the employer did not provide adequate protective equipment. The man was diagnosed with COPD as a result and is now using oxygen tanks every day.
In the United Kingdom, where diesel engine exhaust is a common sight in workplaces, such as garages and bus depots, a recent article by The Guardian reports that "UK legal claims are growing over exposure to toxic diesel fumes." Diesel emissions contain high levels of nitrogen oxides, which can be harmful to human health. Nitrogen oxides can cause irritation to the nose, eyes, and throat and cause short-term symptoms such as coughing or phlegm. Inhaling diesel fumes can also cause chest tightness and wheezing.
Other pollutants that can be found in rail yards are dust and chemicals, as well as creosote. These toxins are inhaled, and can lead to long-term issues like COPD or lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel engine exhausts as carcinogens. The agency also warns that exposure to diesel exhaust may increase the risk of bladder cancer among men as well as women.
Smoking
A railroad conductor has filed a claim for occupational illness recently, claiming that his long-term exposure to toxic chemicals led him to develop COPD. He says that the company he worked for did not provide him with adequate safety equipment, allowing him to breathe in hundreds of substances on a regular basis. 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 toxins can seep deep into the lung tissue, where they cause damage, which can eventually lead to chronic obstructive respiratory disease (also known as COPD). railroad controls limited lawsuit can cause shortness of breath wheezing, chronic coughing and weight loss. In some cases, it can also cause asthma.
Railroad workers who suffer from work-related respiratory ailments such as emphysema and other can be compensated under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. 51. This law requires railroad companies to provide their employees a workplace that is reasonably safe.
Sadly, this isn’t always the however. Railroad companies are aware of the dangers that are inherent to their work, but they often fail to safeguard their workers. This is why FELA was designed to ensure they are accountable for. If you have an illness associated with your railroad work, contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney who has successfully handled FELA cases successfully.