FELA and Railroad Lawsuits
Railroad workers who are exposed to harmful chemicals such as coal fumes diesel exhaust benzene or asbestos are at risk of developing serious illness including cancer. A successful FELA claim can award damages to pay medical expenses, lost income and suffering and pain.
Leukemia lawsuit awarded $7.5 Million to one of their railroad workers who developed Leukemia. This is only one example of the justice system standing up for the victims.
Benzene
Railroad workers often work with chemical solvents, as well as other hazardous substances, such as benzene. Benzene is a highly evaporative liquid which can be absorbed via the skin or inhaled. It has been linked to a variety of medical conditions, including cancer blood-related cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and bone-marrow diseases. It is also a cancer-causing agent and is a component of coal creosote. It's used to shield railroad ties from heat, sunlight, rain and snow.
A former railway worker claimed that exposure to benzene while working with coal-tar creosote in order to make railroad ties, led to Myelodysplastic Syndrome. This progressed to Acute Myeloid leukemia. A jury gave the man $7.5 million in September of the year before.
Anyone diagnosed with cancer or other chronic illnesses that result from daily exposure to asbestos, benzene radioactive substances, benzene and other dangerous chemicals can seek compensation under FELA. The statute of limitations may differ based on the nature and severity of the cancer or disease. It is imperative to consult an experienced attorney whenever you can.
Shaw Cowart's railroad lawyers can assist you in determining if your case is suitable for a FELA lawsuit. We provide no-cost consultations and are familiar with FELA as well as railroad workplaces and the cancer-causing chemicals railroad employees encounter on a daily basis.
Asbestos
Our lawyers have represented railroad workers who contracted lung cancer, as well as other health issues due to asbestos exposure. They typically worked in areas like repair shops, engine rooms, and yards as well as on rail cars that were damaged or track equipment that had deteriorating asbestos insulation. This kind of asbestos is especially dangerous since, when it begins to degrade tiny fibers are released into air. The fibers are breathed in by railroad workers and could cause mesothelioma or lung cancer as well as asbestosis and the pleural plaque.
Railroad workers are at the risk of developing lung disease due to diesel exhaust, silicasand and welding fumes. These particles and fumes can cause damage to the kidneys, lungs and gastrointestinal tract as well as blood cells. These injuries can be detected many years after the initial exposure and can cause various serious and debilitating conditions.
Recent case against Conrail shows the dangers associated with this type work. The Appeals Court upheld a jury award of $2.3 million against the railroad company for an employee of the railroad who died of mesothelioma. A jury awarded damages for his suffering and pain, as well as loss of companionship, future medical costs and other losses. The case highlights the importance to work with an experienced attorney who can quickly determine whether a FELA claim is legitimate.
Radioactive Substances
Railroad workers exposed to radioactive substances are at risk for developing certain types of cancers as well as other serious ailments. They are often concealed in the materials railroads use to clean tracks and other rail yards. It can be difficult to detect them unless the railroad company actively tests for Gamma and Alpha radiation. When a railroad worker is diagnosed with cancer or a different illness that was caused by exposure to carcinogenic chemicals on the job, they may submit a FELA claim and receive compensation from their former employer.
Research has shown that railroad workers are much more likely to develop different types of cancers than other people. They are continuously exposed to the toxins that can cause lung cancer. Leukemia lawsuit are exposed to asbestos and the mineral sand (silica) and welding fumes, or diesel fumes.
Railroad workers who have been diagnosed with cancer as a result of exposure to radiation on the job should speak to a lawyer for railroads as quickly as is possible. They can assist them in determining whether they have a case against the former employer and make the appropriate lawsuits in accordance with FELA. These claims may include compensation for medical expenses, income loss, and discomfort and pain. Bladder cancer lawsuit can compensate for the loss of a loved one in a wrongful-death claim. An experienced railroad attorney can assist victims get the maximum amount of compensation they are entitled to under FELA.
FELA
Railroad workers, such as engineers, conductors and train crew members are often in dangerous environments that can damage lungs without realizing it. Former railroad employees who have developed lung cancer or another condition that could be caused by their job can claim compensation under Federal Employers Liability (FELA).
In contrast to claims for workers' compensation, FELA allows injured railroad employees and the families of deceased employees to seek damages for future and past emotional and medical expenses. A lawyer familiar with rules under FELA can explain your options to file.
In Bladder cancer lawsuit to be successful in a FELA claim, you must prove that your employer acted negligently. The definition of negligence can include breaking a rule or law or not meeting an acceptable standard of care and more. A FELA lawyer can look over your case and determine if railroad negligence contributed to your condition.
Railroad exposure can cause variety of lung diseases. If you were exposed during your career as a railroad worker to diesel exhaust or other toxic substances like creosote or asbestos creosote, a mesothelioma lawyer will help you file a claim for compensation under the FELA. The FELA cases handled by Hughes Law Offices in the past have resulted in a variety of settlements and verdicts.