Benzene, a substance to which railroad workers are often exposed, is a known carcinogen. It has been connected with many different cancers including colon cancer after railroad work.

Benzene is a colorless, flammable liquid that has a sweet odor and evaporates quickly when exposed to air. It is among the most 20 most widely used chemicals in the United States.

Benzene has been used as the starting ingredient in things like plastic, lubricants, rubber, dyes, detergents and pesticides. It has also been used as a chemical solvent and a gasoline additive, but in the last decades, these uses have declined.

Even though benezene was banned from uses in the home in the U.S. over 20 years ago, it’s still present in some products used in railroad operations. It’s released by the burning of diesel fuel, and it’s also found in different solvents that are used by railroad workers.

Leukemia and other blood cancers are the most common form of benzene-related cancers, but colon cancer is as much of a concern for workers as any other type.

Benzene can be inhaled or it can be absorbed through the skin. Originally it was thought that benzene only caused lung cancers, but it has been connected with many types of deadly cancers including:

• Bladder Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Esophageal Cancer
• Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Kidney Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Rectal Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
• Throat Cancer
• Leukemia
• Other Cancer

FELA Compensation for Colon Cancer After Railroad Work

Railroad workers harmed on the job can seek compensation from their employers under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).

FELA was adopted in 1906 in response to the high number of railroad deaths that occurred between 1889 and 1920. It protects and compensates railroad workers who have been injured on the job, including those who later develop diseases like colon cancer.

According to a recent study, approximately 55,000 railroad employees who worked between during the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s had a 40% increase risk of developing colon cancer after railroad work as well as other cancers due to chemical exposure on the job.

If you have developed colon cancer after railroad work, it may not be because of a family history of cancer. It may be because of exposures to hazardous materials like benzene on the job, and you may be protected under FELA.

You may be entitled to compensation if you have been diagnosed with colon cancer after railroad work. A consultation with a knowledgeable attorney can give you an idea of your legal options.