If you or someone you love was diagnosed with cancer after exposure to dangerous chemicals on the railroad, consulting railroad cancer lawyers can help you navigate litigation.

Railroad cancer lawyers help those who have been diagnosed with cancer after railroad work to recover monetary damages and awards that can help compensate for their pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, many current and former railroad workers may not even know they have a claim, or that there are railroad cancer lawyers available to help. Some may even be unaware of the connection between certain dangerous chemicals used on the railroad and certain cancer diagnoses, which may in part be due to the years or even decades between the initial exposure and the appearance of symptoms.

Exposure to Dangerous Chemicals on the Railroad

While the prominence of railroad work has died down in the last few decades, there are still currently tens of thousands of railroad workers in the United States.

Working on the railroad can involve exposure to a variety of dangerous chemicals and substances. Some of these are known carcinogens—that is, substances capable of causing cancer. Two of the more well-known railroad cancer risks are benzene and creosote.

Benzene is a hydrocarbon chemical found in a variety of materials used on the railroad. Benzene is classified as carcinogenic by a number of well-respected organizations, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The use of benzene has been significantly restricted in the U.S. for more than twenty years because of its cancer risk, but there are still products on the railroad made with this chemical. While most people are not around these chemicals enough to be at much risk, railroad workers are exposed to these products on a regular basis, raising their risk of benzene-related cancers.

Another serious risk of cancer linked to railroad work is creosote. Creosote is also known as coal tar and is used to coat railroad ties. Long-term exposure to creosote is associated with skin cancer.

Cancer caused by chemicals like benzene and creosote may not develop until years after exposure. Not only does this make it difficult for cancer patients to make the connect their diagnosis with its potential cause, but also means that a patient may be at a later stage of cancer before being diagnosed, making treatment all the more difficult.

Consulting Railroad Cancer Lawyers

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with some form of cancer after railroad work, you may be able to file a railroad cancer lawsuit. Pursuing litigation can be a difficult and complex process, but railroad cancer lawyers are available to help.

While filing a railroad cancer lawsuit cannot reverse the damage of cancer or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to offset the financial damages often incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.