Specialized lawyers are reaching out to current and retired railroad workers, who may have developed cancer sometime during or after the job.

Railroad workers who develop cancer may not know their condition was potentially caused by the work environment, and that they were exposed to a carcinogen chemical called Benzene.

Even though Benzene has been banned for over 20 years in the United States, a number of railway products still contain the chemical and that the most dangerous forms of the chemical are created by burning diesel fuel.

When this happens, Benzene is released into the air and can be inhaled by inhabitants or employees in the surrounding area. In addition, Benzene can also be absorbed through the skin and increase the risk of additional cancer variations.

Railroad workers also have to worry about potential asbestos exposure, as the fibrous material was popularly used before the 1980s for a number of construction and insulation purposes.

Overview of Cancer after Railroad Work

The long term complications associated with asbestos exposure include mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer, along with asbestosis.

There are also other carcinogens that may induce cancer after railroad work, which include creosote and other chemical solvents. Diseases that have been reported in employees who developed cancer after railroad work include, but are not limited to:

• 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

Due to this danger, cancer after railroad work is a significant risk in the industry with the railroad companies allegedly failing to protect their workers.

Railroad companies that allegedly fail to protect employees from cancer and other environmental work hazards, may be in violation of the Federal Liability Act (FELA).

Employees who develop cancer after railroad work may be eligible to file a FELA lawsuit, based on the fact that the railroad companies may have failed to warn or protect them.

These lawsuits do not require out of pocket costs from the railroad workers, and can be used to seek financial compensation from the railroad companies.

According to a recent study, approximately 55,000 railroad employees who worked between 1959 and 1996 had a 40% increase risk of developing cancer after railroad work due to the intense chemical exposure.

Railroad workers who were diagnosed with cancer after railroad work from 2013 to 2016 may be eligible to file legal action. Potential claimants should contact a specialized lawyer, to determine if they have a claim.