A recent railroad cancer lawsuit was filed by a former railroad electrician alleging his employers failed to protect him against the harmful substances in his work environment.

The railroad cancer lawsuit names several different railroad companies as defendants, including Penn Central Corporation, Consolidated Rail Corporation, and Norfolk Southern Railway Company. Each of these companies had allegedly failed to warn the claimant and other employees against substances like asbestos or diesel exhaust.

Plaintiff Kenneth K. filed this railroad cancer lawsuit under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), alleges the dangerous work environment had contributed to him developing kidney cancer. According to the railroad cancer lawsuit, Kenneth worked for the railroad companies from September 1975 through December 2015 as an electrician.

During the course of his employment, Kenneth was reportedly exposed to a number of different chemicals in his work environment including chemicals, solvents, benzene, heavy metals, along with rock and mineral dust.

This regular exposure had allegedly caused Kenneth to develop kidney cancer, and he says he has since been contending with the condition.

Overview of Railroad Cancer Risk

Benzene is a deadly substance produced by diesel exhaust, which has been linked to lung cancer and other serious diseases. Benzene is commonly used as a solvent for degreasing trains and can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

According to a 2004 study published in the Environmental Health Perspective, researchers found that railroad workers faced a 40 percent increased risk of lung cancer. Researchers had observed 55,000 railroad workers between 1959 to 1996.

Among other dangerous chemicals often found in railroad yards is asbestos, which was commonly used before the 1980s for a variety of industrial purposes. Asbestos was cheap to use and was resistant to fire and chemical damage, making it a popular choice for the railroad industry between the 1930s to the 1970s.

However the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) became aware of the carcinogenic nature of asbestos, and in the 1970s the agency severely restricted its use. Asbestos can induce slow developing lung disease including mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer specifically caused by asbestos exposure. It is believed that locomotive parts that were manufactured before the 1980s may carry an asbestos risk.

Kenneth filed this railroad cancer lawsuit alleging various violations under FELA. Kenneth alleges the companies knowingly utilized dangerous chemicals for daily operations purposes but did provide proper safety equipment or disclose potential health problems associated with these chemicals.

Under FELA, the railroad industry and other companies are responsible for providing employees with a reasonably safe work environment for employees. There are over a dozen different cancers linked to the railroad cancer industry 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

Kenneth’s railroad cancer lawsuit is seeking over $50,000 and other relevant damages.

This Railroad Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 170502995 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.