CSX Transportation is facing an asbestos cancer lawsuit from a Kentucky couple alleging that the company failed to prevent the devastating disease.

The couple claims that the husband developed lung cancer from asbestos exposure, after years of working as carman and welder for CSX.

Plaintiff couple James C. and Mary C. filed their asbestos lawsuit on Dec. 28, 2015, in Pennsylvania, alleging claims that CSX Transportation had failed to protect James, along with other employees, from the dangers of asbestos exposure.

James had worked for CSX from 1961 to 1978, where he was regularly exposed to asbestos. Long after his time of employment, in 2014, he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

The asbestos lawsuit indicates that lung cancer from asbestos was a strong possibility due to the fibrous material being present at the majority of the company’s work sites. So for being allegedly responsible for James’ asbestos lung cancer, he and his wife are suing CSX Transportation for over $500,000 in punitive damages.

The charges include negligence and concealing vital safety information, which may have prevented James and other employees from suffering asbestos lung cancer.

This Asbestos Lung Cancer lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-CV-06823, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania.

Overview of Asbestos Lung Cancer Concerns

Lung cancer from asbestos is a primary concern among health physicians at the moment, as new patients are diagnosed constantly with some form of lung damage. Asbestos fibers are 700 times smaller than a human hair, and can easily be inhaled or swallowed when disturbed.

Asbestos lung cancer occurs when the fibers begin to fester in the lungs, which can quickly overtake the patient’s health. However, the damage from asbestos fibers can take up to 40 years to show in patients, meaning that latent diagnoses and little treatment options are common for patients.

Up until the 1980s, asbestos was used popularly as a construction and insulation material for a variety of purposes. In particular, the United States Navy used asbestos in a number of their vessels for piping and insulation.

It wasn’t until 1986 that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proclaimed that lung cancer from asbestos exposure was a significant risk to Americans who worked with the material.

The two major asbestos cancers are mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer. While both conditions are lung cancers specifically caused by asbestos, they differ in physical characteristics and environmental factors not related to asbestos.

Mesothelioma occurs when the asbestos fibers fester and attack the mucus lining of the lungs, while asbestos lung cancer effects the lung itself and can be made worse through smoking. Unless diagnosed at an early stage, both asbestos cancers leave little treatment options for the patients.

People who were exposed to asbestos and developed serious health problems as a result may have a claim and should contact a specialized attorney. These legal experts can assess the case, to see if there is any potential to seek damages.