During initial construction of U.S. railroad systems in the 1800s, workers faced life-threatening conditions on a daily basis, from explosives to weather conditions to avalanches.
Today, though the work conditions have changed, railroad workers still face serious risks: they may be surrounded by a number of railroad cancer hazards. More and more current and former railroad workers claim that they were not adequately warned or protected against these railroad cancer hazards.
Breakdown of Railroad Cancer Hazards
Railroad workers may face a number of railroad cancer hazards, including asbestos, silica dust, exhaust, solvents, creosote, benzene, lead paint and more.
Exposure to these railroad cancer hazards has been associated with a number of cancers, including lung cancer, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, mesothelioma, kidney and more. Risks may also include non-cancer complications, such as asbestosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
While the risk presented by these railroad cancer hazards is affected by how much exposure a person has faced, any exposure at all presents some risk.
“Someone may have a really significant exposure over a short period of time or a moderate exposure over a long period of time,” said Mary Reid, MSPH, PhD, Director of Cancer Screening and Survivorship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “What we know about asbestos and diesel and silica is, the greater the dose, the greater the risk.”
There are often years or even decades between initial exposure to these chemicals on the railroad and when a patient is actually diagnosed with cancer. This can lead to a significant delay before a patient files railroad cancer FELA claims. Some may actually realize the connection, but not know that they can even file railroad cancer FELA claims in the first place.
The delay also means that a patient may be at a later stage of cancer before being diagnosed, making treatment itself more difficult.
Railroad cancer hazards may affect workers across a slew of different railroad jobs, including conductors, shop workers, trackmen and many more.
Filing A Lawsuit Over Railroad Cancer Hazards
Railroad companies are responsible for giving workers a safe environment to work in and the proper equipment to deal with unsafe materials, but a growing number of workers say that they have been diagnosed with cancer because of exposure to chemicals like creosote or benzene on the railroad in violation of the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).
If you or someone you love have suffered from exposure to railroad cancer hazards like benzene, creosote or asbestos on the job, and have since been diagnosed with cancer, you may be able to file a railroad cancer lawsuit.
Those eligible to file include those who worked on the railroad for more than 5 years and have been diagnosed with cancer from 2013 through 2016. While filing railroad cancer FELA claims cannot reverse the damage of cancer or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial damages often incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.
Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual railroad worker cancer lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, railroad worker cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.
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