A slew of people in a Houston neighborhood may have been affected by railroad worker cancer, according to state officials in Texas.

Several individuals were found to have been diagnosed with cancer in the same area, known as a “cancer cluster,” all located near a site that had been contaminated with chemicals from nearby Union Pacific railroad operations over the course of several decades.

According to the state officials, the railroad used to treat wooden railroad ties with creosote, a hazardous oil distilled from coal tar. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found coal tar to be a human carcinogen—that is, capable of causing cancer in humans—and that creosote, too, is a probable human carcinogen as well.

In 2014, Union Pacific began sending letters to those nearby the company had determined were in the contamination zone from the railroad operations.

Even though creosote operations had stopped in the 1980s, a report from the Texas Department of State Health Services found more instances of cancer diagnoses in the area than expected.

“Staff analyzed Texas Cancer Registry data available for a 17-year-period spanning from 2000 through 2016,” the report noted. “Lung and bronchus, esophagus, and larynx cancers were statistically significantly greater than expected.”

Unfortunately, the neighborhood in question—Kashmere Gardens—is one of both the oldest and poorest neighborhoods in the Houston area, with about 35 percent of its families living in poverty.

While a link between these cancers and the railroad site nearby cannot be proven, experts indicate that the types of cancers that have been popping up in unusually high numbers in the area are consistent with exposure to the types of chemicals, like creosote and asbestos, found at railroad sites.

“The contaminants in the plume are linked to those specific cancers (found),” said Loren Hopkins, who serves as the chief environmental science officers for the Houston Health Department. “It was a very severe situation before (the cluster was found), and now it’s tragic.”

A number of cancer types have been linked with railroad workers, including bladder cancer, lung cancer, mesothelioma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and more. A more complete list can be found on our investigation page.

Filing a Railroad Worker Cancer Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer after exposure as a railroad worker, you may be able to file a Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) claim. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by a cancer diagnosis, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more. It can also help to hold companies responsible accountable.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with a cancer diagnosis, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.