Railroad Lawsuit - Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Railroad workers are exposed to a variety of carcinogenic compounds, including diesel exhaust fumes, welding fumes, and chemical solvents. This can lead to a variety of diseases, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
A lawyer for cancer of the railroad can help you determine if your disease is linked to workplace exposures, and then claim reimbursement for medical expenses as well as discomfort and pain.
Benzene
Benzene is a common chemical compound in the world. Leukemia lawsuit is a transparent, light yellow liquid with a pleasant odor which quickly evaporates into air. It is used as a dye, solvent, degreaser plastics, lubricant and resins. It is also found in crude oil. Long-term exposure to benzene can harm the bone marrow and cause leukemia, as well as other blood-related cancers. It can also cause convulsions and heartbeat changes, and liver diseases and decrease fertility.
Exposure to benzene by railroad workers can increase the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as well as other cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic Disorder and myelodysplastic disorder. This is particularly true for those who worked near locomotives or in the railroad shop where they could have been exposed to diesel exhaust. Anyone exposed to coal tar creosote, a wood preservative, may be at risk of exposure to benzene as well.
The personal representative of a BNSF worker who died of leukemia has filed 27 lawsuits against the company, eight of them in 2018. The plaintiff's history with the railroad company went back many decades. She worked as hostler in a yard in Alliance, Nebraska for 33 years. She was exposed to diesel exhaust and other toxic chemicals when working on cars, locomotives and rail ties. She also worked with benzene-based chemical such as Liquid Wrench as a bolt-breaking solvent.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate, a common herbicide that is utilized by railroad workers in order to eradicate weeds on tracks and around stations. Exposure to this chemical can cause non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and other serious health issues. If you have been exposed to glyphosate or other chemicals and develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, an railroad injury lawyer can help obtain compensation from the business who wronged you.
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen. The chemical works by targeting a protein in plants called shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). This blocks EPSPS from producing its own natural product, which is a building block for proteins. The glyphosate binds to the EPSPS, destroying its structure. It also blocks the EPSPS from carrying out its normal functions, which can cause cell death.
In the short term, glyphosate could cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and skin irritation. In extreme instances exposure to glyphosate might cause death. The herbicide is extensively used on a wide range of crops such as soy beans, corn, and grains. Surface runoff and rainwater may also contain glyphosate. Because of its extensive use, trace amounts of glyphosate can be consumed by people.
Asbestos
Railroad workers are exposed many dangerous substances, such as diesel fumes, benzene asbestos, coal dust, silica and creosote. These carcinogens can lead to lung cancer, cancer of the lungs and other health problems. Federal law gives the current, former and retired rail workers the right sue their employers when they are diagnosed with a medical issue related to their exposure on the job.
Asbestos played a key role in the railroad industry for a long time and many railroad workers were affected by exposure to this toxic material. A knowledgeable railroad asbestos exposure lawyer could examine your work records and medical records to determine if you contracted mesothelioma and/or another illness due to on-the-job exposure.
A conductor of a train filed an action against Norfolk Southern over Hodgkin lymphoma, claiming that Norfolk Southern failed to protect him from exposure to toxic chemicals. The lawsuit asserts that the railroad company violated FELA safety regulations by not removing asbestos and other harmful substances and not ensuring that workers were exposed to toxic chemicals.
The lawsuit claims that the job of a train conductor consisted of managing and operating railroad equipment. It also alleges the railroad used weedkillers to maintain right-of-way areas which could have led to exposure to glyphosate, a toxic herbicide which can cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as other diseases. A jury gave the plaintiff one million dollars in compensation.
Secondhand Smoke
Several railroad workers have been diagnosed with cancer and other chronic diseases due to the toxic chemicals they were exposed to every day. Railroad workers who suffer from cancer or other maladies due to their exposure to carcinogenic substances are able to file lawsuits under FELA against their former employers.
For instance a man from Pennsylvania who was a railroad worker filed an action against his former employers claiming that he had developed kidney cancer due to being exposed to carcinogens for almost 40 years. He claimed he was often exposed to asbestos, vinylchloride, as well as other harmful substances, while working for various railroad companies in the Philadelphia region.
Another railroad worker who filed a suit claimed that his work as a railroad worker led to the development of lung cancer as well as other serious health conditions. He worked for CSX Transportation, Inc. for 20 years as a worker and was exposed to toxins, such as diesel exhaust and secondhand smoke. He also handled railroad ties that were coated in Creosote chemical.
Despite the dangers of smoking secondhand being recognized for decades railroads have taken a long time to ban smoking in the cabs of locomotives. Smoking secondhand has been linked to a range of diseases and cancers including bronchitis and asthma.