Railroad Lawsuit - Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Railroad workers are exposed to various carcinogenic substances, such as diesel exhaust fumes. This can cause a variety of illnesses like non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
A lawyer from the railroad industry can assist you in determining whether your disease is linked to work exposures, and seek compensation for medical expenses and pain and discomfort.
Benzene
Benzene is one of the most commonly used chemical compounds. It is a transparent, light yellow liquid with a sweet odor that quickly evaporates into the air. It is employed in dyes, degreasers, solvents, pesticides, lubricants, plastics and resins. It is also found in crude oil. Long-term exposure to the chemical can damage bone marrow and cause leukemia, as well as other blood-related diseases. It can also trigger convulsions, heartbeat changes and liver diseases, and can reduce a person's fertility.
The exposure of railroad workers can increase the risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other types of cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic Syndrome, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic disorder. This is especially the case for those who worked around or on locomotives in the shop of railroads, where they could be exposed to diesel exhaust. Exposure to coal tar, which is used to preserve wood is also a risk of exposure to benzene.
The personal representative of an BNSF worker who died from leukemia has filed 27 lawsuits against the company, including eight of them in 2018. The plaintiff worked for the railroad company for a long time. She worked for 33 years as a hostler at a yard in Alliance, Nebraska. 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 like Liquid Wrench as an agent for breaking bolts.
Glyphosate
Glyphosate, an herbicide that is widely used, is used by railroad workers to eliminate weeds along tracks and around stations. However, exposure to this chemical is risky and could cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as other serious health problems. If you've been exposed to the chemical glyphosate and later developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a railroad accident lawyer can help get compensation from the company who caused you harm.
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified glyphosate a probable carcinogen. The chemical works by targeting a protein in plants called shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). This prevents EPSPS from making its own natural product, which is the building protein. The glyphosate then binds to the EPSPS and shatters its structure. It also prevents the EPSPS from fulfilling its normal function, which can cause cell death.
In the short term, glyphosate can produce negative side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, eye irritation, and skin irritation. In extreme cases exposure to glyphosate could cause death. The herbicide is used on a variety of crops, including corn, soybeans oilseeds, grains, certain vegetables and fruits. Surface runoff and rainwater may also contain glyphosate. Due to its widespread use, consumers regularly consume small amounts of glyphosate.
Asbestos
Railroad workers are exposed a range of dangerous substances, such as asbestos and diesel fumes. Carcinogens like these can cause lung diseases, cancer and other health problems. Federal law allows current, former and retiree rail employees to sue their employers if they are diagnosed with medical conditions that are related to their work exposures.
For decades asbestos was a key component of the railroad industry. Many railroad workers were exposed to this dangerous substance. An asbestos exposure attorney for railroads could review your medical records and workplace records to determine if you contracted mesothelioma, or a different illness due to work-related asbestos exposure.
A conductor on the train filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern over Hodgkin lymphoma, alleging Norfolk Southern failed to protect him from exposure to harmful chemicals. The lawsuit alleges that Norfolk Southern was in violation of FELA regulations by failing to protect workers from asbestos and other harmful materials and also failing to monitor the exposure of workers to hazardous chemicals.
The lawsuit states that the job of a train conductor included handling and operating equipment used by railroads. It also claims that the railroad used weedkillers to protect right-of-way space which resulted in exposure to glyphosate a toxic herbicide that may cause non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as well as other diseases. A jury awarded the plaintiff one million dollars in damages for compensation.
Secondhand Smoke
Many railroad workers have been diagnosed with cancer and other chronic illnesses as a result of the toxic chemicals they were exposed to every day. Under FELA, railroad employees who suffer from cancer or other diseases caused by their exposure to carcinogenic chemicals can file lawsuits against their former employers.
A man from Pennsylvania, who worked as a railroad employee who filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania against his former employers alleging that his kidneys developed cancer as because of being exposed to carcinogens for a period that spanned nearly 40 years. He claimed that he was exposed to asbestos, vinyl chloride and other hazardous substances on a daily basis as a railroad worker for several companies in the Philadelphia area.
Railroad Cancer Lawsuit Settlements who filed a lawsuit alleged that his work as a railroad worker contributed to the formation of lung cancer and other serious health issues. He worked for CSX Transportation, Inc. for 20 years as a laborer. He was exposed to toxins, such as diesel exhaust and secondhand smoke. He also worked with railroad ties that were coated with a chemical known as creosote.
Despite the risks of secondhand smoke were widely known for years, some railroads resisted implementing smoking bans in locomotive cabs. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked with a range of illnesses and serious health conditions, like asthma, bronchitis and heart and lung disease.