Rail workers are exposed toxic substances like diesel exhaust, coal dust, and creosote. These carcinogens have been proven to cause cancer and other serious ailments.
Contact a FELA lawyer today if you have been diagnosed with cancer or another illness that could be connected to your railroad job. A FELA lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Benzene
Benzene is a volatile organic compound that is found in a wide range of areas of the natural world. It is a byproduct of refinement of petroleum and is released by automobiles, cigarettes and forest fires. It is also used in the production of plastics, rubbers and synthetic fibers. It can be found in groundwater and soil. It may attach itself to snow or rain and then evaporate back into the air.
Exposure to benzene for long periods can cause leukemia, a cancer of the blood-forming organs. It also increases the risk for other types of cancer and also for problems with bones, bone marrow, and nervous system. Studies suggest that even exposure to levels of benzene deemed safe could increase the risk of cancer.
Inhaled or swallowed via the skin, benzene is toxic. It can damage both the central nervous system and hematopoietic systems. A single exposure to a chemical can result in death from respiratory arrest or asphyxiation, or even depression of the central nervous system. It can also cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and the intestines. Exposure to benzene could cause birth defects and affect fertility in pregnant women. A report from 2021 by Valisure discovered that 78 of the sunscreens and sun-care products including 44 hand sanitizers as well as 59 antiperspirant and body sprays had high levels of the chemical. People who lived in North Carolina at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 were exposed to benzene-contaminated drinking water.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a rock that is found naturally, but when it's broken or disturbed, it can become a poisonous substance. This is especially true in the environment where it can be found in water and soil. Asbestos is a toxic pollutant that can harm animals and humans.
The reason asbestos is so hazardous is because it breaks down into microscopic thin fibers. They can be breathed into the lung. They can then become lodged in the lungs, which leads to serious health issues like lung cancer and mesothelioma. Inhaling these microscopic particles can also trigger other illnesses such as asbestosis or plaques in the pleural cavity. These are not cancerous, but they could have a negative impact on your health.
Asbestos is a natural component. It is often found in conjunction with other minerals like silicates or sulfide. However, it can also be released into the air through construction and mining activities. Asbestos is a dangerous substance and has been prohibited from all new applications in 39 countries around the world. It's still in use in many old buildings and is currently restricted in the US, Throat cancer Railroad injury Canada and Australia.
Mesothelioma can also be a problem for animals. Pets who live near areas where they have been exposed to asbestos may suffer from symptoms such as an enlarged stomach and breathing difficulties, or fluid buildup in the lungs. Other signs include tumors inside the abdominal cavity as well as loss of appetite.
Diesel Exhaust
Diesel exhaust is a source of a range of harmful chemicals such as cancer-causing organic compounds. These include polycyclic hydrocarbons, formaldehyde, ancrolein, and acetaldehyde. Diesel engine emissions also contain oxides nitrogen (NOx) which is a chemical that can react with other pollutants in the atmosphere to create ground-level ozone.
These chemicals can be inhaled directly or spread on the skin of animals and people. Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust could cause serious health problems, especially for those who suffer from weak immune systems. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel exhaust as carcinogenic for human beings.
Diesel emissions can also trigger respiratory problems, heart disease, and eye damage. These chemicals can enter the bloodstream and be absorbed into the skin.
Inflammation of the airways is yet another danger that diesel exhaust poses. Inhaling diesel exhaust particles increase the oxidative stress and activates inflammatory cells. This can cause airway inflammation.
Lisa Sodergen filed a lawsuit alleging that CSX released more cancer-causing vinylchloride in the environment over a week than industrial emitters combined in the previous year. Sodergen lives less than five miles from the scene of a CSX train derailment and claims that the regular exposure to toxic smoke has irritated her nose, eyes and throat.
Solar Radiation
Solar ultraviolet radiation is a major pollutant that poses a significant danger. It can cause many negative human health effects. Outdoor workers frequently exceed current ACGIH and ICNIRP occupational exposure limits and therefore are at greater risk of contracting occupational diseases caused by UVR.
A widow of a railroad worker filed a lawsuit against CSX Transportation Inc. at the end last year. The special administrator of the estate of Marvin Frieson says that exposure to toxic fumes from a CSX facility over a prolonged period of time led to her husband's stomach cancer the colon cancer as well as Throat cancer Railroad injury cancer.
Hundreds of residents living in the north Houston neighborhood are suing the city and throat cancer railroad Injury Union Pacific Railroad Company over allegations of contamination of their homes and groundwater with toxic chemicals. Click 2 Houston reports.
