Notes

The Most Inspirational Sources Of Railroad Lawsuit Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Multiple Myeloma Caused by Railroad Work

Under FELA railroad workers are able to sue to recover compensation for their injuries. To be successful, the injured party will have to prove the railroad was negligent in causing the accident.

The evidence presented during the trial included the testimony from toxicologist who utilized different studies and their relative risks to prove that Harris's multiple myeloma was the result of the exposure to diesel exhaust.

Benzene Exposure

The benzene compound is associated with various hematopoietic cancers which include Acute Myeloid Leukemia(AML), Acute Non-Lymphocytic Leukemia(ANLL) and Multiple Myeloma. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) the chemical the chemical is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. This chemical is present in diesel exhaust and fumes, which many railroad workers are exposed to on a regular routine.

Additionally, some railroad workers are exposed to benzene through cleaning products like Safety-Kleen as well as CRC. These kinds of cleaning products typically contain a form of benzene called methylbenzene. The methylbenzene converts to dioxin, a chemical when it comes in contact with water. railroad lawsuit settlements are a group of substances that can cause numerous health problems such as lung cancer.

Parker Waichman has represented railroad employees in personal injury lawsuits against their employers under the FELA. A jury handed down $7.5 million to a former Chicago and North Western Railroad employee diagnosed with acute myeloid carcinoma after years of exposure.

In a different case, a plaintiff was diagnosed with multiple lymphoma after several years of employment as a railway maintenance technician for signals. He alleged his condition was caused by exposure to benzene and diesel exhaust that he was exposed to on the job. Prior to the start of trial, BNSF filed a motion for summary judgment based upon the idea that plaintiff knew or should have known that his cancer was related to his exposures to chemicals and environmental hazards during his railroad employment.

Creosote Exposure

A toxic chemical that is used as a wood preserver creosote is linked to various cancers including scrotal and skin cancer. Railroad workers who were involved in the maintenance and repair of railway ties are often exposed to this substance. The National Toxicology Program has reported that workers who work with creosote have a higher risk of developing cancer that is fatal than the general population.

A recent court case where a railroad worker sued after he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The case alleged that his occupational exposures to diesel exhaust and other environmental dangers caused the cancer. The court decided that the plaintiff was aware of the potential dangers posed by his work in the railroad and could have discovered his injury through a reasonably thorough internet search prior to the time when he was diagnosed. Since he was not able to do this, his action is time-barred.

In a different case, the railroad was successful in defending a decision in a suit filed in Philadelphia County by a former railroad employee. The plaintiff claimed that he had developed bladder cancer as a result of the exposure he received to smoke and other chemical substances like diesel exhaust and creosote.

Parker Waichman has also secured defense verdicts in cases that involve other types of cancers, including prostate and lung cancer, brought by other former railroad workers who claimed that their cancers stemmed from an exposure to toxic chemicals at work. The firm is prepared to analyze the facts of your case and discuss your options.

Asbestos Exposure

Railroad employees can be exposed to asbestos while working. Workers are exposed to asbestos when they work with railroad ties, fix or install railway gear, or work on railroad tracks. Asbestos exposure could cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other diseases.

Ronald K. Harris, the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against CSX Transportation claims that he contracted multiple myeloma through his job at the railroad. Harris according to the lawsuit, was employed every day by CSX Transportation in its Laredo railroad yard. As a result, he inhaled "harmful, toxic chemicals, agents, fumes and particles, and other substances which include but not only diesel exhaust, welding fumes, creosote, carbon monoxide, phenols dioxins and heavy metals."

We successfully defended our client in the two-week trial of a jury in which it was alleged that repetitive stretching, lifting and twisting during the course of work caused lumbar disc herniation and an indefinite disability of 25% that caused loss of earnings and pain and suffering. The railroad was not found to be negligent, and the plaintiff received a minimal award.

Environmental Exposure

Railroad workers are exposed a variety of environmental chemicals. This exposure can trigger a variety of health problems including multiple myeloma, based on the nature and severity of the work. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma because of work done on the railroad, get in touch with Parker Waichman to discuss your options.

In a recent instance, railroad workers received $7.5 million from a jury following his diagnosis with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia. He sued two major railways in the claim that their exposure to diesel exhaust and asbestos caused his health issues.

The railroads filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that at the time of the plaintiff's diagnosis, the plaintiff was aware of the factors and causes of his injury. The court ruled in favor of the railroads' motion concluding that the plaintiff had failed to make a reasonably diligent inquiry into whether or not his condition was connected to his railroad employment.


At trial the plaintiff offered expert testimony from an industrial hygiene specialist and epidemiologists. Expert witnesses claimed that Harris's myeloma was a result of his exposure to diesel exhaust. To support this assertion the expert witness cited several studies that proved that there was a link between certain kinds of cancer and diesel exhaust. However, no reputable scientist has ever concluded that diesel exhaust to be the cause of multiple myeloma.

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