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Ten Common Misconceptions About Railroad Settlement Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia That Don't Always Hold
Railroad Settlements and Asbestos

In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act, which provided funding for two transcontinental railroad companies through giving large grants of land for rights-of-way. Railroad workers who contract cancer due to workplace exposures can sue their employers under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA).

A jury in Illinois handed $7.5 million to an ex- Union Pacific Trackman who died from acute myeloid leukemia. The judge blamed the blood-cancer on exposure to creosote, compounds like benzene and others used to preserve railroad ties made of wood.

Creosote

Coal tar creosote, an organic wood preserver, is used to shield railroad tie from heat, sun and cold, rain and snow. Workers are exposed to harmful chemicals and solvents, including benzene in the application of coal creosote. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen can cause leukemia as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well with other serious consequences like convulsions, heartbeat changes, liver damage, anemia, and cancers of the lungs and body.

Our lawyers have successfully defended numerous lawsuits against Union Pacific Railroad for exposure to coal-tar creosote. One of these cases resulted in the amount of $7.500,000 verdict. The plaintiff was a track employee who contracted acute myeloidleukemia due to exposure to the chemical compound that is toxic in his work over 31 years. The jury concluded that the railroad failed to provide any personal protective equipment, and regularly exposed him to a diverse range of toxic chemicals like coal-tar creosote and coal tar distillates, carbolineum and naphtha and other cleaning solvents.

Another claim involved the use of copper naphthenate alternative to creosote from coal tar. Copper naphthenate, while less harmful to the environmental than creosote can still be very dangerous. Copper naphthenate is known to cause lung, skin and nerve damage to the skin and nerves. It also has the potential to contaminate soil and groundwater with benzene.

Benzene


A colorless liquid petroleum hydrocarbon benzene is used in the production of resins, plastics, nylon and synthetic fibers. It is also found in diesel fuels and exhaust. Diesel fumes are inhaled regularly by almost all railroad workers. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen that has been linked to leukemia as well as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

There is no safe level of exposure to benzene. It can be inhaled or absorbs through the surface of the skin. union pacific settlements -term exposure to it can damage the blood and cause various health issues, including menstrual cycle irregularities, anemia and fertility issues. It is also associated with certain types of cancers, including breast and lung cancer.

It is possible to inhale benzene orally however it is most dangerous when inhaled. Inhaling benzene may cause headaches, dizziness and nosebleeds. It can also affect your immune system and cause infections.

Multiple myeloma settlements revealed the higher levels of benzene that were found in the air around two Chicago train stations. railroad injury settlement amounts , railroad workers and city residents were exposed to the high levels of pollution. Schools shut down classes and cities asked residents to take shelter. Railroad workers, such as car department employees, locomotive machinists pipefitters and electricians, frequently make use of benzene-containing items such as Safety-Kleen parts washers as well as CRC Brakleen as well as thinners and paints. Benzene can also be found in printing solvents.

Asbestos

Early on, asbestos was used in the railroad industry. Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that were once extremely popular in construction due to their fire retardant resistant, fire-retardant, corrosion resistant and insulate properties. Inhaling these tiny fibers can cause serious health problems such as lung cancer mesothelioma and asbestosis. The symptoms of these illnesses can take 15 to 30 years to appear.

The EPA has banned the mining and processing of asbestos in the United States however, it is used in many products. This includes certain kinds of paper, floor felt, and fake fire embers. When these materials are exposed to heat or water, they can release asbestos fibers. These fibers may also get into the air when buildings are being demolished or when homes are being renovated.

A recent study has revealed that exposure to benzene for just five years significantly increases the risk of developing acute myeloid tumor (AML). If you're suffering from symptoms like night sweats, unexplained loss of weight and suppression or a lack of appetite, see your doctor immediately. They can perform tests on your blood to identify AML.

The EPA recently settled a case against Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (GWRSI). GWRSI uses locomotives that run on diesel fuel and emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This EPA settlement requires GWRSI to replace any of its existing locomotives with new ones that meet EPA emission standards.

Diesel Exhaust

As long diesel fuel is used to power freight trains, railroad workers will remain exposed to exhaust. Diesel exhaust is a cocktail of toxic chemicals that includes carcinogens like benzene, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. It also contains oxides of nitrogen as well as particulate matter and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

In fact the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified diesel exhaust as a Group 1 carcinogen. Furthermore, diesel exhaust is a source of respiratory illness in the form of bronchiopulmonary disorders such as chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis. Multiple myeloma settlements published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2006 related railroad worker employment to COPD rates.

When railroad cars and locomotives are running and idling, they emit diesel exhaust. The machinery and engines that idle emit gases in addition to diesel fumes, which include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Diesel exhaust fumes are usually not distinguishable in locomotive cabs, where conductors and engineers spend up to six hours per day. The equipment and the engine emit more diesel exhaust fumes when people enter or leave the cabs. This can cause pulmonary and cancerous ailments.

In roundhouses that are not well ventilated workshops, shops, and roundhouses railroad mechanics face high levels of exposure to diesel exhaust. They work in enclosed areas with track equipment, locomotives and asbestos-insulated steam boilers.

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