Lung cancer and other cancers are associated with exposure to toxic chemicals, such as asbestos, sand dust (silica), coal dust, diesel fumes and exhaust, and the fumes from welding, solvents, and other materials. Railroad workers and other workers who are often exposed to such substances during the life of their employment are subject to a higher risk of such cancers. This has often been the result of negligence on the part of the companies which employ them. Such cancers are debilitating and life-altering medical conditions that can lead to physical, emotional, and financial devastation for workers and their families. In such cases, they may be entitled to financial compensation for their losses and damages. A lung cancer lawsuit can be filed and pursued through the court systems to provide justice for those injured. At Doran & Murphy, PLLC, we have been representing railroad workers and other injury victims for two decades in all kinds of negligence cases. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with lung cancer or another form of cancer due to workplace negligence, we recommend that you contact us to speak with a railroad cancer lawyer right away.

Dangers on the Railroad Leading to Lung Cancer

Most railroad workers are regularly exposed to diesel exhaust and diesel fumes from trains or heavy equipment. Unfortunately, long-term exposure to these fumes—as well as the benzene compounds that many industrial degreasing products contain—is correlated with a risk of serious lung cancers.

Another major source of lung-related diseases is exposure to asbestos. While it is not used as prevalently in modern manufacturing, the effects of past use are still being felt.  Railroad workers are now developing lung cancer and lung disease from exposures that happened decades ago. As a result, mesothelioma and other types of lung cancers are unfortunately all too common among railroad workers who have spent a long time around railyards.

While workers who spend a lot of time around or operate engines arguably have the highest risk of developing lung cancer through their work, other railroad workers can also be susceptible to these diseases. Our experienced railroad lung cancer attorneys could help an individual worker determine whether their employment background and circumstances may give them the right to file suit.

Filing a FELA Claim for Compensation with a Railroad Cancer Lawyer

Instead of workers’ compensation insurance, railroad workers who get hurt on the job or develop a work-related medical condition are covered by the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). First established in 1908, this Act allows injured and sick railroad workers to file claims against their employer, specific employees, or a third-party manufacturer liable for damages.

Unlike workers’ comp insurance, FELA does not automatically hold employers liable for injuries suffered by their employees. Instead, a person filing a FELA claim must prove that the defendant in their claim was legally negligent in a way that caused or contributed to the conditions that injured them—or, in this kind of case, contributed to the worker’s lung cancer.

On the bright side, successful claims allow railroad workers to recover for both economic and non-economic losses. A railroad lung cancer lawyer could go into further detail about the filing options available to a particular railroad worker during an initial consultation.

Schedule a Consultation to Learn How a Railroad Lung Cancer Attorney Could Help

If you have developed lung cancer due to your work on the railroad, let an experienced lung cancer lawyer help. You may be eligible to recover compensation through a lung cancer lawsuit. Call today to speak with one today.