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Texas Railroad Lymphoma Lawyer

Researchers have long known about links between chemicals that are in common use around railroads and certain cancers called lymphomas. Railroad workers have an increased likelihood of developing lymphoma. If you ever worked for a railroad and now have lymphoma, your employer could be liable for your damages. Speak with a Texas railroad lymphoma lawyer to discuss your legal options.

Connection Between Railroad Employment and Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes, which are cells that work in the lymphatic system and support the immune system. When someone has lymphoma, the lymphocytes develop abnormally and can form tumors. There are many forms of lymphoma; the most prevalent type is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Exposure to some chemicals is connected with an increased risk of developing lymphoma.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has linked benzene exposure to increased risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Benzene is a component of many solvents used frequently in railroad machine shops. Diesel fuel and exhaust also contain benzene.

In 2015 the IARC named glyphosate a probable human carcinogen. Several subsequent studies confirm a link between glyphosate exposure and lymphoma.

Glyphosates are a component of Roundup and some other herbicides. Right-of-way workers could have had daily exposure to these chemicals.

Can a Lawyer Help Hold a Railroad Responsible for Lymphoma?

If a railroad worker develops lymphoma, their employer could be liable under the Federal Employee Liability Act (FELA). This law makes railroads responsible for any work-related injury an employee suffers.

A Texas attorney with experience representing railroad employees with lymphoma could help that person bring a case and gather evidence showing that the worker’s job exposed them to chemicals that could cause lymphoma. Even if the worker had other risk factors for the disease, the fact that the worker’s job might have increased their chances of getting the disease is enough to make the railroad liable.

A lawyer also must prove that the railroad was negligent in some way. Any evidence that shows the railroad did not provide adequate safety equipment all the time, failed to adopt less hazardous products when they became available, or did not provide a safe workplace for employees could prove the railroad was negligent.

FELA Claim Process for a Lymphoma Diagnosis

A worker who suffered injuries due to their employment with a railroad must bring a lawsuit within three years of the event that caused the injury. In lymphoma cases in which a disease develops due to long-term chemical exposure rather than a single event, a person typically could bring a lawsuit within three years of their diagnosis and when they knew or should have known that the diagnosis was work-related.

If the railroad worker’s attorney can prove that workplace exposure due to the railroad’s negligence caused the lymphoma, the worker could receive damages that include compensation for:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity
  • Physical pain
  • Emotional anguish
  • Disability and disfigurement

Risk factors for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma include a family history of lymphoma, taking certain chemotherapy drugs, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Other lymphomas have different risk factors. A railroad company might argue that a worker with a risk factor would have developed the disease regardless of their workplace. An experienced worker’s attorney may be able to show that the railroad exposures contributed to the development of the disease when some of these risk factors are present.

Trust a Texas Railroad Lymphoma Attorney to Fight for You

If you have ever worked for a railroad, you might have been exposed to chemicals that could cause lymphoma. If you now have the disease, you could hold the railroad liable for harming you. Speak with a Texas railroad lymphoma lawyer as soon as possible after your diagnosis.

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