The American railways are part of an industry that has one of the highest rates of occupational hazards. According to research studies conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, which has tracked the lung cancer mortality rates among railroad workers since the 20th century, nearly 5,000 deaths in this industry have been attributed to this specific condition.
Prolonged exposure to hazardous substances such as diesel fumes, asbestos, benzene, herbicides, solvents, and many others frequently causes different types of cancer, which are collectively referred to as railroad cancer. The higher incidence of cancer in this occupation is believed to be the result of the presence of carcinogenic molecules in these substances.
Long-term exposure is not the only factor observed among the various types of cancer in the railway industry. Some workers without a family history of cancer are diagnosed after just a few months on the job, and lung cancer is hardly the only kind. In some cases, railroad workers have filed Federal Employer Liability Act (FELA) claims for onset leukemia even if they never experienced acute lymphoblastic episodes as children.
Many railroad workers, whose cancer diagnoses correspond to periods of employment and potential exposure, take the first step by filing FELA claims.
This is one way to get relief and compensation, plus it can open the door to further claims to be filed against liable employers. For more questions about FELA and other legal options available to victims of railroad cancer, please feel free to visit Diesel Injury Law – Hughes Law Offices LLC today.
