If you have been or are currently working for a rail company, you may face exposure to workplace hazards that cause cancer. Poolson | Oden is currently representing clients who developed major illnesses due to their careers. In this situation, you can turn to a Louisiana FELA railroad occupational exposure and cancer lawyer.
Don’t Get Railroaded®. Contact us today, and we will reach out to you for a free conversation about your situation. You can count on a Louisiana FELA railroad injury lawyer to put you first, fight for your best interests, and provide the dedicated support you deserve as you seek compensation for your losses.
We have more than 80 years of combined legal experience, and we’re ready to help you today.
Why Hire a FELA Railroad Occupational Exposure and Cancer Lawyer in Louisiana?
Hiring a Louisiana railroad injury lawyer means you’ll have someone on your side and ready to represent your best interests when you need help the most.
Our team takes the needs of railway workers seriously, and we’re ready to help:
- Railroaders
- Engineers
- Conductors
- Carmen
- Switchmen
- Signalmen
- Sheet Metal Workers
If you’ve been affected by an occupational hazard, you can turn to us for help. We understand the hazards caused by railway work, such as:
- Lung cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Throat cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Blood cancers
At Poolson | Oden, we stand up for your rights against rail companies such as Amtrak, Union Pacific (UP), Illinois Central Railroad Company (IC, ICRC), BNSF, and more. We have the training and experience to stand up for railroad employees.
Don’t Get Railroaded ®
Contact Our Experienced Attorneys Today to Get Back On The Right Track.
Compensation Available for Illnesses Caused by Occupational Exposure
Our team can take steps to help you secure the funds you need to cover your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses if you develop an illness due to exposure to hazards in the railroad industry.
How Much Compensation Can You Get for Your Claim?
The money available to you will depend on various factors, including the severity of your medical condition and whether you get help on your side from a skilled legal professional.
You can rely on a FELA railroad occupational exposure and cancer lawyer in Louisiana to put you first and to work tirelessly to ensure you get maximum compensation for all the losses you sustain.
Contact us now so we can begin reviewing the value of your claim. You should hire a railroad attorney as soon as possible after you receive a medical diagnosis to protect your right to get compensation.
Why Pick Us to Handle Your Occupational Exposure Claim?
Our team at Poolson | Oden understands the toxic materials and hazardous chemicals you could be exposed to while working in the railroad industry. We’re here to provide the legal help and support you need if exposure to hazardous substances directly impacts your health.
We can draw on our extensive experience to build a claim that can bring you compensation for your long-term occupational exposure to dangerous substances.
We have a reputation for success and have brought our clients more than $30 million in compensation in the last five years alone. We’re ready to carefully consider your situation and develop a personalized plan to handle your legal needs, so reach out now.
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You Have Limited Time to Seek Compensation for Your Losses
You need to quickly start working with a Louisiana FELA railroad occupational exposure and cancer lawyer if you believe that exposure at your workplace caused you a major medical condition, like cancer.
FELA’s statute of limitations controls how long you have to take action against the liable party. Generally, you only get three years from the date you learned your cancer was caused by your railroading career to move forward with your claim.
Our law firm can assess your situation and give you information about your exact deadlines if you wonder how long you have to claim a railroad injury.
How Long Does an Occupational Exposure Claim Take to Resolve?
The time it takes to resolve your occupational exposure claim will vary. Our team does everything possible to expedite the legal process on behalf of our clients, but it may still take months or even longer to get the compensation you need to move forward.
We’re ready to focus on your needs now, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us for assistance.
Let’s Get You back On Track.
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The Risks of Working in the Railroad Industry
Whether you are aware or not, working as a railroader, you may face exposure to many dangerous and/or carcinogenic chemicals and products. Most railroaders we help work around these chemicals and products regularly, without realizing the level of danger.
Unfortunately, continuous exposure to any of these may cause long-term illnesses, including various types of cancer. It’s essential to understand your occupational exposures and the diseases they could cause; you may currently be experiencing unexplained symptoms.
It’s also possible you were diagnosed with an illness or cancer, but didn’t realize your occupational hazard exposure may be the cause. If you fall into any of these categories, you may be entitled to compensation for your occupational illness. A Louisiana FELA railroad occupational exposure and cancer lawyer can tell you more.
Diesel Exposure, Exhaust Fumes, and Railroaders
As you likely know, diesel is a fuel derived from crude oil. Most large engines use diesel fuel. Unfortunately for railroaders, diesel is carcinogenic to humans, meaning its fumes can cause cancer.
It can be surprising and disheartening for railroad workers to learn that diesel exhaust fumes can be so hazardous.
Diesel exposure can cause cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is a disorder that affects a person’s lungs and ability to breathe. Two long-term lung conditions of COPD disorder include:
Emphysema
Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) sustain damage. Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture, creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones.
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation (swelling) and irritation of the bronchial tubes. These tubes are the airways that carry air to and from the air sacs in your lungs. The irritation of the tubes causes mucus to build up.
COPD is often not diagnosed until the illness has progressed.
Silica Exposure and Railroad Workers
Silica is one of the most common minerals in the Earth’s crust. The most common form of crystalline silica is quartz. Crystalline silica represents a hazard to the health of your lungs. When we talk about workplace or occupational silica exposure, we refer to crystalline silica, or quartz.
In the 1990s, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”) determined that railroad track maintenance workers faced a health hazard from occupational exposure to crystalline silica. Personal measurements of airborne respirable crystalline silica that exceeded occupational exposure guidelines supported this risk.
Exposure can result in silicosis, a lung disease. It usually happens in jobs where you breathe in dust that contains silica. That’s a tiny crystal found in sand, rock, or mineral ores like quartz. Over time, silica can build up in your lungs and breathing passages.
Railroad Ties and Creosote
Railroad tracks have three main parts: the long steel rails that the trains run on, railroad ties, and the track ballast that helps bear a train’s weight and keeps the track clear of plants. As part of track installation and maintenance, railroad ties may be treated with creosote to help extend their longevity in harsh weather conditions.
Exposure to this material can result in:
- Chemical burns to the skin
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory problems
- Kidney or liver problems due to toxicity
- Convulsions
- Mental confusion
- Death
We’re here to help if you developed a health condition due to your exposure to this dangerous substance.
Railroad Workers and Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos is a known carcinogen, a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue.
Asbestos exposure, including chrysotile, causes cancer of the lung, larynx, ovaries, and also mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings). Many companies that sold asbestos products actually knew the health effects of exposure to asbestos.
Regardless of the effects on their workers, consumers, customers, and bystanders, these companies continued to manufacture asbestos products for profit.
What is Asbestosis?
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. Prolonged exposure to these fibers can cause scarring of lung tissue and shortness of breath.
Asbestosis symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually do not appear until many years, if not decades, after continued exposure. If exposed to airborne asbestos dust over a long period, some fibers can become lodged in your lungs. The asbestos fibers irritate and scar lung tissue, making the lungs stiff, which makes it difficult to breathe.
Who is At Risk for Asbestosis?
Many workers in blue-collar industries faced exposure to asbestos in the past decades, including railroad workers. We can explain how railroad workers are exposed to asbestos.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a tissue tumor that lines the lungs, stomach, heart, and other organs. Cancerous (malignant) mesothelioma is the most common form, usually affecting the lungs. Exposure and inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma. Treatment for mesothelioma may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
Benzene Exposure and Railroad Workers
Benzene is another chemical known to be present in the railroad environment. Benzene is a known carcinogen, meaning it is a chemical known for causing cancer. The primary way people are exposed is by breathing in air containing benzene. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline (and therefore motor vehicle exhaust), and cigarette smoke.
Benzene is known to affect railroad workers due to its proximity to the train’s diesel fumes. The chemical is known to cause cancer and other illnesses, such as a diminished immune system, anemia, and leukemia.
Benzene in any quantity is dangerous, but railroad workers can face exposure to exceptionally high levels.
RoundUp and Glyphosate Weed Killer
For years, maintenance workers have been using chemicals to help control vegetation growth around railroad tracks. Recent studies have linked a high risk of developing certain cancers after significant exposure to the weed killer glyphosate, commonly found in brand-name products like “RoundUp.”
Railroaders are unfortunately exposed extensively to this carcinogenic substance on the tracks, which can lead to severe illnesses, including cancer.
We’re Here to Help if Occupational Exposure Caused You Health Issues in Louisiana
You are not alone if your work on the railroad left you with severe medical conditions, like cancer. You can rely on a Louisiana FELA railroad occupational exposure and cancer attorney from our team at Poolson | Oden to step in and help in this situation.
If you are experiencing symptoms or have been diagnosed with an illness or cancer caused by workplace hazards, reach out now. Our experienced FELA (Federal Employers’ Liability Act) railroad trial attorneys are ready to review your situation free, with no strings attached.
Call, chat, email, or fill out the form today.
