If you’ve worked on the railroad and developed cancer, you’re not alone. You may have developed your cancer from toxic chemical exposure on the railroad, and you may have legal rights under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).
At Poolson | Oden Injury Lawyers, we serve as a resource for railroaders, helping workers and families understand the connection between on-the-job exposures and serious illness.
Our team includes experienced FELA railroad chemical exposure and cancer lawyers in Shreveport who know what it takes to hold railroad companies accountable.
With over $30 million recovered in the last five years and 80+ years of combined experience, we’ve built cases rooted in the law, medicine, and facts.
Unlike ordinary injury firms, we bring a full legal-medical team to every case and prepare from day one to take your fight to trial if needed. If you need a trusted FELA railroad injury lawyer in Shreveport, call us now for a free consultation.
The Dangers of Chemical Exposure for Shreveport Railroad Workers
Chemicals like diesel exhaust, benzene, creosote, asbestos, silica, and industrial solvents are all too common in rail yards, on locomotives, and in maintenance shops. Prolonged contact or inhalation can lead to cancers such as lung cancer, leukemia, mesothelioma, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer, along with respiratory and neurological disorders.
These exposures often happen without proper protective equipment, ventilation, hazard warnings, or other conditions that can point to employer negligence under the FELA. Some workers aren’t even aware they’ve been exposed until symptoms appear years later, sometimes even after the date of diagnosis.
At Poolson | Oden Injury Lawyers, we educate to protect. Our Shreveport railroad injury lawyers understand how exposure happens, how it affects the body, and how to prove it in court. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer after railroad work, you don’t have to carry the burden alone.
Exposure to Many Railroad Chemicals Can Cause Harm
Many chemicals found in the railroad industry can cause cancer and other long-term health problems. These are some of the most dangerous and commonly encountered substances that our Shreveport personal injury lawyers can help with:
- Benzene: Found in diesel fuel, solvents, degreasers, and lubricants. Long-term exposure is strongly linked to leukemia, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as other blood cancers like chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and colon cancer.
- Diesel Exhaust: Emitted from locomotives and yard equipment. Prolonged inhalation increases the risk of lung cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness.
- Asbestos: Previously used in brake pads, insulation, and older train components. Exposure to airborne fibers can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, kidney cancer, and colon cancer.
- Creosote: Used as a wood preservative in railroad ties. Known to cause skin, lung, and bladder cancers with chronic exposure.
- Silica: actively used in the United States during train engine operations. Known to cause silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Tuberculosis, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma.
These and other chemicals are often present in enclosed spaces or areas with poor ventilation. Our lawyers build cases that connect these workplace exposures to your diagnosis, using medical records, scientific literature, and real evidence from your job history.
We have been selected as Designated Legal Counsel for SMART TD and Transportation Communications Union/IAM (“TCU”) based on our work representing Railroaders and fighting to protect their rights.
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Contact Our Experienced Attorneys Today to Get Back On The Right Track.
Understanding Your Rights Under the FELA
As a railroad worker, you’re not covered by standard workers’ compensation laws. Instead, your rights are protected by the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).
This law allows injured railroad workers, including those diagnosed with cancer from chemical exposure, to sue their employer for negligence. To recover damages under the FELA, you must prove that:
- Your employer failed to provide a reasonably safe workplace
- You were exposed to harmful chemicals due to unsafe conditions, lack of warnings, or inadequate protective gear
- That exposure contributed to your cancer or illness
This is where many cases are won—or lost. Railroad companies often fight hard to deny responsibility or downplay your exposure history.
How Poolson | Oden Injury Lawyers Can Help You Stay on Track™
At Poolson | Oden, we don’t just handle FELA cases—we build them the right way. We know what it takes to prove chemical exposure claims because we combine:
- A full legal–medical support team
- The correct Experts including Industrial Hygienists, Occupational Medicine Doctors, and Epidemiologists
- Visual tools that connect law, medicine, and fact
- Strategic use of venue selection, jury panel research, and trial preparation
From the moment you contact us, our field representative (s) and welcome specialist(s) make your intake process easy and efficient. Our entire team prioritizes your health and recovery first—because “Legal Follows Medical” is one of our core promises.
When it’s time to evaluate your case, our trial attorneys and field representatives work side by side to build the strongest case possible—one grounded in facts, medical evidence, and legal experience.
Our team knows how to properly prepare FELA claims in Shreveport’s legal system, identifying the appropriate venues and jurisdictions, researching local jury panels, to best present your occupational illness claims. We prepare every case like it’s going to trial, so you have the best chance at full compensation.
What Damages Can You Recover in a FELA Chemical Exposure Case?
When cancer or another serious illness is caused by chemical exposure on the railroad, the law allows you to pursue full financial recovery through the FELA. That recovery can include:
- Medical costs for current and ongoing treatment
- Lost income for time missed at work and future earning limitations
- Pain and suffering for physical and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life for the everyday moments and future plans taken away
- Wrongful death damages if a loved one passed from exposure-related illness
But these damages are only available if you act within the statute of limitations established by 45 U.S.C. § 56. That window is usually three years from the date you knew or should have known your illness was related to your railroad work.
For chemical exposure cases, that date isn’t always obvious. You may have worked decades ago and only recently been diagnosed.
That’s why it’s critical to speak with a FELA railroad chemical exposure and cancer lawyer in Shreveport as soon as possible; we can help determine when your legal clock started and ensure your claim is filed before it’s too late.
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Call Our FELA Railroad Injury Lawyers in Shreveport Today
If you or a loved one developed cancer after working on the railroad, Poolson | Oden is ready to help. Our FELA railroad chemical exposure and cancer attorneys in Shreveport have recovered millions for workers like you, and we’ll bring the full strength of our team to your case.
Call now for a free consultation—let’s make sure you Don’t Get Railroaded®.