Pan Am Railways FELA Lawsuits | Diesel Exposure Cancer

Railroad Diesel Exposure Lawyer

Due to a wide range of toxic materials used in the railroad industry over the last 75 years, many former railroaders and Pan Am Railways workers have developed occupational cancers and serious lung diseases. As a result, victims have successfully filed FELA injury claims and toxic exposure lawsuits, naming former employers as defendants for failing to protect employees.

If you or a loved one has developed lung cancer, AML, MDS, multiple myeloma, or another related cancer following chronic exposure to serious toxins at the workplace, contact an attorney to discuss your legal options. We have settled numerous work injury and occupational cancer cases on behalf of plaintiffs nationwide.

How Were Pan Am Railways Workers at Cancer Risk?

Almost every worker at a rail yard has come into contact with some carcinogenic materials. Many railyards on the east coast have been seen thick with diesel exhaust, endangering staff of all varieties. Many conductors, engineers, brakemen, carmen and signal operators have reported chronic diesel exposure at Pan Am and other rail companies.

Despite an increased awareness of work safety guidelines and warnings from OSHA and other health agencies, many employers still failed to provide proper safety equipment, safety training, or seek alternatives to cancer-causing chemicals at the workplace. Employers have a duty to maintain safety gear and protect workers, and if they fail to do so, legal action can be taken by any worker who develops an occupational illness.

Benzene, a chemical known to cause several cancers and medical conditions, is ubiquitous in many industrial settings, including rail yards. Benzene is present in diesel fumes, solvents, adhesives, paint thinners, degreasers and other materials used regularly by Pan Am railroaders. Benzene has links to AML, other forms of leukemia and blood cancers.

Asbestos was also a serious concern for many years for Pan Am Railways staff as the material was used as an insulator in locomotive parts, roundhouses, workshops and other on-site buildings.

Silica exposure has also been a hard reality to cope with for many former maintenance of way workers at railroad companies. Track maintenance crews who built, maintained or removed ballast rock may have been exposed to creosote, pesticides, coal tar pitch and silica dust, leading to serious lung diseases.

Other Pan Am workers spent long days in poorly ventilated workspaces, increasing their risk of inhaling diesel fumes, welding fumes, solvents, asbestos fibers, benzene and other toxic chemicals.

More About Pan Am Railways

Pan Am Railways, Inc. (PAR), was once a standalone rail company, and is now a subsidiary of CSX. They still operate rail lines and regional railroads around New England from Maine to New York. Pan Am was comprised of former Class II regional railroads, which included Boston and Maine Corporation, Maine Central Railroad Company, Portland Terminal Company, and Springfield Terminal Railway Company. For a time it was known as Guilford Transportation Industries and Guilford Rail System. Rail yards operated by PAR and CSX include the following:

·      Ayer: Hill Yard

·      East Deerfield

·      Fitchburg

·      Gardner

·      Lawrence

·      Lowell

·      Auburn: Danville Junction (PAR, St. Lawrence andAtlantic Railroad)

·      Hartford: Hartford Yard (ConnecticutSouthern/Pan Am)

·      Brunswick Yard (PAR, Amtrak, Maine Department ofTransportation)

·      Hermon: Northern Maine Junction (PAR, CanadianPacific Railway)

·      Mattawamkeag: Mattawamkeag Yard (PAR, EasternMaine Railway)

·      Bangor Yard

Portland:

·      Yard 3 (PAR, Turner’s Island Railroad)

·      Yard 6

·      Yard 8 (PAR, Maine International MarineTerminal)

·      Yard 10 (PAR, Amtrak)

·      Yard 11

·      Rumford Yard

·      Rigby Yard

·      Waterville: Waterville Shops

·      Westbrook Yard 12

What Can Plaintiffs Recover in  Diesel Exposure Lawsuits?

Every case is unique, and every work history different, but The Lyon Firm has the ability to assess your individual case and determine what compensation and damages can be sought by former workers and their families. A typical compensation packages can include the following:

• Compensation for all medical expenses, including specialist consultations, hospital visits and treatment programs
• Coverage for related medication, surgeries and rehab
• All related medical costs not fully covered by your basic health insurance
• Expenses related to follow-up therapy and long-term disability
• Lost earnings if a worker has to stop working due to an occupational illness or injury
• Loss of future earnings if a worker cannot return to the same position in the same capacity.

What Cancers Are Linked to Railroad Toxic Exposure?

There are numerous occupational cancers and lung diseases that have strong links to exposure to herbicides, solvents, silica dust, asbestos, diesel exhaust, benzene, creosote and welding fumes, including the following:

• Lung Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Esophageal Cancer
• Nasopharyngeal Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Aplastic Anemia
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Emphysema
• RADS (Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome)
• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Pulmonary Fibrosis