Tennessee Railroad Workers Cancer Lawsuit

Occupational Cancers Diagnosed in Tennessee Railroaders

Our firm works closely with medical experts and industrial hygienists to draw clear connections between exposure and diagnosis. This is often the most critical part of winning a Tennessee railroad cancer lawsuit.

Common diagnoses include:

• Lung cancer (including in nonsmokers);
• Bladder, kidney, and esophageal cancers;
• Leukemia (AML, ALL, CLL, MDS);
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
• Multiple myeloma;
• Laryngeal and nasopharyngeal cancers;
• Stomach and colon cancer;
• Aplastic anemia and related blood disorders; and
• Chronic lung conditions, including COPD and interstitial lung disease.

These illnesses often appear years or decades after exposure, which is why a delayed diagnosis won’t necessarily disqualify you under FELA.

How Long Do I Have to File a Toxic Railroad Cancer Claim?

Under the Federal Employers Liability Act, you have three years from the time you knew—or reasonably should have known—that your illness was caused by work-related exposure.

This “discovery rule” was confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Urie v. Thompson (1949), which held that the time limit doesn’t begin at the time of exposure but when a worker is first diagnosed or becomes aware of a work-related cause.

That means your Tennessee railroad workers cancer lawsuit could still be valid even if you retired years ago or exposure happened decades prior.

Tennessee Rail Workers Most at Risk

The kind of work you did matters, even though in these environments, few were completely protected.

Who Is Eligible?

• Conductors and Engineers: Worked in sealed, poorly ventilated cabs where diesel fumes collected.
• Welders and Electricians: Exposed to metal particulates and harmful smoke from welding rigs and aged equipment.
• Diesel Mechanics and Machinists: Worked directly on engines and tools treated with solvents, lubricants, and asbestos.
• Painters: Used benzene-based paints, thinners, and primers with minimal safety precautions.
• Trackmen and MOW Crews: Handled creosote-soaked ties and crushed ballast rock contaminated with silica.
• Pipefitters and Plumbers: Repaired asbestos-wrapped steam lines, pumps, and valves in cramped engine rooms.
• Shop Laborers: Cleaned, dumped, or transferred contaminated debris and equipment daily.

These job roles weren’t just physically demanding. They often involved daily exposure to substances that companies knew were harmful. The risks were minimized or ignored, exposing generations of rail workers to long-term health consequences. If this describes your experience, you may have a strong legal case to pursue compensation.

What Locations Are Being Investigated in Tennessee?

We’re actively working with rail workers and families connected to the following major sites:

Memphis

• Harrison Yard (formerly Johnston Yard)
• Tennessee Yard (BNSF)
• Leewood Yard (CSX)

Nashville

• Radnor Yard (CSX)
• Kayne Avenue Yard (CSX)

Knoxville

• John Sevier Yard (Norfolk Southern)

Chattanooga

• DeButts Yard (NS)
• Wauhatchie Yard (CSX)

Don’t see your rail yard listed? That’s okay. We have access to union logs, vendor reports, job classifications, and expert-witness testimony to help prove exposure, even where records are incomplete.

What Can a Tennessee Railroad Workers Cancer Lawsuit Cover?

Many workers feel conflicted about filing a Tennessee railroad cancer lawsuit. You might ask:

• “It was part of the job, right?”
• “I don’t want to sue the people I worked with.”
• “Won’t this take years or cause stress I can’t handle?”

We understand. But here’s what’s also true: The companies responsible for your illness spent decades covering up documented risks, lobbying against regulation, and prioritizing profits over safety. That’s why you have the legal right under FELA to demand accountability.

Potential compensation from a Tennessee railroad cancer lawsuit may include:

• Medical expenses (hospital stays, chemo, radiation, prescriptions);
• Future treatment and specialist visits;
• Lost wages and diminished capacity to work;
• Pain and suffering;
• Survivor benefits and wrongful death damages for families;
• Funeral expenses; and
• Home care or disability accommodations.

Many cases settle confidentially and without trial. A Tennessee railroad diesel fume lawyer’s job is to hold the company accountable while giving you the time and space you need to heal.

What’s the Average Railroad Cancer Settlement?

According to a Martindale-Nolo Legal Network survey, the average personal injury settlement for hazardous exposure cases is:

• $91,000 to $200,000 for minor to moderate occupational injury/illness.
• $500,000 or more in cases involving cancer, wrongful death, or long-term disability.

Our firm has secured six- and seven-figure results for rail workers nationwide. Outcomes vary by case, but we aim to secure maximum compensation without trial when possible and are fully prepared to litigate when needed.

Why Hire The Lyon Firm?

• 20+ years of toxic exposure litigation.
• Personalized service. No case farms.
• Millions recovered for railroad workers.
• Contingency-based, you pay nothing unless we win.
• Experts in FELA, diesel cancer, and occupational disease.

Joe Lyon is a nationally recognized trial attorney and an outspoken advocate for American workers who were put in harm’s way. He’s known for going toe-to-toe with large corporations on complex cases and delivering real results for individuals and families.

Families across Tennessee and throughout the Southeast have trusted him with their most difficult cases, and we hope you will, too.