It is no secret that many railroad employees across the country have faced a variety of toxic exposure during their careers. Regardless of their specific position, spending time around rail yards, roundhouses, track maintenance depots, poorly ventilated machine work shops, and inside trains can result in the chronic inhalation of diesel exhaust, asbestos, creosote, welding fumes, silica, benzene, solvents and other hazardous substances.
As a result, many former Illinois Central Railroad workers have later developed related occupational cancers. Our toxic exposure lawyers are reviewing potential personal injury and FELA claims for current and ex-railroad staff who have been diagnosed with the following:
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Bone cancer
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Asbestosis
Railroad cancer lawsuits have resulted in some large verdicts and settlements, many which are settled out of court before a trial takes place. Many rail companies have been reticent to take a case to trial in fear of a massive judgment against them. Our lawyers take new clients on a contingency fee basis, and we assume all financial risk.
Can I Sue Illinois Central Railroad?
There have been hundreds of successful lawsuits filed against railroad companies in recent years, and the courts have looked favorably on these cases moving forward. Juries have awarded plaintiffs, and victims of diesel exhaust related cancers and other occupational injuries have been rightfully compensated years after initial toxic exposure.
Most railroad cancer cases involve the chronic, years-long workplace exposure to creosote, diesel exhaust, solvents, benzene, silica dust, or asbestos.
Recently, numerous former employees have sued Illinois Central Railroad, claiming exposure to diesel fumes and other toxic materials. One plaintiffs filed the complaint against Illinois Central Railroad Company, doing business as Canadian National/Illinois Central after developing colorectal cancer that metastasized to other parts of his body. According to the complaint, the plaintiff worked for Illinois Central as a conductor, brakeman, and engineer at various work sites. As a regular staffer, he and others were always near diesel locomotives and other diesel-powered machinery. He was thereby constantly inhaling and ingesting diesel exhaust and emissions.
Many attorneys claim that large railroad employers should have known about the dangers of working around diesel fumes every day on the job. In many FELA cases, plaintiffs claim railroad companies are negligent in cases where they fail to provide a safe work environment, fail to provide proper safety equipment, fail to maintain that safety equipment, and fail to properly train workers on site.
Unlike worker’s compensation, FELA cases are not bound by a so-called “cap,” or a predetermined maximum level of compensation. If diagnosed with a related cancer following years of work at a rail yard, plaintiffs can file lawsuits and seek compensation for the following:
- Lost wages (past and future earnings)
- Long-term disability
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses (Treatments, medications, hospital visits and rehab)
- Impairment to quality of life
- Wrongful Death
