Utah Railroad Cancer Lawsuits | FELA Injury Lawyer

Utah FELA Injury Claims

Chronic exposure to diesel smoke and other toxins at a rail yard significantly increases cancer risk due to the carcinogenic properties of toxic substances like benzene, asbestos, silica, welding fumes, solvents, and herbicides. Diesel exhaust contains benzene, a known carcinogen, and fine particulate matter that penetrate deep into the lungs. Railroad workers, like engineers, trackmen, diesel mechanics and maintenance staff, inhale these fumes daily, especially in poorly ventilated areas.

Over time, this exposure triggers chronic inflammation and DNA damage, elevating the likelihood of lung cancer and bladder cancer. Studies from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show a 30-40% higher lung cancer risk among exposed workers. Lack of protective gear amplifies this hazard, making long-term monitoring essential.

Utah Railroad workers have faced chronic exposure to diesel fumes, creosote, solvents, benzene, asbestos, silica, welding fumes and pesticides. As a result, many former Utah railroad workers have filed FELA injury and diesel cancer lawsuits against negligent employers.

How Are Utah Railroaders Exposed to Diesel Exhaust?

• Long-time railroaders, especially engineers, conductors, and maintenance workers, have been exposed to diesel exhaust from idling locomotives and heavy machinery. Inhaling these fumes, rich in benzene and particulates, happens during operations or repairs in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
• Creosote: Workers handling or replacing creosote-treated wooden railroad ties absorb or inhale polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through skin contact or airborne release during cutting or installation, particularly in warm weather.
• Benzene: Present in diesel fuel and solvents, benzene exposure occurs when railroaders refuel trains, clean equipment, or degrease parts, often without adequate ventilation, leading to inhalation or skin absorption.
• Welding Fumes: Maintenance crews welding tracks or railcars release fumes containing manganese, chromium, and nickel.
• Asbestos is commonly found in older insulation, locomotive brake linings, and roundhouses. Asbestos fibers can be released when disturbed during repairs or demolition, inhaled by workers handling older equipment or structures.
• Pesticides: Track workers applying or working near pesticide-treated areas (e.g., glyphosate) inhale or absorb these chemicals through skin contact during vegetation control, risking exposure in open or windy conditions.
• Silica Dust: Generated when grinding or crushing ballast rock during track maintenance, silica dust is inhaled by workers without masks, especially in dry or dusty environments.
• Toxic Paint: Painters or maintenance staff using lead- or chromium-based paints on railcars or structures inhale volatile compounds or absorb them through skin, particularly during sanding or spraying without protective gear.

These exposures are worsened by inadequate ventilation, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), and prolonged task durations, increasing the risk of chronic health issues like cancer or respiratory diseases.

The Lyon Firm is reviewing diesel exhaust cancer claims for former railroaders who worked in the following rail yards in Utah:

• Helper: Helper Yard (UP)
• Midvale: Midvale Yard (BNSF/Utah Southern)
• Provo: Provo Yard (UP/BNSF)
• Ogden: Riverdale Yard (UP/Utah Central)
• Salt Lake City: North Yard (UP)
• Salt Lake City: Roper Yard (UP)

What Can Plaintiffs Recover in  Railroad Cancer Lawsuits?

The Lyon Firm can assess your individual case and determine what damages can be sought by former workers and their families. In the past, we have been able to successfully negotiate compensation packages that 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.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced quality of life
• Wrongful death

When are Railroaders Exposed to Toxins?

• Locomotive Maintenance and Repair
  • Materials: Diesel exhaust (benzene), asbestos (in older components), solvents (benzene).
  • Risk: Mechanics and technicians working on engines inhale benzene-laden diesel fumes and disturb asbestos in legacy insulation or brake linings, linked to lung cancer, leukemia, and mesothelioma.
• Track Maintenance and Ballast Grinding
  • Materials: Silica dust, creosote (PAHs).
  • Risk: Workers grinding ballast rock or handling creosote-treated ties inhale silica dust (lung cancer, silicosis) and PAHs (skin and lung cancer), especially without respiratory protection.
• Freight Loading and Unloading of Hazardous Materials
  • Materials: Benzene (from fuel transport), asbestos (in cargo packaging).
  • Risk: Handlers exposed to spills or disturbed asbestos in industrial freight face increased leukemia and mesothelioma risks.
• Welding and Metal Fabrication
  • Materials: Welding fumes (chromium, nickel).
  • Risk: Welders inhaling fumes during track or railcar repairs are at higher risk for lung cancer due to heavy metal exposure.
• Application of Pesticides Along Tracks
  • Materials: Pesticides (glyphosate).
  • Risk: Maintenance of way workers spraying or working near treated areas inhale or absorb glyphosate, linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Painting and Surface Preparation
  • Materials: Toxic paint (lead, chromium).
  • Risk: Painters sanding or spraying railcars inhale volatile compounds, raising risks of lung and other cancers.
• Demolition or Renovation of Older Structures
  • Materials: Asbestos.
  • Risk: Workers disturbing asbestos in old buildings or equipment inhale fibers, leading to mesothelioma and lung cancer.

What Cancers Are Linked to Diesel Exposure?

There are numerous occupational illnesses that have strong links to exposure to solvents, silica dust, asbestos, diesel exhaust, benzene, creosote and welding fumes, including the following medical conditions:

• 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

Despite better oversight by NIOSH and OSHA that have improved work safety standards, there is still a high risk of toxic exposure at rail yards due to the amount of hazardous substances on site. Acute and chronic toxic exposures are still probable in many cases.

After a confirmed lung disease or cancer diagnosis, Utah railroaders may be able to file Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) injury claims. If more compensation is necessary to ensure a stable financial future, a personal injury lawsuit may also be considered. Contact our FELA Injury and railroad cancer lawyers to discuss your legal options.