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Railroad Settlement - Interstitial Lung Disease

Long-term railroad workers are at risk of occupational lung diseases, such as pulmonary and fibrosis. Prior to 2010, safety rules did not always require crews to wear protective masks, exposing workers to exhaust fumes and dangerous fumes that come from idle engines.

Asbestos as well as diesel exhaust, and other workplace hazards can trigger interstitial lung disease. The symptoms can take years to appear and it is difficult to establish an immediate connection to be established between the work environment and disease.

Asbestos

Asbestos is one of the naturally occurring minerals that are popular in the construction industry due to its fire retardant, corrosion-resistant and insulation properties. Exposure to these fibers increases the risk of mesothelioma and lung cancer (a rare cancer that occurs in the protective linings around organs) as well as asbestosis. The signs of asbestos-related diseases can take as long as 30 years to manifest.

When asbestos fibers are agitated they split into small pieces that are elongated. These are known as fibrils. These fibrils can be breathed in easily and swell up inside the lung. When they cause irritation, the lungs form scar tissue which makes breathing difficult. Long-term exposure to high levels airborne asbestos increases the risk of developing mesothelioma. It is a rare, but aggressive lung cancer that afflicts the lining the lungs.

Asbestos has been banned from use, but railroad corporations frequently fight FELA claims made myelodysplastic syndrome caused by railroad how to get a settlement railroad workers and their families due to the fact that they knew that the material could pose danger to their employees. An increasing number of historical records suggest that many railroads were aware of the dangers of exposing workers to asbestos, even after they had learned that asbestos scleroderma caused by railroad how to get a settlement mesothelioma and other health problems. This could be a case of negligence, which entitles railroad lawsuit settlements employees and their families compensation. Contact an Virginia railroad injury lawyer today to find out more about filing a FELA lawsuit if you've been involved in trains before.

Diesel Exhaust

Since the 1940s, diesel engines have been the primary source of power for trains in America. Before that trains ran on coalproducing toxic black soot that workers were exposed to on a regular basis.

Diesel exhaust fumes contain an assortment of combustible gasses and ultrafine particulates. The chemical compounds in the gas component of diesel exhaust transform into liquid or vapor forms which is then transported through the air as tiny particles. These particles are breathed in by the lungs, which causes irritation of lung tissues over time.

This can lead to an ongoing lung condition known as railroad workers interstitial lung disease (ILD). In addition, exposure for a long time to diesel exhaust can increase the risk of COPD.

Diesel engine exhaust contains thousands of different chemicals including nitrogen oxides, our source sulfur dioxide carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. They also produce polycyclic hydrocarbons, which can cause cancer. The fine particles that are present in diesel exhaust can irritate the lungs and cause inflammation.

While there has been a significant reduction in diesel pollution with the use of cleaner fuels and catalytic converters, toxic substances remain in the atmosphere. They can cause ground-level ozone that can cause breathing problems for people and damage crops, trees, and the vegetation. They also can cause acid rain, which affects the water quality of lakes, streams, and rivers.

Smoking

Smoking cigarettes is a major cause of numerous serious health issues. It can affect the lungs through harming the tiny air sacs, referred to as alveoli, in the lung. This affects the lungs' ability to absorb oxygen, making breathing more difficult.

Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease that is characterized by scarring of the lung that prevents the lungs from supplying oxygen to the rest of the body. The condition is progressive and can cause shortness of breath, fatigue coughing, and the clubbing of the toes and fingers. It can lead to death if untreated.

Railroad workers are at a high risk of developing interstitial lung diseases such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis emphysema, and COPD. In addition to the exhaust fumes from diesel engines, they could be exposed to asbestos-based toxic fumes and asbestos-related materials in their workplaces. These exposures to toxic substances can cause mesothelioma or cancer, among other health conditions.

Railroad companies could have prevented hundreds of thousands of railroad workers from developing debilitating, fatal lung diseases such as the pulmonary fibrosis with the proper respiratory protection. Failure to provide this protection is negligence under the Federal Employers Liability Act.

Other Exposures

There are a variety of other conditions that could lead to interstitial lung disease including rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Certain medications can increase the likelihood of developing respiratory issues and pulmonary the disease fibrosis. If you're working in a field that requires working in railway yards, you're exposed to a variety of hazards, including fumes, chemicals, and oil. The exposures can cause silicosis, a condition that causes lung scarring similar to asbestosis. If the condition progresses it can lead to right-sided heart failure (cor pulmonale) as the heart has to perform more than usual to pump blood through blocked arteries. This could result in respiratory failure and eventually death.