Train Accidents Help
June 30, 2009Workers file FELA asbestos lawsuit against train companies
Four former railroad workers have filed a lawsuit against five railroad companies who they alleged caused them to be exposed to asbestos and develop asbestosis. The lawsuit was filed under the Federal Employees Liability Act, which is designed to protect railroad workers who are injured on the job. The four workers are seeking more than $1.4 million in damages plus court costs.Asbestosis is a disease which causes scarring of the lung tissue when asbestos fibers are inhaled. The symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath, chest pain, a persistent cough, loss of appetite and loss of energy. Asbestos exposure has also been linked to mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer which attacks the lining of the heart, chest or abdomen.
The workers’ FELA lawsuit accuses CSX Transportation, American Premier Underwriters, the Union Pacific Railroad, Consolidated Rail Corporation and the Alton and Southern Railway of failing to warn workers of the dangers of asbestos exposure, provide them with adequate safety equipment and prevent unsafe working practices on the job.
In addition, the railroad workers’ lawsuit alleges that the companies violated the Locomotive Boiler Inspection Act, which requires companies to ensure that trains are free of asbestos, silica and excessive diesel exhaust. The law also requires railroad companies to protect workers from exhaust and secondhand smoke in working areas.