Railroad Negligence and COPD
Federal Employers Liability (FELA) may provide compensation to those who contracted COPD because of the negligence of the railroad company. This can help pay for hospital, surgical, or therapeutic care. It also covers the costs related to loss of life or disability.
A FELA lawyer can review your case to determine whether you have a valid reason to file an occupational health claim.
Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos is one of the asbestos groups of minerals. It was previously employed as a fire-repellant and a corrosion-resistant mineral. Asbestos breaks down into microscopically fine fibers which can be inhaled. Inhaling these fibers can increase the risk of developing lung carcinoma, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Repair shops and track maintenance yards and locomotive cabins are exposed to asbestos. They also were likely to bring asbestos-containing items with them home. Asbestos can be very dangerous since it releases toxins when it is broken down. These toxins can lead to serious health issues.
A railroad conductor recently filed a lawsuit against his former employer under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). The man claimed that his COPD and asthma was caused by his time in the cabs on diesel locomotives. He also claimed to have inhaled diesel exhaust and fumes, creosote, chemicals, dust dioxins, powders, sulfur smoke, degreasing agents and phosphoe every day without any protection. He was suffering from serious health issues that made it difficult to work and caused him to incur expenses in the form of surgical, medical, hospital and other therapeutic costs.
Diesel Exhaust
For decades, railroad workers were exposed to a variety of toxic substances such as coal, solvents and diesel exhaust. Numerous studies have linked lung problems and cancer to exposure over a long period of time.
Diesel exhaust contains various chemical compounds including carbon monoxide, particulates, and hydrocarbons. Additionally, Multiple myeloma settlements produces ground-level ozone which decreases visibility. Acid rain can also be produced which causes damage to lakes and crops. It gets into the food chain via fish, water and meat. Colon cancer lawsuit settlements may also cause respiratory illnesses and asthma and aggravate existing heart and lung conditions.
According to Colon cancer lawsuit settlements published in Environmental Health Perspectives, individuals who worked in occupations that required long-term exposure to diesel fumes had an 2.5 percent higher COPD mortality rate than those who didn't work in such jobs. Researchers used proportional hazards to estimate the rates of incidence. They also adjusted for smoking status and calendar year and years off work in order to control bias due to healthy worker survivor effects.
Exposure to diesel fumes can also cause toxic encephalopathy. Colon cancer lawsuit settlements is characterized as brain damage caused by tiny amounts of chemicals. These chemicals can be absorbed by the skin or into the bloodstream, which then transport them to the brain and disrupt the normal functioning of the brain. The symptoms of this disorder include memory loss and trouble concentrating.
Tobacco Smoke
You may have been exposed to smoke while working in the railroad. Inhaling ETS (environmental tobacco smoke) can increase the risk of COPD. This is not just your own smoking but also inhaling smoke from else's cigarette, cigar or pipe. This is called passive smoking or secondhand tobacco smoke.
ETS contains toxic chemical compounds in particulates as well as gases. The toxins in the drink can harm the heart, respiratory system and blood vessels. It can cause cancer and hinder normal cell growth. It can cause digestive problems, including stomach ulcers and inflammatory colon disease. It can cause osteoporosis through diminuting bone density. It can inhibit wound healing and increase the risk of infection.
It can make a pregnancy risky for the mother and fetus. Women who smoke or use smokeless tobacco products during pregnancy are at greater risk of ectopic pregnancy, a life-threatening condition in which the fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus. This can cause miscarriage or premature birth.
Researchers found in a recent study that rail workers exposed to diesel fumes as well as tobacco smoke had significantly more COPD symptoms than those who did not work on railways. The study utilized data from death certificate as well as industrial hygiene surveys and multiple imputation in order to calculate the history of smoking. This method decreases the impact of confounding variables that may have affected the results.
The wrong diagnosis
After decades of exposure to diesel exhaust, coal dust and other toxins in the workplace, a lot of railroad workers are diagnosed as having the condition known as obstructive lung disease (COPD). These long-term exposures can damage the lungs and cause a variety of symptoms that may not appear until late stages. It is essential to make an accurate diagnosis so that patients are treated early and can improve and extend their lives.
A delayed or inaccurate diagnosis can lead to problems and can deteriorate the health of a patient. A Philadelphia lawyer who has a wrong diagnosis can investigate your case to identify the medical providers who may be held accountable for mistakes. This could include physicians or nurse practitioners, physician assistants and technologists.
Recent research suggests that the guidelines for diagnosing COPD may be flawed that could lead to misdiagnosis for certain cases. Researchers analyzed electronic medical records and clinical notes of more than 200 000 patients. They discovered that doctors are not properly diagnosing COPD, overestimating the frequency of the disease in their patients and underestimating the severity of symptoms.
Federal Employers Liability Act lawsuits can hold employers responsible for exposing employees to harmful chemicals that can cause lung diseases like COPD and Mesothelioma. FELA allows railroad workers who are injured to sue when the statute of limitation expires.