There s A Good And Bad About Railroad Asbestos Claims
Railroad Asbestos Claims
Railroad workers often used or worked with asbestos-containing materials because it was a highly durable and heat-resistant substance. These same qualities also made asbestos toxic and deadly to anyone who came in contact with it.
Often, rail employees would take asbestos dust particles that are deadly with them on their clothes and in their hair. This could also put their families in danger.
Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA)
Asbestos is a hazardous material that railroad workers are exposed. Asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems. Fortunately railroad workers are eligible for compensation under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). A FELA claim is similar to a personal injury lawsuit but it is filed against the employer, not a defendant like a criminal case.
The FELA was passed in 1908 and is the federal law that protects railroad workers injured on the job. FELA is different than the state's worker's compensation laws, as it covers employees who suffer injuries at work due to their employers negligence. It also allows railroad workers to file claims when they suffer from certain diseases like mesothelioma.
Over the years, many railroad companies have been involved with asbestos litigation. These railroad companies include national corporations such as Amtrak and Transtar as well as municipal and state-owned railroads in the local area. Railroad employees are able to sue these companies under FELA as well as manufacturers of asbestos-containing products such as boilers, locomotive parts and railcar siding.
In addition to the federal law, some states have their own worker's compensation programs. Asbestos victims are eligible to file state law mesothelioma claims in addition to FELA claims. This allows families to seek compensation from multiple sources to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
When filing an FELA claim, it is important to work with an experienced attorney. Simmons Hanly Conroy has attorneys with mesothelioma expertise that can assist you in obtaining maximum compensation for your injuries. Ken Danzinger, a shareholder at the firm, represented a family whose husband worked for the California railroad from 1955 to 1959 as a steam engine scrapper. He was a laborer who frequently brought home asbestos dust on his clothes and in his hair, and it was in 2012 that he developed mesothelioma. Ken was able to speed up the case and his family was awarded a significant mesothelioma compensation.
It is important to be aware of the time limit and your rights to a settlement when dealing with an FELA claim. Railroads that are defending themselves often attempt to limit the amount paid to victims by claiming that they cannot prove that their illness is directly linked to their work-related exposure. This is why it is so important to seek legal help from an experienced attorney for railroads.
asbestos attorneys Manufacturers
Many railroad workers have suffered from the effects of asbestos exposure for a long time. While cars are now surpassing trains for the majority of passenger travel but the rail network is a vital part of freight transportation. Asbestos was utilized throughout the railroad industry to insulate trains, pipes and car parts.
Rail workers are frequently exposed to asbestos through their work with the equipment they repair and service. Workers also brought home asbestos dust on their clothes, which exposed their children and spouses to the toxic mineral too.
Railroad companies were aware of asbestos' dangers in 1935, but continued to use the substance in their trains throughout the 1990s and into the 1980s. Unfortunately, many of these workers are now suffering from life-threatening illnesses as a result years of exposure to asbestos in the workplace.
Asbestos victims typically are required to file FELA claims against the makers of the asbestos-containing equipment they worked on. The manufacturers could be held accountable for their failure to warn consumers about the dangers of their products as well as for producing asbestos-containing materials that were found to be dangerous.
Pneumo Abex LLC was sued by the family of an BNSF railroad employee who passed away from mesothelioma. The company owned the brake manufacturing plant in which the uncle of the deceased was employed. The family alleges the deceased's uncle would often bring his asbestos-covered work clothing at home, and his children would roughhouse him when the clothes were on. This lapse of judgment led to mesothelioma cancer that killed the family member.
When asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma are discovered workers are deprived of the time they enjoyed retirement and the final years. These cases hold companies accountable who have flagrantly ignored the health and safety demands of railroad workers in order to maximize profits.
Asbestos lawsuits against railroads led to compensations for families and workers who were injured. However, since a proof of manifest injury is required to bring an FELA claim, countless seemingly healthy railroad workers who don't get sick due to asbestos may not be able to bring an claim. This is a clear breach to the tort law principle that compensates those who suffer as a result of the actions of others.
State Law Claims
While federal law is the foundation for most asbestos lawsuits, certain railroad workers have state-law claims that may provide additional legal protections. Asbestos lawyers (https://nerdgaming.science/wiki/The_LittleKnown_Benefits_Asbestos_Law_And_Litigation) can handle claims under a variety of statutes and laws to help injured workers receive the compensation they need.
Asbestos was employed in various railway components like locomotive engines, brakes, and steam boilers. A lot of these components required machining or cutting which created asbestos dust that could be inhaled by workers. The asbestos dust can be ingested, causing lung diseases like mesothelioma.
When railroad workers suffer from mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related illness and diseases, they could have state-law claims against their employers and the companies that made the products that exposed them to dangerous asbestos. These claims are filed in state courts where juries and judges possess vast experience in determining the compensation for mesothelioma sufferers. State courts also give priority to cases and advance filing by living mesothelioma victims.
Sandra Brust, from New Jersey, developed mesothelioma while working as a welding technician for PATCO Railroad. She filed a lawsuit against the companies that made the asbestos-containing equipment that she worked on. However, her family was unable to prevail since the Supreme Court ruled that her state law claim was preempted by FELA.
The company that made the asbestos-containing products on which she worked filed an application for a summary judgment. They argued that her state law claim was invalid because it did not allege the manufacturer knew of the risks associated with the use of asbestos in its products. The Supreme Court dismissed her claims.
Ken Danzinger, a partner with Simmons Hanly Conroy assists those who are affected and loved ones of those individuals get the compensation they are entitled to. His extensive experience in FELA cases including asbestos cases has helped him secure millions of dollars for his clients through settlements and verdicts. He is dedicated to helping railroad workers and their families collect damages from those responsible for their illnesses, injuries, and mesothelioma. He has handled railroad injury claims in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia and Montana.
Compensation
asbestos attorneys was widely used in the design and construction of railways. However, it proved to be extremely dangerous for the railway workers who were exposed to the toxic substance. The material is very durable and is able to withstand massive quantities of heat. However these qualities are what make it hazardous for people who work with it.
It could take a long time for mesothelioma symptoms and lung cancer to show up due to the toxins found in asbestos. These illnesses can be extremely costly for victims and their families as they need medical treatment and are faced with physical and emotional discomfort. Fortunately, asbestos-related illnesses are eligible for compensation from a variety of sources.
A mesothelioma lawyer is the most popular method by which railroad workers injured can be awarded financial compensation. These lawsuits can be filed in federal courts or state courts close to the railroad company. Injured victims must prove their employer was negligent and they have the right to financial compensation.
Railroad workers are not covered under the standard workers compensation system in a lot of states. Railroad workers are able to sue their employers under FELA protections.
This type of claim is a civil lawsuit in which the person who has suffered injury must show that negligence by their employer caused their mesothelioma, or other ailment. However an upcoming case brought to the Supreme Court highlights a roadblock for railroad workers who try to make their employers accountable for exposing them to asbestos.
In this particular instance, a family member of a deceased railway worker filed an asbestos lawsuit against PATCO in New Jersey. However the Supreme Court's ruling in Kurns v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co. could block the lawsuit from proceeding because the claim is based on FELA which overrules state laws regarding asbestos claims. It is nonetheless essential that railroad workers who have been injured speak with an attorney about their specific circumstances so that they can ensure that their legal rights are protected.