New Jersey Railroad Cancer Law Firm

Chicago-based Hughes Law Offices serves current and former railroad employees diagnosed with cancer, leukemia and pulmonary issues as a result of their work for the railroad.  Whether you worked in engine service, on the track, or in the shops, we will analyze your craft’s unique exposures and determine whether they contributed to cause your illness.  We handle railroad cancer lawsuits in New Jersey and throughout the United States.

Chronic railroad exposures to diesel exhaust, asbestos, creosote, welding fumes, silica sand, benzene-containing solvents and degreasers, herbicides, and secondhand smoke can lead to numerous conditions, including:

Cancer:

• Lung Cancer
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer

Leukemia:

• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)
• Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Pulmonary:

• Diesel Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Reactive Airway Disease (RADS)
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Emphysema

Neurological:

• Toxic Encephalopathy
• Parkinson’s Disease

We serve all railroad employees in crafts with historical exposures to toxins, including the following:

• Locomotive Engineer
• Brakeman/Conductor
• Track Department/Trackman
• Locomotive Machinist/Electrician/Pipefitter
• Car Department/Carman
• Bridges & Buildings

In proving up your railroad cancer lawsuit, Hughes Law Offices will take any unique exposures into account. For instance, we have served clients who described leaking underground fuel tanks, serving chemical plants and refineries, exposures from toxic freight, etc.  We will bring all of those exposures to bear in proving up your railroad cancer case.  

Class I railroads operating in New Jersey include:

• CSX Transportation – CSX operates out of Pavonia Yard, South Kearney Terminal, Little Ferry Yard, Oak Island Yard, and North Bergen Yard. 
• Norfolk Southern Railway – Norfolk Southern’s New Jersey facilities include those at Pavonia Yard, Croxton Yard, and Oak Island Yard.

Illustrative New Jersey railroad verdicts & settlements:

• $19,170,000 verdict – Railroad carman worked for Central Railroad of New Jersey, Conrail, and for New Jersey Transit. During his employment he was exposed to welding fumes, metal dust, silica, sawdust, and asbestos. As a result of his exposures, he developed pulmonary fibrosis and passed away at the age of 50. His estate brought suit for negligence under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). Prior to trial, Conrail settled for $500,000. The Jury held New Jersey Transit 50% liable, Conrail 35% liable, Central Railroad 7% liable, and the Plaintiff 7% liable. The net reward was adjusted to $11,430,000 accordingly. (Fuccilli v. New Jersey Transit)
• $950,000 verdict – Railroad trackman employed with New Jersey Transit was exposed to a variety of carcinogens including diesel exhaust, creosote, calcium chloride, herbicides, and pesticides. As a result of these exposures, he developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. (Cruz v. New Jersey Transit)
• $950,000 settlement – Railroad trackman was diagnosed with gastric cancer after a 28-year career working for New Jersey Transit and Conrail. During his employment, he was regularly exposed to diesel exhaust, creosote, calcium chlorides, herbicides, and pesticides while performing his daily work duties. The estate argued that the defendants failed to warn that these exposures could cause cancer, failed to test air and soil and his job sites, and failed to provide respirators, masks, or any other protective equipment. (Quattrocchi v. New Jersey Transit and Conrail)
• $1,000,415 verdict – A 32-year-old NJ Transit train conductor was driving a passenger train when he began to smell burning diesel fumes from the conductor’s cabin. The Plaintiff immediately evacuated all of the passengers from the cars near the source of the fumes. He then notified the Train Master, however, since he wasn’t instructed to bring the train back to the yard he continued on his route inhaling diesel fumes for another two hours. After his shift, he was taken to the hospital where he was given oxygen. He was soon after diagnosed with anoxia, a condition caused by carbon monoxide exposure that leads to brain damage. The Plaintiff also claimed that he had developed a permanent respiratory disorder from the acute exposure to diesel fumes. The Jury reduced the reward by 50% for the Plaintiff’s comparative negligence. (Comes v. NJ Transit)

Hughes Law Offices is providing case histories to inform visitors about actual case fact patterns and rulings in your area. Unless specifically noted, the cases summarized herein were not handled by attorneys at Hughes Law Offices.  

If you suspect that your illness or that of a loved one could be related to railroad workplace exposures, please call 312-877-5588 to speak to a railroad cancer attorney.