North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina include:

• CSX Transportation – CSX operates Pinoca Yard and Hamlet Yard.  
• Norfolk Southern Railway – NS operates Charlotte Yard, Spencer Yard, and Glenwood Yard. 

Illustrative North Carolina railroad verdicts & settlements:

• $7,500,000 verdict – The Plaintiff was employed by CSX for 38 years working as a clerk and then later a supervisor at CSX’s Hamlet Yard. During his employment, he endured chronic asbestos exposure by breathing in ambient asbestos fibers which could be found in all areas of the facility. Three years after he retired, the Plaintiff was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 59-years-old. His cancer required that his left lung and part of his stomach be removed and he underwent three courses of chemotherapy. Despite his treatment, by the time of trial, the Plaintiff had received a fatal prognosis. (Williams v. CSX)
• $12,000,000 verdict – The 36-year-old Plaintiff worked as a laborer at CSX’s Hamlet yard for approximately six years. During his employment he was exposed to various chlorinated solvents and petroleum solvents including trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, mineral spirits, and toluene. The Plaintiff developed brain abnormalities consistent with toxic encephalopathy and chronic solvent-induced dementia. He suffered from severe short-term memory loss, severe difficulty concentrating, headaches, and other problems. Testing indicated that he was functioning at the level of an 80-year-old. Judgment was reduced by 12% for Plaintiff’s comparative negligence. (Crouch v. CSX)
• $1,070,000 verdict – Railroad shop worker was exposed to asbestos while working for Norfolk Southern in the backshop and roundhouse at Spencer Yard. The Plaintiff was subsequently diagnosed with asbestosis and lung cancer. By the time of trial, his prognosis was terminal. The Plaintiff submitted that the railroad failed to provide protective equipment, failed to advise of the danger of working near asbestos, and failed to measure or reduce the asbestos dust at the job site. The award was reduced by 25% to reflect the Plaintiff’s comparative negligence. (Hess v. Norfolk Southern)

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.