Railroad Worker With Cancer? Braver Law Fights for You and Your Family.

Who FELA Covers

FELA is a federal law for people who work or worked for a railroad. For their railroad work, railroad employees are generally covered by FELA, not state workers’ compensation. Retired workers can ask too. Families can file for a railroad worker who has passed away. You don’t need paperwork to start, and our team helps piece together your work history.

Cancers We Review

• Bladder cancer. Studies have suggested a possible link between diesel exhaust and bladder cancer. Coal-tar substances in the same chemical family as creosote have also been linked to it.
• Kidney cancer. Trichloroethylene (TCE), a degreasing solvent, is linked to kidney cancer. Whether a worker was around it depends on the job and the shop.
• Blood cancers: AML, MDS, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Benzene, found in diesel fuel and some solvents and parts cleaners, has its strongest link to AML and has also been linked to MDS. The evidence for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma is more limited.
• Lung cancer. Studies have linked some railroad exposures, including diesel exhaust, asbestos and silica dust, to lung cancer.
• Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is strongly linked to asbestos, which was used in older locomotives, brake shoes and shop insulation.

Not sure if your diagnosis counts? Ask us. Not every exposure leads to illness, and each claim turns on the worker’s own work and medical history.

Common Railroad Exposures

Many railroad workers were around diesel exhaust, benzene and solvents, creosote, asbestos (brakes, insulation, older equipment) and silica dust. Studies have linked these exposures to some of the cancers above. Engineers, conductors, carmen, machinists, shop and roundhouse workers, track and maintenance-of-way crews, signal maintainers and many other jobs could have been around them.

How a FELA Claim Works

• A FELA claim is brought against the railroad. It looks at whether the railroad’s negligence played a part in the illness.
• FELA claims are usually filed in court. We explain what to expect at each step.
• Having other risk factors doesn’t automatically end a claim.
• Deadlines apply, so check soon.

Why Braver Law

Braver Law fights for railroad workers and their families. We listen to your story, help piece together your work history, and explain your options in plain language. Our team has 20+ years combined experience. You can talk with us by phone or video.

FELA Questions