Railroad workers are exposed to repetitive stress and cumulative trauma from years of Railroad work which affect their joints, including the neck, back, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles and feet.  If your doctor diagnoses you with injuries to any of these parts of your body related to years of working on the railroad, you may be entitled to compensation for loss of past and future wages, medical expenses and pain and suffering damages under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).  The FELA allows you to make a claim within three (3) years of the date you knew or should have known you had a work-related injury.   Even though you may have had a gradual onset of your joint problems over many years, the FELA protects railroad workers who later learn that their degenerative condition or joint problem is work-related.

These injuries and subsequent loss of employment may also lead to treatment for depression which can also become part of a disability claim.  The value of a worn-out disability claim depends on many factors, some of which include the amount of wage loss, medical expenses, the amount and kind of medical treatment for therapy, pain management and whether or not your condition required surgery or may require surgery in the future.

^back to top^

Symptoms do not necessarily occur on-the-job exclusively. Many railroad workers experience these sensations at night and their sleep is interrupted by pain, numbness, and "pins and needles".

^back to top^

Railroad workers are exposed to excessive vibration from using tools that cause vibration injuries (HAVS) to your fingers and hands.  A doctor may diagnose you with Raynaud’s Phenomenon, Vibration White Finger and other related ailments. These ailments may be described as damage done to your capillaries, arteries, vascular system and nerves by your doctor.  Some of the symptoms that you may experience early on are numbness to your fingers and hands and in worse cases they may turn white or blue or red when exposed to vibration or to cold weather causing numbness and loss of feeling to severe pain. There are 5 stages of HAVS. These attacks occur gradually at first but eventually cause permanent damage to your fingers and hands.  This condition restricts the flow of blood to the hand and may cause gangrene requiring the amputation of fingers or even parts of hands if the exposure to vibration or cold weather continues.  If you have experienced these symptoms you should immediately consult your physician.

^back to top^

Railroad Machine Operators are exposed to repetitive stress and cumulative trauma disorders from operating equipment that causes vibration injuries to their backs.  Railroad Machine Operators may suffer worn-out injuries to their backs such as bulging discs, herniated discs, spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, to name a few of the type of injuries related to years of operating unsafe equipment that exceeds the vibration standards.  This claim is very difficult to prove in court and it requires that you have had, or may require surgery to your back in the near future.  You must also be able to identify the various machines and equipment that you operated over the years so that we may hire medical vibration experts to test and measure the amount of vibration that you endured. 

^back to top^

Depending on your occupation, you could be exposed to numerous, dangerous chemicals in your daily work environment. The railroads have become more and more safety conscientious, however, we have found that many people were exposed to dangerous chemicals without protection over the years of their railroad career.

In the work environment, chemicals that can cause potential problems are found in the following agents: cleaning solvents, dry cleaning solvents, spray paints, paint removers, dyes, fuel such as gasoline and kerosene, degreasers and lubricants.

^back to top^

Exhaust from diesel-powered engines, including locomotives, is the result of incomplete combustion of fuel. Diesel exhaust emissions are generally analyzed as having two component phases. The first component is called the gaseous phase and includes such gases as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, acrolein, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The second phase component, called the particulate phase, contains most of the carcinogens found in diesel exhaust.

Epidemiological studies of diesel-exposed railroad workers have estimated that shop craft workers like electricians, machinists, and shop foremen, who work indoors, are the most heavily exposed to diesel exhaust.

^back to top^

Many railroad workers are exposed to welding fumes as part of their jobs. The most serious risk associated with occupational exposure to welding rod fumes are the development of manganism or manganese poisoning.

Manganism or "Welder's Disease" is the name given to a combination of symptoms suffered by workers whose brains have been injured by prolonged exposure to manganese fumes. The condition occurs because too much manganese damages the part of the brain that controls body movements.

Symptoms of manganism include:

• Tremors
• Slowed movement
• Decreased hand agility
• Depression
• Difficulty walking
• Increased irritability
• Poor balance
• Loss of short-term memory
• Slurred speech
• Mood swings

Although some symptoms of manganism can be treated, there is no cure.

^back to top^

If you have mesothelioma, you were likely exposed to asbestos. Many asbestos manufacturers and distributors and the railroads have known for years that asbestos was hazardous. These companies were well aware of the health implication of their products yet they made the business decision not to warn the public and their customers of those hazards.