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Occupational Disease

Occupational Disease Division
Each year American workers by the thousands are exposed to environmental conditions on the job that result in the development of varying occupational diseases. With the industrialization of America and the use of new chemical agents, these types of injuries have increased especially in the railroad industry. Most, if not all of these injuries, can be prevented by use of proper care by the railroad companies by warning employees, providing proper working conditions, providing proper protection, and the use of proper methods. Despite many years of knowledge on behalf of the railroad companies that the conditions they were exposing their workers to had the potential to cause serious and disabling occupational diseases, they have done nothing until recent years. As a result, workers have developed varying diseases and conditions from occupational exposure to these chemicals and conditions. Some of these diseases do not manifest themselves until many years after the original exposure. The railroads are responsible under the FELA for occupational diseases.

Asbestos
The Moody Law Firm, Inc. has helped hundreds of railroad asbestos victims obtain compensation from their railroad employers and from the asbestos manufacturers. Willard J. Moody, Jr. is Designated Legal Counsel for the United Transportation Union (UTU), Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) (including train dispatchers) and the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees (NARVRE) and represents thousands of railroad employees nationwide.
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Cumulative Trauma
The Moody Law Firm, Inc. represent railroaders who have been injured at work. The Federal Employers’ Liability Act covers not only accidental injuries but also occupational diseases, including musculoskeletal wear-out claims, which constitute a significant portion of our current caseload. “Wear-out” or “Cumulative Trauma” or “Repetitive Stress” injuries occur over time due to repeated exposure to some type of work place hazzard such as vibration or excessive lifting. These injuries include musculoskeletal disorders to the back, hip, neck, shoulders, knees and hands. Typically, these injuries require surgery and can often end a railroad career. The injured worker may have the right to recover for his lost wages, diminished earning capacity as well as pain and suffering.
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Diesel Fumes
Diesel exhaust contains well over a thousand harmful components that can lead to pulmonary disease and cancer. With the conversion from steam locomotives to diesel power in the railroad industry during the 1950’s, railroad workers and others became exposed to a whole new cocktail of harmful gases, fumes and particulates emitted by the diesel locomotives. Many of the earlier locomotives were very “smoky” due to poor combustion of the diesel fume by those engines. Many railroad crews had to ride with the “long hood forward” ahead of the cab exposing them to the harmful effects of these fumes. Others were required to ride in the second and third locomotives of a train consist causing them to be exposed to even more fumes generated by the locomotives in front of them as the trains traveled. In the early years, shop workers had considerable exposure because diesel locomotives were allowed to be brought into the shops running and remain running while they were inside poorly ventilated buildings that were not designed for the new diesel locomotives. Many railroad workers were exposed to these harmful fumes up to twelve hours per day for decades. As a result, many have developed lung disease and even cancer caused by diesel exhaust. The Moody Law Firm, Inc. has in depth experience at representing railroad workers in cases of disease caused by diesel exhaust.
More Information about Diesel Fumes representation >> CLICK HERE

Practice Areas

Occupational Disease