Arkansas Railroad Workers Mesothelioma Lawyer

Railroad Workers Mesothelioma Attorney in Arkansas

Railroad repair shops and maintenance yards were mechanical facilities where locomotives, brakes, and engine parts were repaired. Railroad equipment included asbestos in insulation, brake parts, and other heat-resistant components for many decades. Equipment used for railroad maintenance and repair was also produced with heat-resistant parts. An Arkansas railroad worker’s mesothelioma lawyer determines if those work settings contained asbestos materials.

The Arkansas mesothelioma lawyers at Wallace & Graham, P.A., review work histories and jobsite records to identify if and where asbestos products were used in those areas. Exposure can be traced by looking at maintenance job roles, jobsite locations, and equipment used at the time.

Hire a Railroad Worker’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Our firm, with nearly 40 years of collective experience, is dedicated to examining occupational exposure claims related to the industrial trades and transportation sectors, allowing us to provide current and former railroad workers with the evidence they need to file a mesothelioma claim.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Work History from the Railroad Industry

Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that can happen in the workplace. The CDC’s U.S. Cancer Statistics reports 2,669 malignant mesothelioma cases in the United States in 2022. Globally, more than 200,000 deaths per year are due to occupational asbestos exposure.

Railroads were often insulated, and because of that, some workers who later developed mesothelioma may wonder if any of the materials used in rail yards and shops contained asbestos.

Rail Lines That Follow the Arkansas River

Arkansas is served by a network of rail lines, some of which were connected to major shipping points on the Arkansas River. Bridges, terminals, and shops facilitated the shipment of grain, wood, and industrial products in these areas.

Railroad employees who maintained rail cars and engines were often assigned to mechanical shops where locomotives and other rail equipment were repaired. The rail workers maintained these heavy machines and sometimes removed or replaced insulation, gaskets, and other materials used in older railroad equipment.

Filing Time Limits

Generally, the statute of limitations for a personal injury legal claim in Arkansas with respect to asbestos exposure is three years per Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105. Given mesothelioma’s delayed onset, courts often employ the discovery rule when interpreting the law. In most cases, the limitation period will not begin to run until the illness is diagnosed or when the relationship between the disease and exposure to asbestos reasonably should have been discovered.

The application of the discovery rule can depend on the facts of the case and how courts determine when a claimant reasonably should have known about the connection.

Contact an Arkansas Railroad Worker’s Mesothelioma Lawyer

Railroad work needed to be done by skilled tradespeople to keep locomotives, braking systems, and the various mechanical parts that helped the rail lines run smoothly and safely. Asbestos was sometimes used in those parts as it could easily resist friction and heat.

Wallace & Graham, P.A., can delve into how a railroad work environment could have played a role in a person’s asbestos exposure that led to mesothelioma. Analyzing job responsibilities and a work site history can help piece together those answers. Call today to hire a railroad worker’s mesothelioma lawyer.