The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company Exposed Workers to Asbestos
For decades, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company (C&O) operated rail lines throughout Kentucky, playing a critical role in the state’s coal industry. The company was also instrumental in adding to the state’s asbestos burden: thousands of railroad workers were exposed to dangerous fibers during their careers, many contracting fatal cancers decades later.
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyers represent people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases who seek compensation for the harm they suffer. If this is your situation, contact us at 855-385-9532 to learn more about how we can help you obtain compensation for your injury.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of mineral fibers that are resistant to fire, heat, electricity, and corrosion. Asbestos has been used in about 3,000 products, including pipe insulation, building materials, floor tiles, cigarette filters, vehicle brakes, and clutches. These fibers are strong, durable, light, and microscopic.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos was used in thousands of products for centuries because its fibers are tiny, light, strong, and durable. These qualities also make them hazardous to humans. They won’t immediately cause a deadly reaction in people who inhale or swallow them, so they’re probably unaware of the danger they’re in. It may take years or decades for the damage caused by asbestos to become known.
Fibers become stuck in human tissue. The immune system tries to get rid of them, but the fibers destroy the cells meant to dissolve them instead. This leads to scar tissue, inflammation, and, over time, genetic mutations that cause cancer.
Asbestos causes or increases the risk of several cancers, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer that can affect several parts of the body. It can involve the linings covering organs (including the heart and lungs) and the chest and abdominal cavities.
What was the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company?
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was created in 1869 by the merger of several smaller railroads. It expanded and reorganized many times over the years and became part of CSX Transportation in 1987.
In the early 1900s, the railway laid the foundation for a massive network that transported coal and other freight throughout the state and beyond. The company developed an important railyard in Russell, Kentucky (the Raceland Car Shops), which became central to its operations. For decades, asbestos-containing products were used on C&O trains, and they were removed, repaired, and replaced at the Raceland Car Shops.
Why Was Asbestos Used by Railroads?
Railroad use of asbestos was common up through the 1970s. The mineral’s heat- and fire-resistance, durability, strength, and insulating properties made it seem ideal for railroad applications, but its microscopic fibers caused deadly diseases when workers inhaled them.
Asbestos-containing products were used as insulation, brake pads, brake linings, gaskets, seals, and for a train’s floors and ceiling materials.
Which Workers Would Be Exposed to Asbestos Fibers?
The greatest danger from asbestos comes when materials are applied, torn, cut, drilled into, or removed, because that’s when fibers are most likely to be released and carried into the air, where they can be inhaled or swallowed. Fibers can also come loose if the equipment the products are attached to vibrates, or due to age and deterioration.
The more often and more closely someone worked with asbestos-containing products, the greater the threat they posed. This includes employees and contractors who worked for C&O.
Workers on C&O’s steam-powered trains faced significant exposure in boiler rooms where asbestos insulation helped equipment withstand extreme heat and prevent fires. The diesel-electric locomotives that replaced them also used asbestos extensively.
Workers at facilities like the Raceland Car Shops faced some of the most dangerous exposures. Maintenance and repair crews removed and replaced asbestos-containing insulation and other products from equipment.
Their work released clouds of microscopic fibers into the air. These workers performed these tasks without adequate protective equipment or warnings about the dangers they faced. Those in the area who are not directly working with asbestos could also be exposed as asbestos fibers drifted through the workplace.
Family members of C&O workers were also at risk. Those working with asbestos would return home in clothes covered in microscopic fibers that could drift through the household until someone inhaled or swallowed them.
Why Should I Contact Satterley & Kelley, PLLC?
If you or a family member is diagnosed with an asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for what you’ve endured. Depending on the circumstances, compensation may be received for the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income and illness-related costs and expenses
- Past and future medical treatment
- The negative effects on relationships
If you have an asbestos-related condition due to asbestos exposure while you or a family member worked for C&O, improve your chances of a successful claim by retaining a lawyer with the following:
- Knowledge of Kentucky and federal asbestos and railroad worker laws, deadlines, court procedures, and jury dynamics
- Access to historical industrial and asbestos litigation records
- Experience in railroad-related mesothelioma litigation
- Relationships with experts who can show asbestos caused your illness, where it came from, and the harm you suffer due to your illness
- The ability to tailor strategies for your unique situation
Given the complexity and stakes of your case, you should discuss how we can help with a Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyer.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
If you or a family member in Kentucky suffers from an asbestos-related condition, Satterley & Kelley PLLC is the law firm you can trust. Call our Louisville office at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.