Union: Rail labor (BLE, SMART-TD, BMWE)
How Railroad Workers Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, Railroad Workers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Connecticut industrial, commercial, shipyard, and aerospace construction work from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented exposure pathways drawn from public litigation records and industrial hygiene literature include:
- Servicing locomotives with asbestos-lagged boilers (steam era) and brake shoes
- Maintaining and repairing asbestos-insulated steam-heat lines on passenger cars
- Working in locomotive shops with asbestos-containing arc chutes and friction
- Repacking journal boxes and brake cylinders with asbestos packing
- Stripping asbestos pipe covering in roundhouses and maintenance shops
Why This Matters for Connecticut Workers
If you worked as a railroad workers in Connecticut during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or pleural disease, you may have a legal claim — even if your employer is no longer in business. Many asbestos product manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds that continue to pay qualified claimants based on documented exposure history.
Connecticut Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks
Connecticut keeps the personal-injury clock (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 — 3 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555 — 2 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.
Talk to an Experienced Asbestos Attorney
A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they pursue a legal claim.
☎ (314) 237-7046
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