The Ohio train disaster made headlines in 2019 and is still a viable topic for discussion today. The train accident was a significant incident in that it not only resulted in the unfortunate loss of life, but also, the tragedy caused extensive damage to the local community.





!

If you may have been exposed to asbestos, even when you were a child, speak to your healthcare provider about tests and screening to help detect the presence of asbestos fibers and enfermedades relacionadas con el asbesto.





The Accident

What happened, exactly? A train transporting a combination of hazardous chemicals, including ethanol, petroleum, and other flammable materials, got derailed. This quickly instigated a large fire that spread quickly, and finally culminated in a massive explosion.

The explosion caused the loss of two lives and severe injuries to several others – however, the damage doesn’t end there. The disaster also caused the widespread destruction of property in the local community, marring multiple buildings.

As a result, dozens of residents were displaced from their homes, scrambling to find shelter or being forced into homelessness. Of course, this was a life-changing incident for the people of Minerva, Ohio, and left a lasting impact on the community.

What Caused the Tragedy

The Ohio train disaster was ultimately found to be caused by an equipment failure. To be specific, a broken wheel caused the train to derail, resulting in a catastrophic chain of events.

This unfortunate incident raised many questions about the safety involved in transporting hazardous materials, and the roles corporations play when it comes down to ensuring public safety. One of the critical issues brought up was the history of safety violations tied to the company responsible for operating the train. This company, Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, had been fined multiple times for failing to comply with regulations.

Critics of the case argued that the company had prioritized profits over safety and that its negligence had ultimately contributed to the tragic incident. Given Wheeling’s lengthy violation record, it’s not hard to see how they arrived at this conclusion.





“Por lo general, quienes desarrollan enfermedades relacionadas con el asbesto no muestran signos de enfermedad durante mucho tiempo después de la exposición”.

Fuente: Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NIH)1

Image Asbestos Train Disaster article body
Image Asbestos Train Disaster article body

Asbestos and Tobacco Industries

The Ohio train accident is just one of many examples of the dangers of transporting hazardous materials as well as the risks associated with corporate malfeasance. Other large industries with shady reputations and lobbying powers have also made headlines over the years. Two that come to mind in particular are the asbestos and tobacco industries. These are industries where corporate malfeasance has had devastating consequences for public health and safety.

Preventing injuries from harmful industrial materials

En el caso de asbesto, corporations that manufactured or otherwise used asbestos in their products continued to expose workers and consumers to the mineral for decades, despite knowing about its health risks. This exposure has led to thousands of illnesses and deaths, numerous legal battles, and (thankfully) stricter regulations surrounding asbestos use – although the EPA was unsuccessfully in outlawing it entirely. 

De manera similar, the tobacco industry took had a significant fall from grace after widespread accusations that execs actively concealed the health risks of smoking, even though they were well aware of its dangers. They allegedly prioritized profits over public health.


¿Califica usted para una compensación?

Descubra rápida y fácilmente cómo estuvo expuesto buscando en WARD, la base de datos de asbesto más grande del planeta.

BÚSQUEDA GRATUITA >

Regulations For Transportation of Hazardous Materials

The Ohio train disaster highlights the need for increased regulation and better oversight of hazardous materials transportation. There should also be more concerted efforts placed on holding corporations accountable for their actions. The battle against corporate malfeasance in industries like asbesto and tobacco has been ongoing for decades, and advocates continue to fight for stronger regulations to protect public health and safety. 

The Ohio train disaster is a stark reminder of the consequences of failing to prioritize safety, as well as the importance of maintaining corporate responsibility. 

In recent years, some efforts have been made to improve safety regulations for hazardous materials transportation. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation has implemented new safety rules for transporting crude oil by rail, including requirements for improved tank car designs and increased inspections. However, there is still much more work to be done to ensure that hazardous materials are transported safely and that corporations follow necessary protocols proactively. 





“La evidencia general sugiere que no existe un nivel seguro de exposición al asbesto”.

Fuente: Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NIH)2





A critical step towards holding corporations accountable is ensuring they are transparent about the risks associated with their products. In the case of asbesto, for example, today companies must disclose that they use asbestos in their products and make the public aware of the resulting risks. There is also a ton of media drawing attention to the potential for health-related consequences. Similarly, the tobacco industry is required to place a Surgeon General’s warning on product labeling. Yet, still more can be done. 

There are also legal avenues for holding corporations accountable for their actions. For example, victims of asbestos exposure can file lawsuits against the companies responsible for their exposure, seeking compensation for their medical expenses and other damages. Similarly, victims of tobacco-related illnesses have filed lawsuits against tobacco companies, alleging that they were misled about the risks of smoking.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Ohio train disaster serves as a reminder of the importance of safety regulations and corporate responsibility. Whether it is the transportation of hazardous materials or the use of dangerous products like asbestos and tobacco, corporations must prioritize safety over profits. When they fail to do so, they put public health and safety at risk and must be held accountable.

By advocating for stronger regulations and company accountability, we can work towards a safer and healthier future for everyone.

AsbestosClaims.Law

Para Justinian C. Lane, obtener una indemnización por las víctimas del asbesto es algo personal.

Los abuelos de Justiniano y su padre trabajaron con asbesto en su juventud y murieron de cánceres relacionados con el asbesto en sus últimos años.  

En el momento de cada una de sus muertes, nadie en la familia de Justiniano sabía que eran elegibles para presentar una demanda por asbesto y buscar una compensación de los fideicomisos de asbesto.

Debido a que nadie en la familia de Justiniano conocía sus opciones, nunca recibieron compensación alguna por la muerte de sus seres queridos. 

Si cree que su lesión o la de su familiar estuvo relacionada con la exposición al asbesto, podría tener derecho a una compensación significativa.

Este es dinero que podría usar para cubrir los costos de los servicios de remoción de asbesto, pagar el tratamiento médico y proteger de manera preventiva su bienestar físico. 

También hay fideicomisos de asbesto que ofrecen compensación mucho más rápida y fácilmente (sin presentar una demanda).

Si desea ayuda para presentar un reclamo, ponerse en contacto por correo electrónico a [email protected]  o llámenos o envíenos un mensaje de texto al (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) o (206) 455-9190. Escucharemos su historia y le explicaremos sus opciones. Y nunca cobramos por nada a menos que reciba dinero en su bolsillo.

Además de demandas legales, discapacidad de veteranos, seguridad social y protección del empleo como compensación de trabajadores, FELA y La ley de Jones para los trabajadores marítimos, hay fideicomisos de asbesto que se han establecido para indemnizar a los perjudicados por el asbesto sin tener que presentar una demanda.

No hay riesgo ni costo para hablar con uno de nuestro personal sobre su litigio de asbesto. No hay cargos a menos que reciba dinero.

Si tiene preguntas o inquietudes adicionales relacionadas con el asbesto, visite nuestro sitio web y página de YouTube para ver videos, infografías y respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el asbesto, incluida la salud y la seguridad, prueba de asbesto, la eliminación del asbesto de su hogar y edificio, y información legal sobre la compensación por lesiones de asbesto.

Presentamos la base de datos de información sobre asbesto más grande del planeta.

W.A.R.D., que significa Worldwide Asbestos Research Database, ayuda a los clientes a reducir cuándo y dónde pueden haber estado expuestos, así como qué productos aún pueden contener asbesto.WARD también ayudará a indicar los tipos de compensación ya cuánto puede tener derecho una persona.

McDaniel PA, Malone RE. Tobacco industry and public health responses to state and local efforts to end tobacco sales from 1969-2020. PLoS One. 2020 May 22;15(5):e0233417. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233417. PMID: 32442202; PMCID: PMC7244130.
Risk assessment of hazardous materials transportation: A review of research progress in the last thirty years, Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition), Vol. 9, Issue 4, 2022, Pages 571-590, ISSN 2095-7564, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtte.2022.01.004.
1 Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NIH) Hoja informativa sobre asbesto.
2 Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NIH), Hoja informativa sobre asbesto.