A Wyoming jury has awarded $3.7 million to a local man who developed lung cancer after 37 years of working for BNSF Railway. The plaintiff claimed in his lawsuit that years of breathing in diesel fumes, silicone dust and asbestos while at work caused his cancer. His condition is fatal. The jury found BNSF was “negligent and violated federal regulations regarding the maintenance and operations of locomotives.”

Contract workers at British Petroleum’s Texas City oil refinery were awarded $100 million by a federal jury Friday in a lawsuit alleging the workers were exposed to toxic substances in April 2007. According to the lawsuit, the 10 plaintiffs were exposed to carbon disulfide, a harmful compound that allegedly gave them flu-like symptoms, while working two of the plant’s refining units. The Texas City refinery has been under intense scrutiny for lack of safety since a 2005 explosion that killed 15 and injured hundreds

A former Montgomery County, Md., police officer has filed a workers’ compensation lawsuit against the county, claiming he developed heart problems in 2005 while on the job. According to the lawsuit, Steven Hood was treated for hypertension in 2005. According to the Washington Examiner, Maryland law presumes a work-related cause for heart disease among public safety officials and that they are therefore eligible for workers’ compensation.

A jury has ordered Mississippi Valley Silica Co. to pay $7.6 million to former sandblaster who developed an incurable lung disease. According to the lawsuit, the company knew that the use of its sand in abrasive blasting could cause silicosis. The company is expected to appeal the verdict.

A Tennessee judge has ruled that a GM employee may be able to recover more damages in a workers’ compensation case because of the automaker’s restructuring since bankruptcy. At issue is a state law that caps damages in workers’ compensation cases. The court held that because GM is essentially a new company, the damage cap can be waived.

The wife of a sewer worker who died after being overcome by noxious gases has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the town of Bulls Gap, Tenn. According to the lawsuit, the town failed to treat its sewage with a chemical to reduce dangerous concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. The lawsuit seeks $3 million in compensatory damages, punitive damages and a jury trial

A former flight attendant has filed a lawsuit against Boeing after being allegedly exposed to hazardous fumes while working aboard the aircraft. The plaintiff claims that the manufacturer was aware that the air intake design could allow hazardous fumes to be transferred from the engine to the passenger cabin. According to the plaintiff, the sudden exposure to the fumes caused partial blindness, migraine headaches, and damage to her nervous system.

A tugboat crew member can pursue a punitive damages claim against his employer for injuries suffered on the job, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. In a 5-4 decision, the court found that there was no legal impediment to punitive damages in the case. The lawsuit stemmed from Atlantic Sounding Co.’s refusal to pay for the worker’s medical care and time off. The case is Atlantic Sounding Co. v. Townsend.

A general contractor has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit filed by an electrician who fell through a hole in a fueling pier at the St. George Ferry Terminal in 2006. According to the lawsuit, Russell Menicucci suffered herniated discs in his neck and back when he stepped through a large hole in the pier that was supposed to be covered by concrete. The settlement is to be paid by the contractor’s insurance carrier.

A maintenance contractor was negligent in a blast last week at a North Carolina ConAgra Foods plant, according to a lawsuit filed by two injured workers. The lawsuit names Southern Industrial Constructors which had been contracted to perform work in an area of the plant where the explosion is believed to have originated. The blast killed three workers and injured dozens more.