1.09.2008 - 09:48pm ET

(CSRwire) Hundreds of Residents Suffer From Cancer and Dozens of Babies Have Been Born With Birth Defects

NEW YORK, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first of many lawsuits against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. claiming a railroad tie factory poisoned residents in the small town of Somerville, causing cancer and birth defects, is set to go to trial in Fort Worth this week.

The suit was filed by Linda and Donnie Faust, two of the dozens of people living in the Central Texas town who have sued the Fort Worth-based railroad company over a railroad tie factory owned by a predecessor firm until 1995.

The Fausts say creosote and other dangerous substances released by the factory helped cause Ms. Faust's devastating stomach cancer. Donnie Faust has worked at the plant near the Fausts' home since 1974. The couple is seeking at least $6 million in damages from a unit of BNSF, BNSF Railway.

In their suit, the Fausts claim the operator of the railroad tie plant "knew the grave, and sometimes fatal, consequences to the plaintiffs and persons of the general public in and around the wood treatment facility."

"The levels of Dioxin have tested to be the worst seen in the USA, far exceeding those found at Love Canal," says attorney Robert Weiss. "The entire community has been exposed to record levels of carcinogens. Some who have been exposed don't know when they will develop disease. Those people will be asserting a medical monitoring claim against the railroad asking the court to order the defendants to pay for regularly scheduled tests in the hope of early detection, diagnosis and treatment," Weiss adds.

The level of cancer and birth defects in Somerville is 60% higher than any place in America.

Robert Weiss of RightsforAmerica.com joins with Woodfill Pressler of Houston, Texas Woska & Swim of Oklahoma in a multi-plaintiff law firm effort to represent hundreds of Somerville residents.

This trial is the first of many. Damages are considered to be immeasurable at this point.

The Trial began Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 in Fort Worth Texas
96th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County,
Justice Center, 401 W. Belknap Street, Fort Worth, Texas

Attorneys and Plaintiffs involved in this case are available for interview.

For more information please visit www.rightsforamerica.com.

ADDITIONAL PRESS INFORMATION:
To interview an attorney or plaintiff please contact:
Becky Fawcett
The Fawcett Group PR / New York
Cell: 610.348.4555
becky@thefawcettgroup-pr.com

For more information please contact: