In many cases, Avondale Industries Shipyard in Westwego, Louisiana, has been held liable for the injuries that workers and retirees have sustained after exposure to asbestos while under the company’s employ.
There is a long record demonstrating that industries like shipbuilding were generally aware of the dangers posed by asbestos to workers like pipefitters, electricians, and others who constructed ships, but took inadequate steps to protect them and their families from contamination.
In the types of enclosed spaces you would find at Avondale Industries Shipyard in Westwego, Louisiana, the installation of asbestos would result in airborne dust that nearby workers would inhale during the course of their duties.
Lawsuit Compensation And Benefits For Workers Of Avondale Industries Shipyard Who Have Been Diagnosed With Or Died From Mesothelioma
It wasn’t just the installers who were at risk, but everyone working in proximity to a contaminated area of the ship. In addition, workers would go home in clothes that were often covered in a layer of asbestos fibers, potentially endangering their spouses, children, and others in their households.
Once the asbestos fibers were inhaled, they would find their way deep into the small airways of the lungs, where they would remain permanently. Over many years, and even as long as forty years, the small asbestos fibers would cause irritation to the neighboring cells, which can ultimately result in mesothelioma cancer.
It is the responsibility of employers to protect their workers, and there is existing evidence that the Avondale Industries Shipyards in Westwego, Louisiana, failed to properly educate its employees as to the dangers they faced in working with asbestos, provide them with appropriate safety equipment, or warn them of the risk of exposing their families through contaminated clothing.
If you’ve developed mesothelioma after working for the Avondale Industries Shipyard in Westwego, call The Gertler Law Firm today at (504) 527-8767. We work with Louisiana families who have been injured by employer negligence and workplace contamination, even decades after retiring. Your consultation with our experienced Louisiana mesothelioma attorneys is entirely free.