Those whose livelihoods involved work in chemical plants in Louisiana, especially before stronger regulations came into effect in the 1980s, are likely to have experienced workplace exposure to asbestos.
Chemical plant workers performed a number of different functions, and the plants themselves often involved machines that created significant amounts of heat.
This lead to chemical plant workers who have developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
Protecting people and property from the risk of fire is a significant concern in any enterprise, and in earlier decades, this function usually fell to asbestos, or asbestos-containing materials.
It wasn’t only machine parts that included asbestos.
Insulation within the building, floor and ceiling tiles, and even the safety equipment that workers relied on to protect themselves from chemical reactions and the risk of fire, often included asbestos.
Benefits And Lawsuit Payments For Chemical Plant Workers Who Have Been Diagnosed With Mesothelioma
As these components aged or became worn over time, small amounts of asbestos dust could be released into the environment.
For nearby workers, this means that every time they inhaled, they were breathing in rigid microscopic asbestos fibers, which often become trapped in lung tissue, where they remain permanently.
Over time, these inhaled fibers can cause irritation to nearby cells, and over years or decades, those cells may mutate to become cancerous.
When cancer develops in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity, this is called mesothelioma, and the only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.
Because the vast majority of mesothelioma cases occur in older adults who experienced workplace exposure to asbestos, you may have rights to compensation if you’ve worked as a Chemical Plant Worker in Louisiana and developed mesothelioma.
The attorneys at The Gertler Law Firm work with families who’ve worked hard and played by the rules only to learn years later that they were poisoned by their employer. Call us today at (504) 527-8767 for a free consultation with an experienced Louisiana mesothelioma attorney.