Weitz & Luxenberg Provides Information on asbestos sites in the state of Arizona

Are you suffering from an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis? If you lived in or visited certain sites in Arizona, you may have unknowingly been exposed to asbestos. According to a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) “the number of deaths in Arizona from asbestos increased from 6 in 1990, to 21 in 1999.” (Arizona Geology) Most of these people were men in their seventies or older who had been exposed to asbestos in their youth. Sadly, instead of being able to enjoy retirement, they had struggleeach day just to breathe.

Weitz & Luxenberg has dealt with asbestos related litigation for over two decades and are available when you need us for legal counsel. We have represented clients across the United States and have helped them amass millions of dollars in compensation for the pain and suffering they unnecessarily endured. We are more than willing to assist you.

The Hoover Dam:

Did you spend any time working or living near Hoover Dam? Did you know that the Dam, which was constructed in 1931 and officially completed in 1936, was built with asbestos?

The construction of Hoover Dam, today considered “a treasure of Arizona, Nevada and the World,” (Arizona Leisure) was a daunting and exhausting task that required the manpower of “over 7,000 workers.” (Arizona Leisure) For a long time, it was not believed that the Dam could ever be built, but it managed to “rise from the almost impossible to a resounding success.” (Arizona Leisure) The Dam was not only an “engineering wonder, but it greatly aided agricultural production and improved the quality of life for countless individuals.” (Arizona Leisure) Unfortunately, those that took part in the Dam’s construction risked becoming seriously ill with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis- the three (often fatal) illnesses associated with asbestos exposure.

As with all industrial projects the men responsible for constructing the Hoover Dam were well aware that they risked death by handling dangerous equipment, falling from a height or developing sun stroke in the harsh, unforgiving Arizonian heat. Little did they realize that there was another danger among them- asbestos. The highly carcinogenic material could be found just about everywhere from concrete to pipes. Asbestos was an ideal construction material because it was fire resistant, flexible, inexpensive and had the ability “to prolong the life of the Hoover Dam.” (Front Page Mag)

What did building the Hoover Dam entail?

In order for the Hoover Dam to the built, the workers “had to divert the Colorado River.” (Arizona Leisure) This was a dangerous process which entailed “digging four diversion tunnels through canyon walls that would divert river flow around the Dam site to join the Colorado River farther downstream.” (Arizona Leisure)

Hoover Dam necessitated “over 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete, plus another million for the power plan, intake towers and other support structures.” (Arizona Leisure) Seeing that this was the 1930s, long before the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other government organization, this concrete almost certainly contained asbestos. This concrete had to be cut, hammered, sawed down and otherwise transformed to meet construction needs. This would send particles of asbestos into atmosphere and the lungs of the workers.

Asbestos could also be found in the following products/equipment:

Structural steel insulation
Electrical Cable insulation
Pipes - A pipe that was one inch thick and 582 miles long was embedded through the concrete blocks of the Hoover Dam (Arizona Leisure)
Cigarette filters
Paint

Asbestos Was Used At Other Arizona Facilities:

Did you work at any of the following sites? If so, you might have been exposed to asbestos.

Note: This is just a fraction of the many facilities/companies in Arizona that used asbestos in some capacity.

Williams Air Force Base: Chandler, AZ
Spreckles Sugar Plant: Chandler, AZ
Kennecott Copper Mine: Hayden, AZ
Lake Mead Project: Needles, AZ
Salt River Power Plants: Glendale, AZ
Tucson Gas: Irvington, AZ
Motorola Plant: Phoenix, AZ
Yuma Marine Corps base: Yuma, AZ
SRP Kyrene Power Plant: Tempe, AZ

Did you live in Arizona and become exposed to asbestos? Weitz & Luxenberg Can Be Your Legal Advocate

Weitz & Luxenberg understands how widespread the asbestos problem is and the havoc it had caused countless people across the country and around the world. It is unfortunate that even though the dangers of asbestos have been known in the United States since at least the Industrial Revolution, it continued to be used in multiple industries. Such carelessness should not be ignored.

Our firm has a team of skilled attorneys with a wealth of knowledge concerning asbestos-related ailments. To get started, simply fill out the form on this page. A representative from our firm will

get in touch with shortly you for your free legal consultation. There is no cost unless we secure a verdict or settlement for you.

Acknowledgements:

Front Page Magazine: www. frontpagemag.com/2010/09/10/tragedy-at-ground-zero/?cid=75892

Arizona Leisure: www.arizona-leisure.com/hoover-dam-building.html

Arizona Geology: www.azgs.az.gov/Mineral%20Scans/Asbestos%20in%20AZ%2004.pdf