550 people from Indiana have died from being exposed to asbestos: find out information that could save your family’s life
Are you suffering from an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis? If you worked in an industrial site in the state of Indiana, you may have unknowingly been exposed to asbestos.
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.
Fort Wayne, Indiana:
Fort Wayne is Indiana’s “second largest city, with a population of 250,000 + citizens.” (Visit Fort Wayne) Its name derives from General Anthony Wayne, the man responsible “for building a fort at the confluence of three rivers back in 1794.” (Visit Fort Wayne)
Fort Wayne enjoys an illustrious industrial history, having birthed the “washing machine, baking powder, calculator, juke box, television, breathalyzer and refrigerator.” (Visit Fort Wayne) Additionally, Fort Wayne saw the creation of “stereo sound, the garbage disposal, magnetic wire, streetlights and gasoline pumps.” (Visit Fort Wayne) Although all of these inventions were revolutionary and ground breaking, many of the inventors and workers those who participated in their construction risked their health and their very lives.
The symptoms of mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis did not make themselves immediately apparent to Indiana workers. It could take anywhere from 20-50 years for a worker in Indiana to experience symptoms.
Construction, irrespective of the area, was always accompanied with a certain degree of danger and risk. Unfortunately, there was another risk that endangered the lives of Fort Wayne workers: asbestos. This 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 and inexpensive. Not only would it have been used in at least some of the inventions mentioned above, but in the steel industry which was at the epicenter of America’s economic growth.
At the turn of the 20thcentury, the United States Steel company was founded. The corporation “was capitalized at $ 1.466 billion and was made up of 213 manufacturing mills in cities across the country (including Fort Wayne). It also owned “one thousand miles of railroad and 41 mines.” (Wiki Nut) By 1901, “US Steel accounted for 66% of America’s steel output and 30% of the world’s.” (Wiki Nut)
Those who worked in the steel industry were at high risk of being exposed to asbestos. They were required to “move around extremely hot areas and handle hot liquids, solids and machinery.” Being fire resistant, “asbestos was widely used in all of the American steel mills to prevent the chance of fires erupting from factories.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
Why was asbestos so integral to the survival and growth of the in the American Steel Mill Industry?
- It had “high tensile strength and was resistant to physical and chemical breakdown.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
- It could “insulate concretes, metals, plastics and other materials, thus making them fire-proof.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
- It “was used in machinery that had moving parts that were subject to heat and friction.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
- It was used to build “steel chains, end mills, reamers and steel cutting tools.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
- In an (ultimately failed) attempt to protect their workers from catching fire, steel mill supervisors provided their workers with “clothes, face masks, coveralls, aprons and gloves that were woven with asbestos.” (The Mesothelioma Library) When these were damaged, “asbestos fibers became airborne and were subsequently inhaled.” (The Mesothelioma Library)
Did you work in Indiana 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:
Wiki Nut: www. business.wikinut.com/History-of-United-States-Steel-Industry/21c_j4h6/
Visit Fort Wayne: www.visitfortwayne.com/Visitors/WhatToDo/genealogy.aspx
Michigan asbestos exposure: Find out if you were at risk.