Did one of these Texas companies cause your asbestos illness?

“The asbestos industry, composed of many manufacturers, has introduced hundreds of products into the stream of commerce which are, either by design or failure to warn, unreasonably dangerous for their intended use.” - US District Court for Eastern District of Texas, 1980

Names and places have been altered in this article to protect the privacy of those involved.

Stephen C. lost his father and uncle to the deadly asbestos-induced disease asbestosis. The men all worked at the same shipyard in Texas. Now Stephen, who worked as an insulator at commercial shipyards for over twenty years, also has been diagnosed with asbestosis.

“We were not told about the dangers of asbestos. The company at the time claimed that we were safe.” said Stephen. “We took their word.”

Thousands of other people were exposed to asbestos in Texas, and tragically, data from the National Center for Health Statistics of the federal government's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that asbestos mortality in Texas is increasing, with a tripling of reported deaths since 1989. The state currently ranks fifth in the US for deaths from asbestos-related diseases. According to the Environmental Work Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental research organization, as many as 3,627 people have died as a result of asbestos exposure in Texas. About 1,343 of these fatalities were from asbestosis, and up to 2,325 were due to mesothelioma.

The EWG calculated that at least 670,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from WR Grace & Company in Libby, Montana was shipped to Texas between 1963 and 1992. Factories in Dallas and Houston were the state's largest recipients of the vermiculite from the mines. In fact, WR Grace operated a vermiculite site in Dallas, Texas until 1992, when it was closed. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a federal public health agency, lists the Dallas vermiculite site as a significant source of asbestos exposure to former employees, as well as to former residents who lived in or around the area.

Weitz & Luxenberg is aware of the harm that asbestos has caused hardworking Texans like you or your family member. For over two decades we have taken on numerous asbestos litigation cases, and throughout this time we have obtained a total of $3 billion in various settlements and verdicts involving clients just like you. Please continue to read more about asbestos exposure in Texas so that we can help you hold the company who got you sick accountable.

Additional sources of asbestos contamination in Texas include:

Oil Work: As the oil industry is the dominant force in Texas’s economy, it is no surprise that a majority of the state’s asbestos exposure problems stem from here as well. Almost all of the oil companies used the deadly carcinogen to protect oil plants from fires and reduce the corroding of machinery. Asbestos was used in oil gaskets and even in protective uniforms worn by rig workers. It was also used in insulation to protect pipes, distillation columns, and conduits in oil refineries. Refineries with reported asbestos exposure include the BP refinery in Texas City and the Delek refinery in Brentwood.

Shipyards: Texas’s location on the Gulf Coast almost made cargo shipping and ship building a large part of the state’s economy. As such, many sailors and shipyard workers were placed at risk of asbestos exposure because of the vast amounts of asbestos insulation used in construction materials on ships such as fireproof doors, pipes, and other steam fittings.

Shipyards noted for asbestos exposure include:

American Bridge Shipyard, Orange, TX
Naval Station Ingleside, Ingleside, TX
The Southwest Marine Shipyard, Ingleside, TX
The South Texas Ship Repair Shipyard, Aransas Pass, TX

Power plants also were a major source of asbestos exposure in Texas. A few noted for possible contamination are:

HW Hirkey Power Plant, Hallsville, TX
Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Somervell County, TX
Oklaunion Power Station, Vernon, TX

Now let us help you hold the companies who made you sick in Texas accountable

Weitz & Luxenberg believes it is inexcusable that companies like the ones mentioned above exposed you or your family member to asbestos, and as one of the nation’s leading personal injury law firms we can help to make sure you get just compensation for your illness. This compensation can help cover medical bills, and other related expenses. It can also help to guarantee financial stability for you and your family.

Our firm has a team of skilled attorneys with a wealth of knowledge concerning asbestos-related illnesses. Please contact us by filling out the confidential form on this page. After sending the form, a representative from our firm will be in touch to provide you with a free legal consultation.

Acknowledgements:

http://www.ewg.org/sites/asbestos/tables/deathdetails_state.php

http://www.ewg.org/release/new-analysis-shows-growing-number-asbestos-related-deaths-texas

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/asbestos/sites/national_map/fact_sheets/dallastx.html