Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma in Connecticut
The naturally occurring mineral asbestos is fire resistance and was once an inexpensive raw material. Decades ago, it was frequently used in power plants, shipyards, and other worksites in Connecticut and around the world where machinery generated high temperatures. Unfortunately, exposure to asbestos causes cancer, including mesothelioma, and other, often-fatal illnesses. The weight of lawsuits and regulations finally has limited the use of asbestos in the United States, but since it takes so long for symptoms to develop, many people exposed decades ago are still at risk for developing an asbestos-related illness.
If you have suffered a workplace illness from exposure to asbestos, even if the exposure was several decades ago, you’re likely entitled to compensation. The attorneys at MesoLawyersCare have recovered large awards for workers and their families who have been injured by worksite exposure to asbestos throughout Connecticut and the United States. The following five worksites present some of the most elevated risks for asbestos exposure to past and present workers in Connecticut.
1. General Dynamics Electric Boat
Groton-based Electric Boat (a subsidiary of General Dynamics) was founded in 1899 and specializes in building submarines; in fact, the company delivered the nation’s first submarine in 1900. Electric Boat grew tremendously during both World Wars and launched a new sub every two weeks at the height of production during WWII. The company also built the world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus. As with virtually all U.S. ships built throughout much of the 20th century, Electric Boat utilized significant amounts of asbestos-containing products in its submarines and other vessels for insulation and other purposes. Asbestos was used not just in the boilers and engine rooms, but also coated pipes and equipment surfaces. Asbestos was also used for gaskets and packing, as a sealing material in valves, pumps, other equipment and pipe flanges.
2. Cos Cob Power Station
The Cos Cob Power Station in Greenwich was built by Westinghouse in 1907 and sat on the banks of the Long Island Sound, primarily as a power source for the electrified trains running in New York City and nearby cities. The plant, which closed down in 1986 and demolished in 2001, used coal-fired steam turbines to generate electricity. The site was reopened in 2015 as Cos Cob Park, a recreation park for nearby residents, after years of cleanup. As with other power plants built during much of the 20th century, the Cos Cob facility used asbestos-containing materials for insulation and sealing purposes. Those most susceptible to exposure were insulators, pipefitters, electricians, welders, and others who drilled, cut, or otherwise worked directly with asbestos. Asbestos materials used at this job site include asbestos insulation, cements, gaskets and packing. Much of the equipment in the plant required the use of asbestos to function properly.
3. Millstone Nuclear Power Station (Waterford)
The Millstone Nuclear Power Station is currently the only nuclear plant in Connecticut and sits along the Long Island Sound. While the power plant currently is recognized by the Occupational Health and Safety Commission as having a stellar workplace safety record, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, the facility was put on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Watchlist in 1996 after several workers who raised a variety of safety concerns were fired otherwise retaliated against. Workers involved in the construction of the Millstone plant were frequently exposed to asbestos as the result of dangerous conditions to which workers were exposed without proper warnings. The Millstone plant also used parts, machinery, and materials containing asbestos for insulation purposes, as did most electrical power plants built prior to 1980. Specifically, asbestos could be found in pipe fittings, insulation, gaskets, turbines, fire doors, and even some floor and ceiling tiles.
4. American Cyanamid (Wallingford)
Now known by the name Cytec Industries, the American Cyanamid Company was founded in 1907 in West Paterson, New Jersey. Its flagship product — cyanamid (a combination of lime, carbide, and nitrogen — was used as an agricultural fertilizer and in the mining industry for the extraction of precious metals. By 1930, the company had diversified into a number of different industries, including pharmaceuticals. American Cyanamid manufactured several products that contained asbestos, including a molding compound used in automotive and aircraft ignition parts and a laminating resin. Employees who worked in the production and shipment of these products are at increased risk of exposure.
5. Pratt & Whitney (East Hartford)
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company began operations in 1925 and is credited with its industry-changing innovation of airplane engines, most notably its Wasp series (which is still in use today in many agricultural airplanes). The company merged with Boeing and other aircraft companies in 1929 but retained the Pratt & Whitney name. Today, the company supplies engines to the Department of Defense for its F-35 fighters. Given the extreme temperatures of aircraft engines, Pratt & Whitney and other manufacturers used parts containing asbestos throughout, including the pistons and gaskets. Mechanics who worked on these engines are at the greatest risk for becoming injured as a result of inhaling airborne asbestos fibers that flake off parts as they’re removed or manipulated. Workers replacing parts on aircraft were also at risk for significant asbestos exposure.
The attorneys from MesoLawyersCare have recovered more than $10 billion dollars for people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Our firm has successfully represented workers exposed to asbestos at worksites in Connecticut, neighboring states and throughout the nation. For more information or a free consultation, fill out the form on this page, have a live chat now with one of our representatives, or call our offices.
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