Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma in Nebraska
Nebraska has a rich tradition of industrial activity, including power plants, manufacturing, and mining. Although these industries have been successful in the Cornhusker State, many of them have left an enduring legacy of mesothelioma and other deadly illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos. Workers in these industries working before the use of asbestos was phased out in the 1980s, can still be at risk today because it often takes many decades for mesothelioma to develop.
The experienced attorneys at MesoLawyersCare have successfully recovered significant money for workers and their family members who have developed asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma, as a result of exposure to asbestos at worksites throughout Nebraska. Below are summaries of five work sites throughout Nebraska that have been particularly problematic with regard to asbestos exposure.
1. Sierra Talc (l/k/a Cyprus Mines and Luzenac) – Grand Island, NE
The talc soapstone mine in Grand Island, Nebraska has been owned and operated by several companies including, Sierra Talc Company, Cyprus mines, and Luzenac—a French mining company. Mined talc ore is taken to a processing plant to be crushed and ground into powder. Talc is used in ceramics, paints, and plastics, and even in body powder and the coating on tablets and chewing gum. Talc mining and production can be problematic because talc is commonly found near tremolite and anthophyllite, types of asbestos, which often contaminated the talc. Miners at the Sierra Talc mine were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos both during the mining process as well as while producing talc products. Consumers using products containing this asbestos-contaminated talc were also exposed to asbestos.
2. Kramer Power Plant – Bellevue, NE
The Kramer Power Plant, built in the 1940s on the banks of the Missouri River, was owned and operated by the Nebraska Public Power District. The plant operated for over 40 years and was eventually retired in 1987. It was demolished in 2003. As with other power plants built during much of the 20th century, the Kramer Power Plant used asbestos-containing materials for insulation and sealing purposes as asbestos is heat resistant. Asbestos materials used at power plants include asbestos insulation, cements, gaskets and packing. Workers most prone to toxic asbestos exposure, which can lead to deadly diseases such as mesothelioma, were insulators, pipefitters, electricians, welders, and other maintenance workers who were directly exposed to asbestos.
3. Hallam Nuclear Generating Station – Hallam, NE
Hallam Nuclear Generating Station was a failed nuclear power plant built in the 1960s. The plant site used an experimental graphite-moderated sodium cooled reactor that was covered in stainless steel. However, problems arose when the stainless-steel skins of the plant’s moderator cracked, allowing corrosion and stopping the nuclear process. The plant operated for just two years and was decommissioned by 1969 and buried. One of the initial units at the plant, Sheldon’s Station, was a coal fired unit. It continued to operate, generating 225 megawatts of electricity for southeast Nebraska. Nuclear and coal-powered power plants built before the 1980s, like the Hallam Station, used large amounts of asbestos throughout their facilities. As a result, employees were exposed to harmful asbestos dust which can cause deadly diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Family members were also put at risk from asbestos dust that contaminated the clothing of workers.
4. Union Pacific – Omaha, NE
Union Pacific has a long legacy in American industrial history. Founded in 1862, the Union Pacific Railroad company was part of the transcontinental railroad project. Today, the freight hauling railroad company operates over 8,000 locomotives. In Omaha, Union Pacific had repair facilities for their locomotives, which operated for over 100 years. Asbestos use in trains was common during the 20th century. In steam locomotives, boilers were lined with asbestos insulation and asbestos gaskets and other products were used throughout the trains. As asbestos aged, it became flaky and airborne. Union Pacific employees working around and repairing asbestos containing train parts were exposed to asbestos as they inhaled this toxic dust. Sadly, their family members were also exposed to the dangerous asbestos as workers carried the dust home on their clothing and hair.
5. Goodyear Tire – Lincoln, NE
Goodyear Tire has been an American Tire manufacturing company since 1898. The Goodyear manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska was purchased in 1945. The plant became the center of the town, at one point employing 2,700 people. The plant made rubber products, and during much of the 20th century, rubber production involved asbestos use. Asbestos could be found in the plant’s equipment, but also in the manufacturing process as rubber molds were sometimes dusted with asbestos containing powder. Talc containing asbestos was often used in the manufacturing process as well. Workers could also be exposed to asbestos while working with asbestos-containing brake linings or recycled tires cover in asbestos dust from brake linings. Lawsuits pertaining to Goodyear Tire manufacturing plants have been filed, alleging the companies knew about the dangers but failed to warn workers and their family members. Former workers are at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases that are often deadly.
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 in Nebraska and throughout the United States. 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 us today.
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