If you worked and lived in Philadelphia or Pennsylvania for years, there is a possibility you were exposed to asbestos in the workplace or at home. Philadelphia is a city of 2.1 million that has long been the home of many mills, factories, and plants in all kinds of industries that may have exposed workers to asbestos and caused their mesothelioma.
High-Industries for Asbestos Exposure in Philadelphia and Across Pennsylvania
From 1999 through 2015, approximately 2,800 people in Pennsylvania died of mesothelioma. This state has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate in the country at 13 per million. There are at least 41 asbestos deposits or mines that have been found in the state. The highest rates of mesothelioma deaths in Pennsylvania occur in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. (CDC.gov)
Shipbuilding
While the state does not have a lot of coastlines, Philadelphia has access to the ocean through the Delaware River. It has been a natural location for shipbuilding companies, including William Cramp and Sons, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and Hog Island Shipyard.
Shipbuilding usually involved substantial amounts of asbestos being used for decades, so workers were frequently exposed to asbestos dust that could lead to serious health problems years.
Steel
Steel manufacturing was a big industry in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and it fueled both cities’ growth for much of the 20th century. Steelmaking requires a large amount of heat and flame at high temperatures, and asbestos was used to protect employees and equipment from being damaged by the high heat. Some steel mills and foundries that used asbestos included Aliquippa Steel Company, National Steel Company, the Pittsburgh STeel Found, and the Bethlehem Steel Mill.
Locomotives
During the railroad expansion boom, Erie became a major city in the rust belt where locomotives were constructed. Companies such as General Electric Transportation Systems and Pennsylvania Railroad produced these powerful machines, and also exposed workers to asbestos. The dangerous carcinogen was used in the locomotives and also in the machines used to make them. (asbestos.com)
Vermiculite
The W.R. Grace Corporation shipped 425,000 of vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana to a processing plant in New Castle, Pennsylvania. It was then made into insulation and gardening products. There also were such processing operations in Philadelphia, Lancaster, and several other towns in the state.
Philadelphia Naval Yard
This shipyard is probably the oldest in the country as it first opened in 1801. But it was not until World War I that the yard’s operations were expanded to feature a dry dock, chemical laboratory, barracks, hammerhead crane, and a POW camp for ship crews from Germany. The yard expanded more in World War II. At that time, it built aircraft carriers, battleships, and destroyers for the Navy. Asbestos was used extensively in shipbuilding there, and many workers were exposed to asbestos.
Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
This shipbuilding company is located in Chester, which is 15 miles south of Philadelphia on the Delaware River. For most of its time in operation, the site was used by the oil and gas industry, and once was the biggest shipyard in the US, making about 40% of tanker vessels used by the Navy during World War II.
After the war, the yard continued to build and repair large vessels until it closed in the 1980s. During most of its operation, asbestos was used constantly in ships, especially ones that were destined for the oil and gas industry.
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Asbestos Lawsuits
From 1998 to 2000, Pennsylvania was in the top 5 states for asbestos lawsuit filings. Because of the use of asbestos in shipyards, refineries, steel mills and power plants, workers there were at high risk for mesothelioma.
Consider:
- A 2006 study by the International Journal of Occupational Environmental Health, some of the nation’s highest occurrences of malignant mesothelioma are in Delaware County.
- Information from the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry shows that employees at job sites in New Castle and Ellwood City were also exposed to high levels of asbestos.
Courts in the state have set up procedures and rulings to manage mesothelioma litigation within the state. To file a lawsuit for asbestos exposure in this state successfully, these rules must be followed: (asbestos.com)
- Evidence of physical impairment: Plaintiffs may not be compensated for asymptomatic pleural thickening without having an asbestos-related disease.
- Case management orders: There is some flexibility in proposing plants to bring quick resolution for some mesothelioma lawsuits.
- Deferring punitive damages: Punitive damages are handled separately from compensatory damages and are seldom awarded.
- Several liability: The company is only liable for the the portion of harm it caused the plaintiff.
Philadelphia Mesothelioma Attorney Information
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, talk to one of the experienced attorneys below:
Kline & Specter PC
1525 Locust St.
Philadelphia PA 19102
(215) 772-1000
www.klinespecter.com
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Philadelphia, this law firm has the skills and experience to fight the big companies that exposed you to asbestos. You can count on these attorneys fighting for you to get as much mesothelioma compensation as possible for your medical costs, lost earnings and pain and suffering.
Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown, and Sandler
30 South 15 St.
Philadelphia PA 19102
(800) 369-0899
www.brookmanrosenberg.com
Since 1984, these highly qualified mesothelioma lawsuit attorneys have represented at least 10,000 people who were exposed to asbestos in this state. Each of their dedicated asbestos attorneys has the skills and knowledge to fight for high compensation for their clients. Their lawyers know all of the worksites that dealt with asbestos-containing products in the state and will hold them accountable for you.
Anapol & Weiss
One Logan Square
130 N. 18th St. #1600
Philadelphia PA 19103
(215) 735-1130
www.anapolweiss.com
The personal injury attorneys at Anapol Weiss are experienced and skilled in providing Philadelphia clients with aggressive legal representation if they have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition. They have years of proven results and settlements against companies that exposed workers needlessly to asbestos-containing products.
Get Philadelphia Mesothelioma Legal Help
With over $30 billion available for victims through the Asbestos Trust Funds, you could be entitled to financial compensations without ever filing a lawsuit. Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer victims qualify immediately. Complete the form or call us toll-free (800) 352-0871.