Erie is located on the shores of Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. It has a population of 100,000. It was established in 1795 as a significant maritime center and then become a railroad hub in the 1800s. Erie also became a major iron and steel manufacturing city in the late 1800s.
Erie’s heavy manufacturing and industrial history put it in the high-risk category for exposing workers to asbestos. Workers who were exposed to asbestos in the city’s many heavy manufacturing facilities are at risk of developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers.
Some of the companies in Erie that are known to have exposed workers to asbestos are: (mesothelioma.com)
- International Paper Company
- Pennsylvania Railroad
- General Electric Company
- Erie City Iron Works
- Nosco
- Pennsylvania Gas Company
- Consumers Power
- Pennsylvania Rubber Company
- Erie Forge and Steel
- Perry Iron Company
If you or a loved one were employed at one of the above or other manufacturing and heavy industrial companies in Erie, you could be entitled to mesothelioma compensation.
High-Industries for Asbestos Exposure in Erie and Pennsylvania
The CDC estimates that 2,779 Pennsylvanians died from mesothelioma from 1999 through 2015. This state has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate in the country – 13 people per million. Also, there are at least 41 asbestos deposits or mines that have been cataloged in the state. The highest rate of death for mesothelioma is in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. (CDC.gov).
Shipbuilding
The state does not have a lot of coastlines, but Pennsylvania and Erie made the most of what they have. Philadelphia has access to the ocean via the Delaware River, so it was the natural place for several shipbuilding companies, such as William Cramp and Sons, Hog Island Shipyard, and the Philadelphia Shipyard. Other cites built and repaired ships, including Erie and Pittsburgh.
Steel
Erie and Pittsburgh are famous for their steel production. Steel production has fueled both cities’ growth for the 20th and 21st centuries. Steelmaking requires high amounts of flame and heat. Asbestos was used to protect equipment and workers from being hurt by the high heat. Some of the foundries and steel mills that used asbestos in Erie were Erie Forge and Steel and Erie Iron Works.
Locomotives
During the boom of railroad expansion, Erie was a major city in the Rust Belt where locomotives were constructed. Companies such as Pennsylvania Railroad and General Electric Transportation Systems produced engines in Erie. They also exposed many workers to the dangers of asbestos, which was used in the inner workings of the locomotives as well as in the machines that made them.
Vermiculite
While the vermiculite mines of Libby, MT are thousands of miles from Pennsylvania, Erie and other cities in the state still had to deal with asbestos that was brought in from that location. From 1948 until 1993, WR Grace Corp shipped 425,000 tons of the dangerous ore from Libby to New Castle, PA. It was used to make insulation and gardening products. Similar processing facilities were located throughout the state.
Penn Shipbuilding
Pennsylvania’s access to the ocean is mostly through the Delaware River running through Philadelphia. However, there is a small patch of shoreline on the Erie Canal that provides access to the Great Lakes. That lake access is why shipbuilding and repair companies have been located in Erie, and there are many other shipbuilders in other parts of the state.
For example, Penn Shipbuilding is located 15 miles south of Philadelphia on the Delaware River. It first began operations in 1917. It was largely used to service the gas and oil industries, but it once was the biggest shipyard in the US.
It produced 40% of the tanker vessels in the country that were used during World War II. After the war, the yard continued to repair and build many types of ships until the late 1980s. During that time, asbestos was often used in most vessels, especially those that were built for the gas and oil industry.
Erie and Pennsylvania Asbestos Lawsuits
Courts in Pennsylvania have set up rulings and procedures to deal with mesothelioma litigation in the state. Those rules are in the following areas: (asbestos.com)
- Evidence of physical impairment: If you have a non-malignant asbestos condition such as asbestosis and file a lawsuit, you can file a second lawsuit if you develop mesothelioma. But you are not eligible for compensation for pleural thickening unless you have a physical impairment.
- Case management orders: New rules allow parties flexibility in resolving these lawsuits quickly, especially when the plaintiff is very ill.
- Deferring punitive damages: Punitive damage awards may be deferred in some cases so there is more money to pay actual damages to other asbestos victims.
- Several liability: This concept states that a company is only liable for the portion of harm that they are responsible for; liability can be shared with other companies.
- Successor liability: After a merger or takeover, the new company inherits any liabilities the old company has.
Erie and Pennsylvania Asbestos Attorney Information
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Newark or New Jersey, contact one of the attorneys below:
Edgar Snyder & Associates
600 Grant St. Floor 10
Pittsburgh PA 15219
(866) 360-8779
www.edgarsnyder.com
Edgar & Snyder & Associates has a strong record of helping asbestos exposure victims obtain mesothelioma compensation for their injuries and losses. You can obtain compensation for your medical bills, pain, and suffering and lost earnings.
See All Pittsburgh PA Mesothelioma Lawyers
Woomer & Talarico LLC
2945 Banksville Rd. Suite 200
Pittsburgh PA 15216
(800) 686-0848
www.woomerlaw.com
If you need to consult with experienced attorneys regarding a mesothelioma lawsuit settlement payout, you can count on Woomer & Talarico LLC. They have the skills in asbestos litigation to get you the mesothelioma compensation you need to treat your illness.
Handler, Henning & Rosenberg
401 E. Louther Street
Carlisle PA 17013
(888) 498-3023
www.hhrlaw.com
If you have been exposed to asbestos, whether at work or at home, these mesothelioma attorneys near you can help you get the compensation you need to treat your disease and take care of your family.
See All Pennsylvania Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers
Get 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.