Tacoma, Washington, is a city of 198,000 that was once the terminating point for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Rail and sea transport has been critical to the city’s economy for decades. The city has a long, diverse history of construction and manufacturing, which has put many workers at a high risk of asbestos exposure. (asbestos.com)
Some of the companies in Tacoma that exposed workers to asbestos over the years include:
- National Realty Company
- Northern Pacific Railroad Company
- Mobil Oil
- US Oil and Refining
- Martinac Shipbuilding Corp.
- Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Company
- US Air Force
- Weyerhaeuser Timber Company
- Tacoma Gas and Fuel Company
- Tacoma Boatbuilding Company
- Subaru
- Container Company of America
If you or a loved one were employed by one of these or other companies in Tacoma and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation.
High-Industries for Asbestos Exposure in Tacoma and Washington
According to the CDC, there were 1,338 mesothelioma deaths in Washington state from 1999 through 2015. The state’s death rate from mesothelioma was 12.2 per million is much higher than the national average. Mason and Kitsap counties have the highest death rates from mesothelioma in the state. (CDC.gov).
Asbestos
One of the leading factors for Tacoma’s high death rate from mesothelioma is the state has a lot of serpentine rock, which is where most commercial asbestos is found. There were five large asbestos mines in the northern area of the state near Tacoma. There also are many serpentine deposits in the middle of the state, near Wenatchee.
Shipbuilding
The Pacific Coast in the Northwest is a big commercial shipping center. Ports are in Puget Sound and several other areas on the coastline. That is why cities such as Tacoma, Seattle, and Vancouver have large shipbuilders that exposed workers to asbestos over the decades. Some of the largest shipyards in the state include Kaiser Shipyard, Voyage Repair Station, and Talbott Shipyard.
Petrochemicals
The state of Washington is the first port of call for tankers coming from Alaska. It also is the home of many oil refineries. Petroleum is a dangerous substance at all times, so it was common for asbestos-containing materials to be used in fire doors and on protective clothing for workers. Some of the big companies in the oil refining business that exposed workers to asbestos were BP Oil, Chevron Chemical, Shell Oil, Texaco, and Mobil.
Aluminum
There have been several mesothelioma lawsuits filed in the state by former employees of aluminum plants. Aluminum production has been a vital industry in the state going back more than 70 years. Producing aluminum requires high levels of heat, and asbestos was used to protect machinery and workers from fire.
For example, ALCOA Aluminum smelters in Wenatchee and Vancouver used a lot of asbestos. But other companies in Washington state near Tacoma have had problems with asbestos, including Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation.
Duwamish Shipyard
This shipyard based in Seattle started operations in 1939 with a focus on all sizes of commercial ships, including barges and tugboats. While it only had a few hundred workers, there was plenty of asbestos exposure in their repair, construction and dismantling work. Workers who were employed there have a much higher risk of getting mesothelioma than the general public.
Tacoma and Washington Asbestos Lawsuits
There have been many asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits in Washington state in recent years. One of them involved Barbara Brandes who was exposed to asbestos at home from her husband’s clothes. Raymond Brandes was employed by ARCO Cherry Refinery near Ferndale, Washington, for many years.
Raymond died from asbestosis in 2015 and Barbara was diagnosed with mesothelioma the same year. She passed away before the verdict was reached on her mesothelioma lawsuit. But a jury awarded her estate $3.5 million after finding the Brand Insulations – the company that provided ARCO Cherry Refinery with asbestos-containing products – liable for negligence. At the time, it was the largest award in state history for a secondary asbestos exposure lawsuit verdict.
According to their daughter Ramona, they had four showers at ARCO for 200 workers, requiring people to wait hours to take a shower after a work shift. Her father would not wait because he had to get home. Also, the company failed to provide a laundry service to clean asbestos-contaminated clothes.
Seven companies were sued, with six firms settling for undisclosed amounts. (SeattleTimes.com)
Tacoma and Washington Asbestos Attorney Information
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma in Tacoma or elsewhere in Washington, contact one of the attorneys below:
Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender
810 Third Avenue #500
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 622-8000
www.mesotheliomalawyerswashington.com
For more than 20 years, the mesothelioma attorneys at SGB have assisted Washington families who have been devastated by a mesothelioma diagnosis. Their mesothelioma attorneys live in the Seattle area and know the judges and juries that decide these cases. Contact them for help with your case today.
Craig Swapp & Associates
16201 East Indian Ave. Suite 1900
Spokane, Washington 99216
(800) 404-9000
www.craigswapp.com
If you were exposed to asbestos in Washington and have mesothelioma, you may be eligible for mesothelioma compensation for your injuries and losses. This experienced asbestos exposure law firm can safeguard your rights and help you get the compensation that you so deserve.
Landenburg Law Injury Attorneys
705 South 9th St. Suite 203
Tacoma, Washington 98405
(253) 201-4169
www.landenburglaw.com
Were you exposed to asbestos in Washington and been diagnosed with mesothelioma? By working with the Ladenburg Law team, you will have a good chance of getting fair compensation for your injuries and expenses. This law firm also is experienced getting faster settlements, which is so important for people with severe and expensive health problems.
See Also Washington State Mesothelioma Lawyer Lawsuit Help
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