Mesothelioma Lawyers Virginia

According to the Environmental Working Group, at least 1,362 people died from asbestos exposure in Virginia from 1979 to 2001. These deaths primarily centered in Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth and Chesapeake. Additionally, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, eight Virginia counties were in the top fifty counties in the United States for malignant mesothelioma from 2000 to 2004. Virginia’s primary sources of asbestos exposure are shipyards, power plants, oil refineries and chemical plants.

If you or someone you love has mesothelioma (asbestos cancer) due to asbestos exposure while working in Virginia, attorneys Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason can help. Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason can guide you through the complicated mesothelioma legal process. We are mesothelioma lawyers with over 30 years of success and have recovered millions of dollars in settlement compensation for mesothelioma patients and their families. Our attorneys provide a free mesothelioma case evaluation, and there is no up front cost to you for our services.

Asbestos Exposure in Virginia

Virginia has many older, heavy industries, including shipyards, power plants, oil refineries and chemical processing plants. All are known, high-risk industries for asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases. Virginia also has many historical landmarks and old buildings, and most buildings constructed prior to 1980 incorporated numerous asbestos-containing materials for insulation and fire prevention.

One of the major industries contributing to asbestos problems in Virginia is shipbuilding. The shipbuilding industry notoriously exposed countless workers to asbestos. A fire at sea is always a great concern for everyone aboard a ship, and using asbestos as an insulator and fire retardant was a way to minimize this risk. Asbestos was commonly used to protect boiler rooms, engine rooms, sleeping quarters and hallways on ships. Shipyard workers who constructed these areas were often exposed to asbestos. Whenever a ship had to be serviced, dangerous asbestos fibers could be disturbed and inhaled by maintenance workers.

Shipyards in Virginia include:

• Hampton Road Shipyard
• Horne Brothers Shipyard
• Lyon Shipyard
• Newport News Shipbuilding
• Norfolk Navy Yard
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Virginia is also home to numerous older power plants Even the smallest fire at a power plant can cause a major disaster. To mitigate that risk, asbestos was commonly used in power stations in Virginia and across the United States because of its ability to resist heat and flame. Asbestos insulated boilers, generators, turbines and other machinery. It was also used in wires and electrical panels. When power plant equipment or facilities were repaired, dangerous asbestos fibers were released into the air. Utility and maintenance workers in these facilities were particularly vulnerable, since they were more likely to come into close contact with asbestos. 

Oil refinery workers in Virginia were also at high risk of asbestos exposure, prior to the 1980’s. The oil refining process involves high amounts of heat and chemicals, and asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) have been used in oil refineries since the industry got its start in the mid-19th century. Asbestos-containing materials insulated equipment that operated at hot temperatures, including: furnaces, tanks, boilers, ovens, heat exchangers and pumps. Workers who repaired and maintained this equipment were especially prone to asbestos fiber inhalation. Oil refinery workers sometimes wore protective gear, including aprons, gloves, overcoats and hoods, made from asbestos fibers to shield them from heat-creating elements. When these materials tore or ripped, workers came into direct contact with dangerous asbestos fibers.

Chemical processing plants generate high amounts of heat during the manufacturing process. Because industrial fires and chemical stability is always a great concern, asbestos was widely used for its insulating and fire retardant properties in chemical processing plants. Workers who maintained the processing machinery frequently had to precisely trim and fit asbestos coated metal and gaskets to size. In the cutting and grinding process, asbestos fibers could become airborne, and maintenance workers were susceptible to breathing in this toxic substance.

A large number of older and historic buildings are located in Virginia, and nearly every building constructed before 1980 should be considered an asbestos risk. Asbestos was commonly used for building insulation, roofing materials, floor tiles and millboard. Even today, construction workers can be exposed to asbestos while demolishing and renovating older buildings, unless proper precautions are taken. Safety procedures, such as dampening asbestos-containing materials, wearing disposable protective clothing and avoiding the use of power tools, need to be followed when working with older buildings.

Our Attorneys Can Help Victims of Mesothelioma in Virginia

If you or a member of your family has been affected by asbestos cancer in Virginia or any state in the U.S., contact Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason. Whether your asbestos exposure was due to working at a contaminated jobsite or because you used asbestos-containing products, our mesothelioma attorneys will give you sound, legal advice. We have over thirty years of experience providing mesothelioma legal representation to clients across the United States. We offer a free case evaluation and can fly to Virginia to meet with you in person.

If you are in need of mesothelioma medical information or treatment, visit our list of Virginia mesothelioma doctors.  Mesothelioma attorneys Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason are here to help.

Call attorneys Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason for a free consultation.