Mississippi had 606 asbestos-related deaths from 1979 through 2001 alone. Jackson County had the highest number of deaths, 170, with 38 from mesothelioma. Several industries prominent in Mississippi have historically put workers at high risk of asbestos exposure, including oil refineries, paper mills, power plants, shipyards, plywood mills, chemical plants and other manufacturing facilities. Each of these industries utilizes extraordinarily high levels of heat in their manufacturing processes. Previous to the 1980s, asbestos was widely used in industrial plants because of its heat and fire-resistant properties. Exposure to asbestos needlessly put workers at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma.
We strongly urge anyone diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease or an heir to contact a mesothelioma attorney or law firm to determine if an asbestos-related lawsuit is appropriate. If you or someone close to you has mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in Mississippi, the mesothelioma attorneys at Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason can help. We are mesothelioma lawyers with over 30 years of experience. We can explain your legal rights and help you understand what to expect from a mesothelioma lawsuit. Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in settlement compensation for mesothelioma patients and their families. Our law firm will provide a free mesothelioma case evaluation, and there is no up front cost for our services.
Mississippi is home to many heavy industries, including oil refineries, paper mills, power plants, shipyards, plywood mills, chemical plants and other manufacturing facilities. All are high-risk industries for asbestos exposure and due to their use of products containing asbestos. The state has many older buildings as well. Before its dangers were widely known, asbestos was commonly used in shingles, flooring, pipefittings and even HVAC systems.
Oil refinery workers were at high risk of asbestos exposure prior to the late 1970s. Asbestos was used widely to insulate many pieces of equipment in oil refineries that operated at hot temperatures. Equipment such as furnaces, tanks, boilers, ovens, heat exchangers and pumps were lined and covered with asbestos-containing materials. Workers who repaired and maintained the asbestos insulation used in this equipment were especially prone to asbestos fiber inhalation, leaving them at high risk of developing asbestos-related disease many years later.
Two shipyards in Mississippi, Ingalls and the Pasacagoula Naval Station, exposed many workers to asbestos. Asbestos was widely used in ship building to protect components from hot temperatures and corrosion, including: valves, gaskets, insulation, pipe covering and packing materials. The U.S. Navy used numerous asbestos products for ship construction until the mid-1970s. Asbestos was used in boiler rooms, engine rooms, sleeping quarters and hallways. Shipyard workers who constructed these areas were likely exposed to asbestos while installing asbestos-containing materials.
When navy ships returned from a mission, shipyard workers who made repairs and conducted overhauls also experienced asbestos exposure on a routine basis. Longshoremen and other port workers may also have been exposed to asbestos while loading and unloading ships. Wrapping materials, crates and pallets for transporting products often contained asbestos fibers. Anyone who handled items being off-loaded from a ship or who delivered a load aboard a ship was at risk of breathing asbestos into their lungs.
Asbestos was used in paper mills to insulate and protect machinery during the paper making process. A pleural (the body cavity that surrounds the lungs) cancer study found that the majority of fatal asbestos exposures in paper mills occurred in maintenance workers who were responsible for the upkeep of the intricate paper making machinery. Maintenance workers were particularly at risk of inhaling loose asbestos fibers from the insulation and heating element holders when they opened up the machinery to check that the passageways were clear and the heating elements were working properly.
If you or members of your family have been affected by asbestos cancer in Mississippi or any state in the U.S., contact Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason. Our mesothelioma attorneys are experts in mesothelioma lawsuits. We have over thirty years of success providing mesothelioma legal representation to clients across the United States. We will provide a free case evaluation and can fly to Mississippi to meet with you in person. There is no up front cost to you for our services.
If you are in need of mesothelioma medical information or treatment, visit our list of Mississippi mesothelioma treatment centers. Mesothelioma attorneys Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason are here to help.
Call the mesothelioma law firm of Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason for a free consultation.