Asbestos In Your Area

Asbestos in the State of Indiana

Asbestos Exposure in Indiana

Beech Grove, Indiana is the hometown of the celebrity that finally started to get asbestos, and diseases caused by asbestos, into the national media and, thus, into the public spotlight. Steve McQueen died from heart attack following a surgery to remove a tumor from his lungs in 1980. He had been diagnosed with mesothelioma just a year before. There is no definite source for his exposure to asbestos, but it is believed that he came into contact with it during his career in the Marine Corps or as a race car driver. Both of these professions are known to have high asbestos exposure rates.

Indiana has no known, naturally occurring asbestos deposits. All exposure has come from imported asbestos used in many different industries. In most cases, asbestos is used as an insulation material and fireproofer. Since it's found as a thin fiber, it can be added to almost anything, even cloth. One of the reasons it is believed that Steve McQueen came into contact with asbestos during his racing years is because most of the fireproof suits that were worn by drivers were made of asbestos. There are a few other industries that use fire suits, too.

At-Risk Occupations and Locations in Indiana

Steel mills used protective clothing to shield their workers from flames and heat. Unfortunately, these items were frequently made of asbestos and, if/when they were torn, were capable of spreading carcinogenic fibers in the air. US Steel had been involved in several cases involving its mill in Gary, Indiana. There have been several suits in Indiana involving oil refineries, as well.

There are twelve or thirteen job sites in Indiana that have been found to have exposed employees to asbestos. Not only in Gary, but in towns like Mount Vernon, Gallagher, Campbell, Whiting, Laketon and Cayuga, people are affected by asbestos. Power plants used asbestos extensively for insulation. Several of these townshoused powerhouses that supplied energy to large portions of the state. Again asbestos was in heavy use in these places and employees were exposed.

One of the most affected industries today is the construction industry, especially those who work in demolition. Asbestos was used in everything from floor tiles to wall board and even in many adhesives. While installation posed its own risks, demolition is sure to set the asbestos fibers floating in the air. Special care must be taken when getting rid of the asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has control over certifying and even contracting with those in the construction industry for asbestos inspections and abatement.

Asbestos-Related Deaths in Indiana

Current statistics on asbestos related illnesses, deaths and lawsuits are a lot harder to come by today than they were during the asbestos furor of the 1990's. In Indiana, there were 552 deaths between 1979 and 1999. 124 of those deaths were caused by asbestosis, which is scarring that occurs in the lungs as more and more asbestos is inhaled. Asbestosis can be treated, but there will always be an increased risk of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma was responsible for the other 428 deaths. Asbestos is a carcinogen and can cause tumors to develop in the lining that covers most of the internal organs, including the lungs and heart. These tumors are malignant and can spread to the rest of the body, quickly. There can be a lot of time between the exposure to asbestos and signs that an illness has taken hold, sometimes decades. Therefore, experts suggest that the numbers of illnesses and deaths related to asbestos will continue to grow for the next few years and possibly peak in the year 2015.

Legal Resources for Indiana Residents

In 2003 there was a major lawsuit against US Steel that may indicate that the state is sympathetic to workers with legitimate cases. Indiana also has asbestos specific laws that govern the statute of limitations for filing suit in these cases. You must file a claim within two years of being diagnosed with an asbestos related disease.

Indiana law has even stated, in three different cases, that the spouse of someone who has had asbestos exposure can sue as a 'bystander'. In other words, if the wife had to wash the asbestos laden clothes, she was as at risk of inhaling asbestos particles. If she came down with either asbestosis or mesothelioma, she has as much right to payment for damages as the husband.

If you've been diagnosed with an asbestos related illness, like asbestosis or mesothelioma, make sure to visit your lawyer. If you need to search for one, make sure to do some research to find the one who has experience with similar cases. A law firm or lawyer who has been involved in these specific kinds of cases is going to know if you have a winnable case, where to go and what to do to get things started and the best ways to make things travel quickly and smoothly to a successful case.

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