Missouri Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

Asbestos exposure in Missouri centers mainly around urban areas. With many older buildings, asbestos exposure is a concern any time a hotel or office building undergoes renovations, since the updates can cause asbestos fibers to become airborne where they can become ingested or inhaled.

While asbestosis and mesothelioma are known asbestos-related diseases, many do not realize is that exposure to asbestos can also cause other health problems. These problems, such as an increased risk of cancers, are difficult to link definitively to asbestos exposure. If you feel that asbestos exposure is related to an illness you have other than mesothelioma or asbestosis, it is important to bring these concerns to your doctor.

At Risk Occupations and Locations in Missouri

Involvement in a variety of occupations and living in a particular location in Missouri increase the odds of asbestos exposure. For example, some employees of the Mack truck plant in Joplin suffered from asbestos exposure due to the asbestos used in the manufacturing of gaskets and brake linings. Also, W.R.Grace had a Zonolite plant in St. Louis. This plant manufactured Zonolite insulation from vermiculite that was contaminated with asbestos.

In addition, employees of power plants in Missouri, including American Cyanamid and Calloway Nuclear Power Plant and the chemical plant Hercules Missouri Chemical Works may wish to undergo screening for possible exposure to asbestos.

Naturally occurring asbestos, which can also present a health concern, is found in some areas of the Ozark Mountains. Naturally occurring asbestos can be inhaled when it becomes airborne, by the wind or passing traffic. It can also be inhaled when landscaping work is performed. If you live in an area with high natural levels of asbestos, you should pave any rock or gravel driveways and consider top dressing any areas that you plan on gardening with several inches of clean, non-native soil.

Lambert-St Louis International Airport and the City of St Louis have been accused of improper abatement methods regarding asbestos.

Asbestos Related Deaths in Missouri

Between 1980 and 2000, 388 deaths from mesothelioma and 236 deaths from asbestosis were reported in the state of Missouri.

Because of the long latency period involved with asbestos-related diseases, it is hard to determine what the long term affect of asbestos, both naturally occurring, and through occupational exposure, will be for the residents of Missouri. If you were ever employed in an industry that used asbestos, or if you worked in an older building during a remodeling project, you should consider frequent screenings by a physician familiar with asbestos-related diseases.

Legal Resources for Missouri State Residents

One interesting legal case involving a Missouri based company is the case of Aerojet. In the asbestos-related lawsuit in which Aerojet was named as defendant, the company lied in court, stating that asbestos was not even used by the company. Their attempt to remove themselves as the source of asbestos exposure backfired when it was realized that the company had 32 tons of asbestos stockpiled.

When deciding whether you should file a suit, there are several factors to consider. An asbestos lawsuit is much easier if you know when the exposure happened and have a diagnosed medical illness that is directly related to asbestos exposure. Lacking those two things, you may still have a case since many qualified attorneys may be able to help you identify your source of exposure.

In cases where the facts are fuzzy, it is extremely important to hire an experienced asbestos attorney. The benefit of hiring an attorney experienced in handling these cases are numerous. By working within this specialty, experienced lawyers are familiar with ongoing legal cases and how the courts are ruling in general.

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