Iowa, a state that thrives on farming and the manufacturing of various textiles, has hundreds of industrial plants and factories – many of which have exposed workers to dangerous levels of asbestos. Years of working in such asbestos-ridden environments puts people at risk of developing serious, life-threatening forms of asbestos cancer, including lung cancer and/or mesothelioma cancer.
Iowans who have become victims of asbestos exposure don’t have to suffer alone. Along with getting vital medical mesothelioma treatment, victims can also benefit from working with asbestos attorneys who are experienced at recovering large settlements and awards for their clients.
At Mesothelioma Treatment Centers, we work with the top asbestos lawyers in the country to help persons and families that have been affected by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma can sometimes take 50 years to show signs, so even retired workers who are just now being diagnosed will likely qualify for compensation. To find out how we can help you, contact us today. We provide free consultations and do not charge attorney fees unless we recover a monetary award.
Sources of Asbestos Exposure in Iowa
Between 1930 and 1970, asbestos was commonly used for its resistance to heat and friction. Workers in the state who work(ed) for power generation plants are among the highest at risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases. Some of the power plants located throughout the state include:
- Alliant Power Stack
- Duane Arnold Alliant Energy
- Iowa Light & Power
- Iowa Power and Light
- Sioux City Coal and Gas
- Storm Lake Power Plant
- Tipton Power Plant
Creating, storing and distributing power is a process that takes the skill of hundreds of blue and white collar workers at any giving time. Duties vary from operating machinery to maintaining equipment; those who installed or maintained the pipes and electrical appliances were at the highest risk of asbestos exposure.
Because power plants are engrossed with heat-generating and friction-producing machinery, early installations of them contained asbestos insulation to protect against overheating or fires. Asbestos could be found in several products throughout the plants, including:
- Pipe covering
- Panels
- Blocks
- Boilers
- Gaskets
- Cements
- Hot tops
- Mastic
- Asbestos compounds
- Firebrick
Fort Dodge and Asbestos Exposure
Fort Dodge has more than 25,000 residents and a great deal of asbestos exposure has occurred here. That is because of the heavy mining and industrial history here. With such a big focus on mining, construction and manufacturing, this town has been the home of many firms that use asbestos in various manufacturing processes.
In many industries, it is common for workers to stay in the same line of work for decades, so the risk of asbestos exposure is higher. The economy of this area is especially reliant upon limestone mining, drywall manufacture, and mining of gypsum. All of these industries have used products that contain high levels of asbestos over the years.
In the gypsum industry alone, there are several companies in Fort Dodge that have used asbestos containing products: Gypsum Company, Celotex Corp, Georgia Pacific Corp and National Gypsum Company.
Iowa City and Asbestos Exposure
Iowa City has seen many problems in the last decade, including a tornado in 2006 and a huge flood in 2008. Both natural disasters exposed some residents to high levels of asbestos. The 2008 flood alone damaged hundreds of homes and buildings in this area, which exposed residents to asbestos. This is because many of the buildings damaged were more than 30 years old and were built with materials containing asbestos. As the clean up continued, sometimes the proper safety procedures were not followed with asbestos containing materials, in the interest of speeding the cleanup process.
Asbestos Lawsuits in Iowa
Iowa has not been considered an ideal state to file asbestos lawsuits, as juries and judges tend to side with the defendant. However, in 2014, a state jury did award $6.5 million to a family of a plumber who died from asbestos cancer. This lawsuit was made against Weil McLain, which is a large manufacturer of iron boilers. The company was only found 25% liable but still had to pay millions in damages.
Also, a family filed a lawsuit in 2005 against Foster Wheeler, a company that supplies equipment to many industries. The father and husband in this family worked on a Navy troop transport vessel in the 1950s and died from mesothelioma in the 1990s. However, the jury found that the company was not liable.
Mesothelioma Statistics in Iowa
From 1999 until 2013, there were 374 mesothelioma deaths and 40 asbestosis deaths in Iowa.
Mesothelioma Lawyers Iowa
It’s important for residents of Iowa, diagnosed with asbestos cancer, to seek legal help from an experienced asbestos attorney. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, contact Mesothelioma Treatment Centers today to speak to a skilled legal professional. We not only help people get the compensation they need for medical bills and other damages, we also help clients in their search for the best treatment options available.
To encourage victims of asbestos cancer to pursue their claims, our asbestos attorneys offer free consultations, during which victims can get essential advice regarding their potential lawsuits. Similarly, our mesothelioma lawyers work on contingency, meaning that victims don’t have to pay for legal services until their case is settled or won.
Given the incurable, deadly nature of asbestos cancers, mesothelioma and lung cancer victims will require lifelong treatment for mesothelioma survival. Working with Iowa asbestos attorneys is the best way to win a mesothelioma settlement and get the money needed for lifelong treatments.
