Home to two major chemical plants, two power plants and the Mack Truck assembly plant in Joplin, Missouri has seen its fair share of asbestos exposure. In the 20-year period from 1980 to 2000, more than 600 people in Missouri died from asbestos cancer diseases — that figure counts only the confirmed cases. Asbestos-caused diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma are often misdiagnosed, so there may be several other undocumented deaths caused by asbestos exposure.
Other ways in which Missouri residents may have experienced toxic levels of asbestos fibers include:
- As veterans of the military — especially the US. Navy
- In schools, libraries and other public buildings
- In their homes, where asbestos products may be widespread (more than 3,000 different products have been made with asbestos)
- At work — examples are the Zonolite plant in St. Louis and the Mack Truck plant in Joplin
- Renovation projects such as the remodeling of the Clarion Hotel chain, the Lambert-St Louis International Airport, and City of St. Louis buildings
- Naturally-occurring asbestos sites — there are two in Missouri located in the state’s Ozark Mountain region (one is southwest of Poplar Bluff and the other is near Advance).
Asbestos in Missouri Industries
One of the biggest risk jobsites for asbestos exposure is the Mack Truck assembly plant located in Joplin. The higher risk of asbestos diseases is due to gasket materials and brake linings being lined with asbestos containing materials.
Also, the power plants in this state were at one time full of asbestos containing materials. This is a particularly big problem because doctors in Puerto Rico studied the chest x-rays of many power plant workers were found to have evidence of asbestos related diseases.
In 2007 the owner of a large hotel chain was found guilty for asbestos abatement violations in the renovation of one of his buildings in Kansas City. The owner had untrained and unprotected workers doing work removing asbestos-containing materials. He was fined more than $300,000.
Missouri Jobsites that May Contain Asbestos
There are several jobsites located across the state that have been known to contain dangerous levels of asbestos, including (but not limited to):
- Dow Chemical, Cape Girardeau
- Missouri Utilities Company, Cape Girardeau
- Southwestern Electric Power Company, Cape Girardeau
- Cenral Missouri Electric, Chamois
- Cent Electric Power Coop (Mo), Chamois
- Cantal Electric Power Cooperative, Chamois
- Chillicothe Powerhouse, Chillicothe
- Clinton Generating Plant, Clinton
- Montrose Power Station, Clinton
- Sherman Plumbing & Heating, Clinton
- Callaway Nuclear Power Plant, Fulton
- Rauch Tool Manufacturing Company, Hazelwood
- Missouri Power & Light, Kirksville
- Union Electric & Power Company, Labadie
- Montrose Power Station, Ladue
- Marshall Light, Heat and Power Company, Marshall
- Maryville Electric Light and Power Company, Maryville
- Missouri Portland Cement Company, Sugar Creek
- Sugar Creek Refinery, Sugar Creek
- Chrysler Corporation, Valley Park
- Chrysler Plymouth Plant, Valley Park
Mesothelioma Statistics in Missouri
From 1980 until 2000, more than 600 people from this state died from asbestos related diseases and at least 60% of them were due to mesothelioma. Asbestosis is much more common, but it is not nearly as fatal. Most mesothelioma patients will not survive past 18 months after diagnosis.
Missouri Mesothelioma Lawsuits
The family of a woman who worked at the Jackson County Courthouse for years died from mesothelioma from what the lawsuit claimed was the improper removal of asbestos from the facility. Her family won a settlement of $10 million.
They sued US Engineering, the firm that did the asbestos abatement and renovations. In addition to the $10 million the family won, the Jackson County Courthouse must pay $400,000 to the family. The $10 million settlement was the largest in MO history for a mesothelioma case.
Court documents stated that the woman worked in the building for 27 years. From 1983-2007, she inhaled and ingested asbestos as the building was being rehabbed various times.
Further, other employees of the courthouse from that time period are involved in a class action suit against Jackson County. The case is pending but this type of class action case is occurring more and more in counties across the nation.
Another major litigation case is that of AP Green Industries, which specialized in refractory products, which are made to withstand the high temperatures of melting furnaces and boilers. The company has been acquired several times over the years, and has faced thousands of lawsuits related to asbestos. From 1995-2007, more than 300,000 asbestos claims were made against the company. It filed for bankruptcy in 2002.
Mesothelioma Lawyers Missouri
Our mesothelioma attorneys in Missouri have the experience and dedication it takes to successfully win asbestos claims. We serve as advocates for persons wrongfully exposed to asbestos as well as their families and do everything we can to help our clients obtain the maximum amount of compensation available. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos disease such as mesothelioma or asbestosis, we can help you get the compensation you need and deserve. To learn more, please contact us today by calling 1-800-352-0871. All consultations are free and we don’t charge for our services unless we obtain compensation for our clients.
