Illinois Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

2,209
Mesothelioma Deaths
181
Asbestosis Deaths
2,390
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Illinois

Oil refinery workers and power plant workers in Illinois have a high risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Other industries in Illinois known for using asbestos are steel plants, factories, and paper mills. Workers in any of these types of industries should monitor their health for any signs of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Industrial Sites and Asbestos

Workers at manufacturing plants and power plants in Illinois may have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos was frequently used as an insulator on machinery and equipment in these facilities because of its durability and heat resistant properties. The use or repair of this equipment may have exposed workers and others nearby to toxic asbestos fibers.

Asbestos in Buildings

Old buildings and schools in Illinois were constructed with asbestos-containing materials. The risk for asbestos exposure increases as the buildings age and asbestos fibers are released into the air. Students and employees at these school buildings may have been exposed to hazardous asbestos.

EPA Superfund Locations in Illinois

The Johns-Manville disposal site in Waukegan, Illinois was designated as a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency. The site contained wastewater sludge that was contaminated with asbestos and other toxins. Another designated Superfund site in Illinois was the former W.R. Grace & Company facility in Chicago. Workers at this site processed several tons of vermiculite from Libby, Montana that was tainted with asbestos. Those who worked at the plant from the 1970s to 1990s were exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos fibers. Operations at the Chicago plant stopped in 1996, but asbestos was still found in the soil around the site years later.

Partial list of work sites in Illinois with known asbestos exposure
  • Abbott Steam Plant at University of Illinois in Urbana
  • A.E. Staley Soybean Plant in Decatur
  • Baldwin Lake Steam Plant
  • Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
  • Chicago, Lakeshore and Eastern Railway
  • Citgo Oil Refinery in Lemont
  • Crawford Station Steam Plant
  • Dearborn Rubber Plant
  • Dixie Square Mall in Harvey
  • Dresden Station Steam Plant
  • Eureka-Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner Plant
  • Exxon Mobile Oil Refinery in Joliet
  • Fisk Street Station Steam Plant
  • Freeman Coal Mine in Farmersville
  • Illinois Central Railroad
  • Johns-Manville Asbestos Disposal Site in Waukegan
  • Kautt & Bux Asbestos Products
  • Kentile Asbestos Floor Tile Plant in Chicago
  • LTV Steel Mill in Chicago
  • Marathon Robinson Oil Refinery
  • Nabisco Factory
  • Pittsburgh Plate Glass in Mt. Zion
  • Pneumo Abex Brake Plant
  • Powerton Steam Plant
  • Quad Cities Nuclear Plant
  • Rock Island Steam Plant
  • Shell Oil Refinery
  • Standard-Amoco Oil Refinery
  • U.S. Steel Mill
  • Wood River-Phillips 66 Oil Refinery
  • Zion Nuclear Power Plant

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Illinois

There is a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for mesothelioma that varies for each state called the statute of limitations. This means if you do not file within the time limit, you will never be able to pursue legal action or obtain compensation. It’s important that you take legal action within this time frame so you do not miss out on receiving the compensation you may deserve. Contact us here to learn more about how we can help.

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What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a deadly and rare form of malignant cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. The most common forms of mesothelioma are: pleural and peritoneal. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Victims with pleural mesothelioma may have respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue. Victims with peritoneal mesothelioma may have abdominal swelling, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.

The latency period for mesothelioma is very long. The average latency period is about 30 years, but can be shorter than 15 years or longer than 40 years. This means individuals with mesothelioma may take decades to present symptoms from the time they were exposed to asbestos.

What is asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by asbestos exposure. When asbestos is inhaled the fibers irritate and scar the lining of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The lungs become stiff and cannot expand and contract normally. Symptoms of asbestosis are shortness of breath, chest pain, and a dry, persistent cough. Like mesothelioma, the latency period for asbestosis is very long. Symptoms may not present for 10 to 40 years after asbestos exposure.

Military Asbestos Exposure

It is extremely important to know that our attorneys do not sue the military. We seek accountability from the asbestos companies that sold dangerous asbestos products to the military.

Members of all branches of the military may have been exposed to asbestos before it became more restricted in the 1970s. The U.S. military used asbestos products in many areas because of its low cost, durability, and heat resistant properties. The common use of these asbestos products put many U.S. veterans at risk of developing asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Below is a list of the military branches and common asbestos exposure sites:

  • Navy – shipyards, boiler rooms, submarines
  • Army – barracks, shipyards, construction
  • Marine Corps – armored vehicles, barracks, ships, aircraft
  • Coast Guard – inside ships, ships, boiler rooms
  • Air Force- bases, airplanes, jets, aircraft maintenance