Maryland Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

856
Mesothelioma Deaths
223
Asbestosis Deaths
1,079
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Maryland

Maryland’s location along the coast means it is home to multiple shipyards which are known to use asbestos. Boilers and pipes on ships were covered in asbestos insulation to minimize heat and nearly all of the insulation on ships contained asbestos.

Manufacturing and Power Plants

The state also has steel mills, manufacturing plants, and power plants where workers were potentially exposed to asbestos. Power plants frequently used asbestos-containing materials to insulate wires from electricity and heat. Workers in these facilities may have been exposed to asbestos while operating or repairing machinery that contained asbestos materials. When asbestos fibers are disturbed they can become airborne and then inhaled by nearby individuals. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to the development of deadly asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Asbestos in Buildings

Buildings in Maryland constructed before the 1970s contained asbestos materials. Some schools in Maryland were built with asbestos materials in insulation, flooring, and ceilings. Schools in Maryland are continually monitored and inspected to ensure there is no risk for asbestos exposure.

Partial list of work sites in Maryland with known asbestos exposure
  • Aberdeen Proving Ground Chemical Plant
  • Anchor Asbestos Packing Plant
  • Baltimore Gas & Electric Steam Plant
  • Baltimore Marine Industries Shipyard
  • Bethlehem Shipyard
  • Bethlehem Sparrows Point Steel Mill
  • Crown Cork & Seal Canning Plants
  • Curtis Bay Shipyard
  • Eastern Steel Rolling Mill
  • Fairfield Shipyard
  • Foreign Motors
  • Fort Meade Military Base
  • Kaiser Aluminum Plant
  • Key Highway Shipyard
  • Maryland Drydock Shipyard
  • Patuxent River Naval Air Station
  • Porter Hayden Asbestos Distributor
  • Potomac Electric Steam Plant
  • U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis
  • W.R. Grace Chemical Plant

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Maryland

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