Colorado Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

552
Mesothelioma Deaths
97
Asbestosis Deaths
649
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Colorado

Industrial sites in Colorado, such as power plants and refineries, are locations prone to asbestos exposure. These industrial sites relied on asbestos products for their heat resistant properties and used asbestos insulation for decades. Sites such as the Conoco Oil Refinery, Oxnard Construction Company and Hudson Energy Company used asbestos products until the 1980s.

Some factory and plant workers in Colorado may have handled asbestos directly while manufacturing products, such as roofing materials. Employees in manufacturing plants also may have been exposed to asbestos while repairing machinery covered with asbestos insulation.

Mining and Asbestos Exposure

Miners in Colorado were at risk for inhaling asbestos while excavating other minerals from the mines. Several types of naturally occurring asbestos have been found in Colorado soil, but there were no active asbestos mines. Workers in silver mines in Colorado were may have been exposed to asbestos fibers and could develop deadly asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Asbestos and Vermiculite

Denver, Colorado was home to a vermiculite plant that processed vermiculite for industrial use from 1867 to 1990. The vermiculite at the plant was shipped by W.R. Grace’s Montana vermiculite mine, where it was contaminated with asbestos. Several processing plants in Colorado processed tons of the tainted vermiculite creating a health hazard for the employees working at the plants.

Partial list of work sites in Colorado with known asbestos exposure
  • Air Force Academy
  • Anheuser-Busch Company
  • Arapahoe Power Plant
  • Asamere Refinery
  • Cameo Power Plant
  • Cherokee Power Plant
  • Conoco Refinery
  • Continental Oil Refinery
  • Craig Power Plant
  • Dow Chemical “Rocky Flats” Plant
  • Fort Carson
  • Gates Rubber
  • Hayden Power Plant
  • Hilton Hotel
  • La Combe Plant
  • Martin Marietta Plant
  • Nixon Power Plant
  • Peata Verde Silver Mining Company
  • Peterson AFB
  • Pueblo Powerhouse
  • Ray Nixon Power Plant
  • Rocky Flats Powerhouse
  • Rocky Mountain Arsenal
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital
  • St. Mary‐Corwin Hospital
  • Stapleton International Airport
  • Trinidad Power Plant
  • University Of Colorado
  • University Of Colorado Medical Center
  • UTE Power Plant
  • Valmont Power Plant
  • Walsenburg Powerhouse
  • Zuni Power Plant

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Colorado

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