New Jersey Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

268
Mesothelioma Deaths
49
Asbestosis Deaths
317
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in New Jersey

The state of New Jersey is highly industrialized and has many locations with hazardous asbestos exposure. New Jersey has chemical plants, refineries, power plants, railyards, and paper mills. Employees in these industries faced the risk of asbestos exposure at these facilities.

Shipyards and Asbestos Exposure

New Jersey’s position on the eastern coast means it is home to many shipyards. Shipyards and shipbuilders frequently used asbestos as an insulation material on ships. Workers who repaired or built boilers or worked on pipes or machinery on ships were likely exposed to toxic asbestos fibers. When the fibers were disturbed, they would become airborne and inhaled by workers in the close quarters of a ship. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Asbestos in Manufacturing

The Johns Manville Products Corporation, an insulation manufacturer, operated a plant in New Jersey from the early 1900s to the 1980s. The company has faced numerous lawsuits because it knowingly continued to use asbestos in its products while fully aware of the toxic effects of exposure on its employees.

The National Gypsum Company in New Jersey manufactured asbestos-containing wallboard and asbestos cement from the 1920s to the 1980s. The company went bankrupt and faced several lawsuits from former employees who had developed asbestos-related diseases after continual exposure to the deadly fibers.

Vermiculite and Asbestos

New Jersey operated seven refineries that processed asbestos-tainted vermiculite from the W.R. Grace mine in Libby, Montana. The refining process performed at the facilities caused the release of high amounts of asbestos fibers into the air. Workers at this facility were at extreme risk of developing deadly asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Partial list of work sites in New Jersey with known asbestos exposure
  • American Cyanamid Chemical Plant
  • American Cyanide Plant
  • American Smelting & Refractory
  • American Standard Inc.
  • Arc Mercer, Inc.
  • Asarco
  • Bakelite‐Union Carbide Boundbrook Chemical Plant
  • Bayway Refinery
  • Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
  • Brown Athletic Building At Rutgers University
  • Campbell’s Soup Plant
  • Chevron
  • Ciba‐Geigy Chemical Plant
  • Colgate‐Palmolive Plant
  • Cook College At Rutgers University
  • Deep Water Operating Co.
  • Delavalve
  • Dupont Chemical Plant
  • Dupont Powder Plant
  • Exxon
  • Federal Shipyard
  • Fort Dix
  • Foster Wheeler Corp. Office
  • General Motors Plant
  • Givaudan‐Roure Chemical Plant
  • Hess Oil Refinery
  • Hoffman‐Laroche Chemical Plant
  • Johns‐Manville Plant
  • Johnson & Johnson Plant
  • Linden Co‐Generation Power Plant
  • Linden Generating Station
  • Marcal Paper Mill
  • McGuire Air Force Base
  • Merck Pharmaceutical Plant
  • National Lead Company
  • New Jersey State Hospital
  • New York Ship Building Shipyard
  • New York Shipbuilding
  • Owens‐Illinois Plant
  • Panisote Plant
  • Parachute “B” School
  • Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines aka Conrail Railroad Cars
  • Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines aka Conrail Railroad Roundhouse
  • Performing Arts Center At Rutgers University
  • Plainfield Plant
  • Public Service Electric & Gas Co. Generating Station
  • Ruberoid / GAF Roofing Plant
  • Ruberoid Roof‐Shingle Plant
  • Rutgers University
  • Sewaren Generating Station
  • Squibb Pharmaceutical Plant
  • Texaco Refinery
  • Todd Shipyard
  • U.S. Pipe & Foundry
  • Vineland Electric

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in New Jersey

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