Missouri Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017
Mesothelioma Deaths
Asbestosis Deaths
Total Deaths
Asbestos Exposure in Missouri
Missouri’s industrial economy means a large number of workers in the state have faced the risk of asbestos exposure. The state has power plants, automobile manufacturing, oil refineries, and chemical plants. Workers in these industries, which use asbestos for its natural insulation properties, are at high risk for asbestos exposure and the development of asbestos-related diseases. The automobile industry in St. Louis and Kansas City is known to have exposed assembly plant workers to asbestos since asbestos was frequently used in brakes and clutches.
Mining and Asbestos Exposure
Miners working in Missouri may have been exposed to asbestos during the excavation process of asbestos-contaminated mineral ore. When asbestos fibers are disturbed they become airborne and inhaled. The inhalation of these toxic fibers can result in deadly illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Asbestos in Buildings
Asbestos is commonly used in construction materials and can be found in many older homes and buildings. Exposure to asbestos can occur during repair work or demolition of these older buildings. Workers need to be mindful of asbestos management during renovations.
Natural Disasters and Asbestos
In 2011, a tornado with winds over 200 miles per hour struck Joplin, Missouri destroying many structures in the city and claiming more than 150 lives. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were concerned with asbestos exposure during the extensive cleanup of the city. Asbestos is commonly found in buildings constructed prior to 1970. Asbestos was used in wall compounds, paints, and flooring materials. Workers assisting in the cleanup could have been exposed to asbestos when handling materials if they did not wear the proper protective equipment.
- American Motors Automobile Foundry
- American Oil-Amoco Oil Refinery
- Anheuser‐Busch Budweiser Brewery
- Armco Steel in Kansas City
- Asbury Steam Plant
- Barnes Hospital
- Carondelet-Claycorp Sandcasting Metal Foundry
- Celanese Fiber Chemical Plant
- Chrysler Automotive Plant
- Clinton Steam Plant
- Combustion Engineering boiler plant
- Crown Center Hotel
- Eagle‐Picher Insulation Plant
- Ford Motors Automotive Plant
- GAF Asphalt Roofing Plant
- General Motors Automotive Plant
- Hawthorne Steam Plant
- Industrial National Lead Smelter
- International Shoe Factory
- James River Steam Plant
- Kansas City Power & Light East Bottoms Steam Plant
- Labadie Steam Plant
- Lake City Army Ammunition Plant
- Mallincrott Chemical Plant
- McDonnell‐Douglas Aircraft Manufacturing Plant
- Meramec Steam Plant
- Mercantile Trust Building
- Missouri Public Service Steam Plant
- Mobil Oil Refinery
- Monsanto Chemical Plant
- New Madrid Steam Plant
- Nooter Boiler Plant
- Noranda Aluminum Plant
- Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Chemical Plant
- Portage De Sioux Steam Plant
- Sioux Steam Plant
- St. Louis Army Ammunition Plant
- St. Louis Shipyard
- St. Louis University Hospital
- Southwest Steam Plant
- Standard Oil Refinery
- Thomas Hill Steam Plant
- University of Missouri
- Wagner Electric Automotive Brake Plant
Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Missouri
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.
Call (855) 280-7664 Get Started OnlineWhat 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