Tennessee Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017
Mesothelioma Deaths
Asbestosis Deaths
Total Deaths
Asbestos Exposure in Tennessee
Tennessee has many industries and job sites that are known for asbestos exposure. The state has several paper mills, chemical plants, power plants, and steam plants. Asbestos was commonly used in industrial settings as an insulator for high heat equipment. Pipes, boilers, and other machinery were often constructed with asbestos-containing materials. Workers in these facilities may have been exposed to asbestos fibers when working with or repairing this equipment. When asbestos fibers are disturbed and become airborne they create a health hazard for nearby individuals. Employees may breathe in the hazardous fibers which can lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Asbestos in Power Plants and Paper Mills
Power plants and paper mills in Tennessee used asbestos materials in their facilities. In power plants, asbestos was used to insulate from electricity and heat produced during power generation. Asbestos was also used in paper mills throughout the paper production process putting workers at risk for exposure. Employees in these industries should monitor their health for any respiratory illnesses.
Asbestos materials were commonly used in the construction of residences and other buildings. It was not until the 1980s that the health hazards of asbestos were widely known and asbestos-containing materials were no longer used in building construction.
Natural Disasters and Asbestos Exposure
After a tornado swept through parts of Tennessee in 2011, people were killed and communities were destroyed, but many people did not understand the additional health hazard posed by the debris that was left behind after the tornado ripped through the state.
Asbestos exposure was likely for residents, first responders, and volunteers who worked to rebuild their neighborhoods. Residents and health officials were concerned about the risk of asbestos exposure during the rebuilding process.
A flooding disaster also struck North Nashville, Tennessee in 2010. The Rose of Sharon Primitive Baptist Church was flooded and congregants showed up after the water receded to help with the cleanup process. Volunteers had to stop the cleanup when they began to experience respiratory problems while moving flooded carpets and drywall. Officials found high amounts of asbestos in the debris. Individuals involved in the cleanup should monitor their health for signs of asbestos-related diseases.
Below is a partial list of work sites in Tennessee with known asbestos exposure:
- ALCOA Aluminum Plant
- Allen Steam Plant
- Allied Chemical Plant
- Aluminum Company Of America
- American Enka
- American Finishing
- Amoco Oil Company
- Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Flight Simulation Test Facility
- Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Plant
- Beaunit “Knitting” Nylon Textile Mill
- Bit Manufacturing
- Bowater Paper
- Bowater Southern Paper Mill
- Chicago Bridge & Iron Manufacturing Plant
- Combustion Engineering
- Container Corporation
- Counce Paper Mill
- Cumberland Chase
- Cumberland City Power Plant
- Cumberland City Steam Plant
- Davis Furniture
- Dupont Chemical Plant
- Eastman Kodak Air Separation Plant
- Eclipse Lookout Company
- Edgemoor Steam Plant
- Erlanger Hospital
- Eureka Foundry
- Federal Copper
- Firestone Plant
- Ford Motor Plant
- Gallatin Steam Plant
- Gaskell Manufacturing Plant
- General Cable Plant
- General Electric Company
- Girls Prep School
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant
- Grace Chemical
- Hamilton National Bank Building
- Hercules Powder Plant
- Holston Defense Corporation
- Hooker Chemical Plant
- John Sever Steam Plant
- Johns‐Manville Plant
- Johnsonville Steam Plant
- Kingston Power Plant
- Kingston Steam Plant
- Lookout Boiler Company
- Magic Chef
- Mccallie School
- Mead Paper Company
- Memphis Light, Gas, & Water Building
- Memphis Steam Plant
- Memphis Street Lighting Department
- Memphis Water Works
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Nashville Steam Plant
- National Carbon Company
- New Johnsonville Coal Plant
- New Johnsonville Steam Plant
- Oak Ridge Atomic Bomb Plant/Manhattan Project
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant
- Olin Wire Manufacturing Plant
- Paint Pigment Plant
- Procter & Gamble
- Provident Insurance Building
- Read House
- Rock Ten Paper Mill
- Rockwell International
- Rossville Refined Metals Plant
- Sequoia Nuclear Plant
- Southern Bell Office
- Tennessee Copper
- Tennessee Eastman Corp.
- Tennessee Paper Mill
- Tennessee Pulp & Paper Co.
- Tennessee River Pulp & Paper Mill
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- Tennessee Valley Electric Supply Company
- Tennessee Valley Power Plant
- TVA Power Plant
- TVA‐Cumberland Steam Plant
- U.S. Defense Depot
- Union Carbide Chemical Plant
- University of Tennessee
- University of Tennessee Hospital
- Us Army Corp Of Engineers
- Velsicol Chemical
- Watts Bar Nuclear/Steam Plant
- Watts Bar Power House
- Watts Barr Dam
- Watts Barr Hydro Plant
- Watts Barr Power Plant
Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Tennessee
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