Wisconsin Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

1,225
Mesothelioma Deaths
148
Asbestosis Deaths
1,373
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s paper mills and power plants commonly used asbestos in factory insulation. Workers in vermiculite processing facilities and paper mills in Wisconsin are at the highest risk of asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Asbestos Exposure in Manufacturing

The paper manufacturing industry in Wisconsin frequently used asbestos as an insulator for machinery and to help aid in the drying process. While the paper industry is key to Wisconsin’s economy, it was also a very dangerous industry for employees. The drying cloths and adhesives used in the paper manufacturing process contained asbestos materials, exposing workers to toxic asbestos fibers on a regular basis. Other manufacturing companies, including metal works facilities, used asbestos to insulate high-heat equipment, such as furnaces. Workers were exposed to asbestos dust and fibers when they used or repaired this equipment. Several individuals who worked in these metal manufacturing plants have developed mesothelioma.

Vermiculite and Asbestos

Wisconsin received asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from W.R. Grace in Libby, Montana. A vermiculite processing facility in Kenosha operated from the 1960s to 1990s. The employees at this facility were at high risk of asbestos exposure. Workers who processed and handled the asbestos tainted vermiculite were likely exposed to hazardous asbestos fibers and should monitor their health for asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos in Buildings

Buildings built in Wisconsin prior to the 1980s may contain asbestos materials. Construction workers and maintenance workers may be at risk for asbestos exposure if these asbestos-containing materials are disturbed and the fibers become airborne. When asbestos fibers become airborne, anyone nearby is at risk of inhaling the fibers and developing deadly respiratory illnesses.

Partial list of work sites in Wisconsin with known asbestos exposure
  • Allis‐Chalmers Corporation
  • Beloit Powerhouse
  • Consolidated Water Power & Paper Company
  • Consolidated/International Paper Mill
  • Continental Can Plant
  • Dairyland Power Plant
  • General Motors
  • Green Bay Packaging Paper Mill
  • Green Bay Power Plant
  • Manitowoc Shipyard
  • Mannette Paper Mill
  • Mirro Plant
  • Oak Creek Powerhouse
  • Ocean Spray Plant
  • Plastics Engineering (Plenco) Plant
  • Port Washington Powerhouse
  • St. Luke’s Hospital
  • Thelmony Pulp & Paper Mill
  • University Of Wisconsin ‐ Genetics Department
  • Wausau Mosinee Paper Corporation
  • Wisconsin Electric
  • Wisconsin Power & Light

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Wisconsin

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