If you’ve worked at the Olin Corporation chemical plant in McIntosh, Alabama, you may have been exposed to asbestos poisoning.
Repeated asbestos exposure is known to cause mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer that is often difficult to treat. Many industrial facilities in the past used asbestos for insulation, fireproofing and controlling certain chemical reactions.
At Nomberg Law Firm, our experienced attorneys have been fighting for the rights of injured Alabamians against large companies and corporations for more than 50 years.
- Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer after working at the Olin chemical plant?
- Is Olin Corp. liable for damages for workers who develop mesothelioma?
- What legal options are available for Olin plant workers and their families if they develop mesothelioma?
- What damages may be available through a lawsuit?
- What is asbestos?
- What does asbestos look like?
Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer after working at the Olin chemical plant?
Recently, it’s been revealed that workers at the Olin plant in McIntosh, Alabama, which produces chlorine, may have been exposed to asbestos both directly and indirectly without their knowledge and without protective gear throughout multiple areas of production.
Although some asbestos workers were given protective gear, many others say they received no gear or training.
According to ProPublica, one worker, Carrie Jenkins, who was employed as a janitor at the Olin plant, was responsible for scraping dried asbestos off the floor and disposing of asbestos workers’ protective suits.
She claims she was not provided with protective gear when she cleaned up asbestos at the plant.
Not even while she was pregnant.
Olin was also known to use asbestos-based diaphragms to filter an electrolyzed salt solution during the chlorine-manufacturing process. Additionally, employees at the Olin plant may have been supplied with burn safety equipment that contained asbestos.
Olin Corp. bears responsibility for neglecting to inform workers of the risk and further not sufficiently protecting the health and welfare of the employees.
What legal options are available for Olin plant workers and their families if they develop mesothelioma?
Olin plant employees diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma should consult with our Alabama personal injury attorney to review their case. Families whose loved ones have died of mesothelioma after asbestos exposure at the Olin plant may also be entitled to significant compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
What damages may be available through a lawsuit?
Former employees diagnosed with mesothelioma are subject to significant financial burdens secondary to lost wages and the costs related to medical treatments.
Many mesothelioma patients face hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical costs alone. As such, mesothelioma lawsuits are commonly settled out of court with millions of dollars in damage payments awarded to affected employees and their families.
Through a personal injury lawsuit, affected workers and their families may be entitled to damages for the following:
- All medical-related expenses
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
You may also be entitled to punitive damages, which are additional damages awarded in cases of gross negligence on the part of the defendant—in this case, Olin Corporation for failing to adequately protect its workers.
What is asbestos?
The fibrous mineral known as asbestos occurs naturally in nature. In the United States, asbestos was mined from the middle of the 1900s until 2002, after which, the country began importing the material.
Asbestos is affordable, durable and fireproof, making it a popular ingredient in construction materials and machinery components. However, as the health risks associated with asbestos exposure became apparent, the U.S. government began establishing regulations during the 1980s.
There are 6 main varieties of asbestos, which include:
- Chrysotile, or white asbestos, is the most common type of asbestos, which can be found in an estimated 90% to 95% of asbestos used in U.S. building construction.
- Amosite, or brown asbestos, comprises approximately 5% of asbestos used in the U.S. and can be found in materials like gaskets, insulation and tiles.
- Actinolite is dark-colored and most frequently used in insulation materials, paints, cement and sealants.
- Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellow in color and can be found in materials like insulation and cement.
- Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, is considered less heat-resistant and can be found in materials like tiles, cement and insulation.
- Tremolite can be white to dark green in color and is found in plumbing materials and paint.
What does asbestos look like?
All asbestos types are composed of microscopic fibers. Fibers are typically either:
- Short, stiff, straight and needle-like, or
- Long, pliable and curly.
All asbestos is either considered friable or non-friable.
- Friable asbestos crumbles easily into powder, which creates a greater health risk. The material was a common component in drywall, plaster, popcorn ceiling construction and sprayed or thermal insulation.
- Unlike friable asbestos, non-friable asbestos doesn’t easily crumble when combined with more solid materials for use in floor tiles, roofing, paneling, cement sheets or window glazing. Non-friable asbestos is considered less dangerous than friable asbestos when it’s left undisturbed.
What health problems result from asbestos exposure?
Inhaled asbestos fibers can become embedded in the lungs and lead to the development of:
- Asbestosis is a non-cancerous condition causing lung scarring. Scarring interferes with oxygen/carbon dioxide gas exchange and progresses over time. As a result, affected employees may not realize symptoms until later.
- Pleurisy is another non-cancerous disease that involves the thickening of the pleural membrane that surrounds the lungs. The condition might also include eventual fluid accumulation that interferes with lung expansion.
- Lung cancer or malignant tumors develop in lung air passages and can lead to respiratory distress and death.
- Mesothelioma is a malignant disease of the chest or abdominal cavities that’s most often associated with chronic asbestos exposure.
What is mesothelioma?
The diagnosis of mesothelioma refers to a rare type of cancer that involves the lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity or other internal organs. Inhaled fibers become embedded in the tissues causing irritation and eventual malignant cell development.
Diagnosis is often difficult as symptoms often mimic non-cancerous disorders or may not emerge for decades after exposure.
What are the different types of mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is categorized according to the area of the body where the disease process is located.
- The pleural variety develops in the pleural chest wall lining and remains the most common form of the disorder.
- A peritoneal form develops in the abdominal wall lining.
- A pericardial form of mesothelioma develops in the pericardium or lining around the heart.
Mesothelioma is also categorized into 4 different cell types.
- Epithelioid comprises up to 70% of all mesothelioma cases and is the least aggressive.
- Sarcomatoid is a rare type that is the most aggressive and does not respond well to treatment.
- Biphasic has a combination of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells. Response to treatment often varies depending on the proportion of each cell type.
- Dermoplastic remains the rarest form of mesothelioma and is commonly associated with causing chest pain.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
commonly causes:
- Chest pain and breathing difficulty
- Persistent coughing and wheezing
- Chronic fatigue
- Weight loss
- Swallowing difficulty
- Lumps beneath chest area skin
often associated with:
- Distended abdomen
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Fever and perspiration
presents as:
- Breathing difficulty
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue
- Fever and perspiration
What causes mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is the body’s reaction to inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers. Body tissues then become inflamed, swollen and damaged as the immune system attempts to attack the invasion. Cellular damage leads to tumors over time.
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
In order to properly diagnose the disease, health care providers will likely do the following:
- Ask you to provide details of your symptoms, including their severity and when they started
- Perform a physical examination
- Order laboratory tests
- Order imaging studies, such as a chest X-ray or a computerized tomography (CT) scan of your abdomen or chest
- Perform a surgical biopsy to enable closer evaluations of the cells and arrive at a conclusive diagnosis
Extensive testing should also be able to reveal the progression or stage of the mesothelioma.
Is there treatment for mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma treatment options depend on a number of variables that include the age and health of the patient, along with the type and location or locations of the malignant cells. Current treatment options include:
- Surgical tumor removal
- Radiation therapy
- Photoradiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
Depending on the type of mesothelioma and the success of medical interventions, patients may have 4 months to a decade of life expectancy. Currently, the 5-year survival rate for mesothelioma is only 10%. Advancements in knowledge and treatments continually improve patient prognosis.
Contact the Nomberg Law Firm for help with your Olin plant mesothelioma claim
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be feeling overwhelmed, angry, scared or confused about your future and the future of your family. At Nomberg Law Firm, we understand how overwhelming a mesothelioma diagnosis can be, and we’re committed to helping you get the support and compensation you deserve.
Get the money you need to pay your medical bills and provide your family with financial support during this extremely difficult time.
Our firm offers free, no-obligation consultations. Contact our experienced personal injury attorneys today so we can help you and your family get the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve.