MARYLAND MESOTHELIOMA LAWYERS
Nestled in the mid-Atlantic region, this smaller but bustling state is home to several industries that have both contributed to its flourishing economy and been identified as hotbeds for asbestos exposure. A main hub for various types of transportation by air, land, and sea, and a gateway to the continental U.S. and the vast Atlantic Ocean just to the east of it, Maryland has reported a higher than average number of deaths linked to asbestos, especially within the Baltimore area.
Home to its own share of chemical plants, power plants, shipyards and paper mills, this Free State is far from free of asbestos. Baltimore County and Baltimore City County alone claimed more than half of the state’s deaths related to asbestos in the 20 year time span between 1979 and 1999. Most likely attributable to the high economic activity of the Port of Baltimore and the many ships that frequent the port; ship builders, longshoremen, pipe insulators and sailors were most susceptible to asbestos exposure. It is undisputed that asbestos was used extensively in the construction of ships, from insulating pipes to fireproofing walls. Sailors and naval personnel came into contact with the heat and fire-resistant material by simply breathing in the fibers when the insulation broke loose and floated throughout the ships. Shipyards with known asbestos exposure include Baltimore Marine Industries and Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard.
Power plants and chemical plants such as Basco and Glen Burnie and the Nuclear Power School in Bainbridge have all made the list in terms of high-risk exposure and high-risk employers. Plant workers and construction workers were put at risk in the same way that ship construction workers and naval personnel were due to the unique property of asbestos that also made it an anti-conductor of electricity.
Work sites that involved heavy manufacturing, railroad stations and rail cars additionally put several types of construction workers and railroad workers at risk. Rounding out the various categories and sites of exposure are various buildings, facilities, homes, schools and hospitals, generally built before 1975 that used asbestos containing materials (ACMs) for insulation purposes, in tile work, and adhesives. As these facilities face renovation, an ongoing hazard exists as disruption of these materials and highly disbursable fibers are inevitable.
OCCUPATIONS AT RISK
Below is a list of occupations that put Maryland workers at a known risk of asbestos exposure. If you worked in one of these occupations in the 1980s or earlier, there is a good chance that you were exposed to asbestos:
- Boilermakers
- Carpenters
- Construction Workers
- Electricians
- Engineers
- Foundry Workers
- Freight and Material Handlers
- Furnace Men, Smelter-Men & Pourers
- Heavy Equipment Mechanics
- HVAC Workers
- Industrial Plant Workers
- Insulators
- Laborers
- Longshoremen
- Locomotive Engineers
- Mixing Workers
- Molders
- Pipefitters
- Plasterers
- Power Plant Workers
- Railroad Workers
- Shipyard Workers
- Sailors
- Welders
JOB SITES WITH KNOWN ASBESTOS EXPOSURE
The following is a list of some of the Maryland job sites where there is a documented use of asbestos products. If you or a family member worked at one of these places, you may be at a heightened risk of asbestos disease.
If you believe that you may have been exposed to asbestos at your own job, please contact a mesothelioma attorney for more information. There are many other job sites in Maryland where asbestos was used.
Power Plants
- Basco Power Electric
- Glen Burnie Powerhouse
- Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
- General Electric Co.
Petroleum and Oil Refinery
- Continental Oil Co.
- Esso Standard Oil Co.
Railroad Industry
- Continental Oil Co.
- Esso Standard Oil Co.
Aviation Industry
- Glen Martin Aircraft Corp.
Other Industry
- American Smelting and Refining Company
- Antietam Paper Company
- Baltimore Thermal
- Bethlehem Steel Co.
- Black & Decker Manufacturing Co.
- Coca Cola Company
- Enterprise Steam and Hot Water Heating Co.
- General Motors Corp.
- FMC Corp.
Shipyards
- Baltimore Marine Industries
- Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point
- Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard
- Sparrows Point Shipyard
MESOTHELIOMA IN MARYLAND
Not only does Maryland have a higher than average count of asbestos related deaths, but it also has a higher incidence of mesothelioma than most states. Research has shown that there are two types of diseases one can contract due to asbestos exposure: asbestosis and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is known to be a less frequently occurring disease than asbestosis where the average ratio is estimated to be 3:1. However, in Maryland the numbers are not so far apart as evidence from 1979-1999 show that out of 1086 deaths linked to asbestos, 453 were mesothelioma related and 633 were due to asbestos.
MARYLAND MESOTHELIOMA LAWYER
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and you believe you were exposed to asbestos in Maryland, it is important that you contact a skilled attorney with experience in asbestos litigation. In addition, time is of the essence, because you have a limited amount of time to file suit.
We urge you to contact one of our mesothelioma lawyers for a free consultation. We can help you investigate the sources of your exposure, and determine what companies were responsible.