Asbestos Exposure at Rayloc in Morganfield, KY

The Rayloc brake rebuilding and distribution facility was located in Morganfield, Kentucky from the 1950s or 1960s to 2008. People who worked at this facility between the time it opened and 2001 were exposed to asbestos. Also, their relatives may have been secondarily exposed through fibers brought home on clothing.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you or your relative worked at Rayloc in Morganfield, KY, you may have contracted the disease due to asbestos exposure. This guide looks at how asbestos exposure occurred at Rayloc, and then, it outlines your options for pursuing compensation.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a light, strong, durable mineral fiber that was used in thousands of products, including vehicle brakes, over centuries because it’s resistant to the following:

Heat
Hire
Chemicals
Electricity

If fibers are airborne, people can inhale or swallow them. Asbestos fibers may never leave the body or be destroyed by its immune response.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos’ microscopic fibers, when released into the air and inhaled or swallowed, can pose serious health risks. The primary reasons why include:

Easily Inhaled or Swallowed: Asbestos fibers are tiny and lightweight, so they’re easily airborne. When people breathe in these fibers, they can become trapped in the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. When the fibers get into the mouth and are ingested, they threaten the digestive system, abdominal organs, and the abdominal lining
Health Effects: Prolonged or repeated exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to various severe health conditions, including asbestos (a chronic lung disease causing breathing difficulties, coughing, and reduced lung function), lung cancer (those who smoked have a particularly high risk), mesothelioma (a rare and aggressive cancer that primarily affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) or the abdominal cavity (peritoneum)), and other cancers
Long Latency Period: Asbestos’ health effects often take years or decades to develop
Fiber Durability: Asbestos fibers in the body can remain for a long time, possibly for a person’s lifetime, causing continued health risks after initial exposure ceases
There’s No Safe Exposure Threshold: There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. Even small amounts over time can potentially lead to health issues
Secondary Exposure: People who come into contact with asbestos-exposed individuals or environments (such as asbestos workers’ family members) can also be at risk, as fibers can be carried on clothing, skin, and hair.

Compared to the period of asbestos’ peak use (Industrial Revolution through the 1970s), overall, few new products contain asbestos for sale. Asbestos-containing vehicle parts were widely used for decades. They’re less common now, but they’re still used.

What Is Rayloc?

Rayloc rebuilds and distributes brakes and other auto parts to NAPA Auto Parts Stores and members of the National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), an independent trade association. Rayloc is a division of the Automotive Parts Group, which is a division of the Genuine Parts Company.

Rayloc had a brake re-manufacturing factory in Morganfield, KY, for 50 to 60 years. Although this facility stopped operating in 2008, there are still Rayloc facilities in other parts of the country.

(Brakes)

Asbestos Exposure at Rayloc

The Rayloc facility in Morganfield re-manufactured brakes by removing old linings from brake shoes and applying new linings. The linings contained asbestos until 2001.

When people bought new brakes at NAPA Auto Parts stores, they received a discount for bringing in their old brakes. The stores sent the old brakes to the Morganfield facility as well as similar Rayloc brake-remanufacturing facilities in other parts of the country.

Employees used special machines to strip off the linings. Then they burned the metal shoes to remove extra padding and finally scraped everything clean. Other employees riveted new linings onto the brake shoes, and then, they used a grinder to ensure that the linings fit tightly to the drum and met the customer’s specifications.

This process released a lot of asbestos fibers into the air, and everyone in the area inhaled the fibers. Everyone involved in this process as well as supervisors, managers, and administrators who went through production areas were exposed to asbestos fibers in the air.

FAQs About Asbestos Exposure at Rayloc

When people contact us after a mesothelioma diagnosis, they typically have a lot of questions. Here are some of the most common ones.

Did Rayloc know about the risks of asbestos?

The dangers of asbestos fibers were documented as far back as the 1920s. In the 1970s, OSHA released documents outlining that people who worked around asbestos should change out of their street clothes before work and not take their work clothes home. Despite these warnings, Rayloc continued to re-manufacture brakes with asbestos, and the company did not have policies requiring their employees to change clothes before leaving work.

Did Rayloc have an alternative to asbestos brakes?

Non-asbestos brake lining was developed in the early 1960s. Rayloc and other brake manufacturers and re-manufacturers continued to use linings and pads that contained asbestos because it was cheaper and they were more familiar with the material. The company’s executives made this choice despite the well-known dangers of asbestos.

Can you sue if you were diagnosed with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure while working at Rayloc?

Kentucky’s worker compensation laws do not allow you to sue your former employer. However, you may be able to hold the company that manufactured the lining liable for your injuries. A personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights when it’s too late to make a worker’s comp claim in Kentucky.

What if you contracted mesothelioma due to secondary exposure from a relative who worked at Rayloc?

Businesses have a duty of responsibility to protect their employees and their employees’ families from foreseeable danger. By allowing employees to wear their work clothing home, Rayloc knowingly put its employees’ families in danger. If you are in this situation, you have a legal right to bring a lawsuit against the employer and pursue financial justice.

What if you were exposed to asbestos while installing or repairing brakes manufactured at the Rayloc facility?

If you are a home-based or professional brake mechanic who was exposed to asbestos while working with Rayloc brakes, you may be able to hold the company liable for your injuries. Kentucky has strict product liability for manufacturers.

When is the deadline to file a lawsuit?

In Kentucky, you have a year from the date of discovery to file a personal injury lawsuit. Generally, this means that you must file a lawsuit within a year of diagnosis.

What if the deadline is tomorrow?

The courts are very strict about this deadline. You won’t be able to file a lawsuit once the deadline passes. However, you can file a last-minute lawsuit. An experienced asbestos attorney can help you file a lawsuit in as quickly as two hours after your initial consultation.

How should I choose an attorney?

To protect the outcome of your case, you should find a personal injury attorney who is experienced with asbestos-related litigation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You should also look for an attorney who has represented former employees or family members of Rayloc employees. That ensures that the attorney is well-versed in how people were exposed at the Morganfield facility.

How much does it cost to sue Rayloc?

Whether you bring a lawsuit against Rayloc or another entity, you don’t have to pay anything out of pocket. Asbestos attorneys work on a contingency basis. That means that they don’t get compensated until you win your case.

What to Do If You Were Exposed to Asbestos at Rayloc

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, focus on your medical care. Work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan, and spend time with your loved ones. Also, contact a personal injury attorney. They can help you pursue compensation to cover your medical bills and your pain and suffering.

At Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, we have extensive experience helping clients get justice after a mesothelioma diagnosis. We have represented people who were diagnosed with mesothelioma due to exposure at the Morganfield facility and we can help you. To learn more and to talk about your options, call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online.