Asbestos and Big Rivers Power Plants: What Workers Need to Know
For decades, Big Rivers power plants in Western Kentucky provided essential electricity to communities throughout the region. Today, many of the plants’ workers are facing devastating diagnoses of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, and understanding their legal rights has never been more important.
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys in Louisville have more than 30 years of experience trying Kentucky asbestos disease and mesothelioma cases. Because of our clients’ successes, including millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, we are known as one of the leading Kentucky law firms for those seeking compensation for their mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses.
The Big Rivers Power Plant Network
There are several Big Rivers power plants, some of which have closed. Historically, there were the following:
- The Kenneth Coleman Station
- The Sebree Station
- The Henderson Station
- The D.B. Wilson Station
They were built from the late 1960s through the early 1980s and provided power to a substantial part of Western Kentucky. Power plants on this scale required enormous infrastructure and employed hundreds of workers across various roles:
- Construction crews built the facilities
- Engineers designed systems
- Maintenance workers and contractors kept equipment running
- Operators monitored daily functions
- Administrative and management employees worked in offices
These power plants supported thousands of families and powered much of Western Kentucky, but the asbestos in them also severely injured hundreds of people.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring silicate minerals that formed as bundles of microscopic fibers. It was widely used for centuries in thousands of products because of the following characteristics:
- Heat-resistant: Asbestos can withstand extremely high temperatures without breaking down
- Fire-resistant: Asbestos doesn’t burn
- Strong and durable: Asbestos fibers are incredibly strong and durable
- Chemical resistant: It doesn’t react with most chemicals
- Resistant to electricity: Asbestos doesn’t conduct electricity
- Affordable: It was relatively inexpensive to mine, process, and incorporate into products
Asbestos fibers are much thinner than a human hair and can easily become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are installed, disturbed, or removed.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos is toxic primarily because of its unique physical and chemical structure and how our bodies respond to it. Asbestos fibers are incredibly thin, durable, and some of them are needle-like. When asbestos-containing materials are installed, disturbed, age or are removed, these microscopic fibers can become airborne and be inhaled or swallowed. Once in the body, they become particularly dangerous:
- Unlike most particles, asbestos fibers won’t break down or get cleared away by your body’s immune system, so they can remain in you indefinitely
- Your immune system recognizes asbestos fibers as foreign and continuously, but unsuccessfully, tries to destroy them. This creates a cycle of inflammation and cellular damage that may last for decades
- This process damages cells directly and harms their DNA (the cell’s instructions). Over time, this repeated injury and attempts to repair can lead to mutations that cause cancer
Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and colon cancer can take 20 to 40 years after exposure to appear. Asbestos fibers create a slow-motion catastrophe that your body can’t stop.
Why was Asbestos Used in Power Plants?
Given the high heat, the risk of fire, and the presence of electrical equipment, power plants contained substantial amounts of asbestos-containing materials. Power plants burned fuel (in this case, coal) to generate steam, which turned turbines that generated electricity. Boilers creating steam, pipes transporting it, and turbines using it to create electricity all needed to be insulated. Electrical equipment was also insulated with asbestos.
If I Worked at Big Rivers and Have an Asbestos-Related Disease, What are My Legal Rights to Compensation?
If you worked at a Big Rivers facility and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, Kentucky workers’ compensation law generally prevents lawsuits directly against your employer, though you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Depending on your situation, you may also be able to file legal claims against the following:
- Manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing products used at the facility
- The contractors who installed, removed, or repaired asbestos materials
If you were a contractor, you may also be able to pursue claims directly against the power plants’ owner, Big Rivers Electric Corporation. Each case is unique, and determining the best legal strategy requires analysis of your work history and exposure circumstances.
If the Big Rivers power plants weren’t the only place you were exposed to asbestos, you may be able to maintain legal actions against those responsible for those locations, too.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Legal Claim?
Kentucky law limits the time you have to file an asbestos-related lawsuit. Generally, you have one year from the date you knew, or should have known, of your diagnosis and its cause to file a claim. This statute of limitations is absolute. If you miss this deadline, your case will be dismissed, no matter how strong your case or how much harm you suffer.
The one-year timeline can seem like a lot of time, but in reality, it passes quickly. Mesothelioma and other cancers are aggressive diseases with limited life expectancies. Patients and families are focused on medical treatment, second opinions, and spending limited time together. Legal matters may take a backseat to these more immediate concerns.
Don’t let your legal rights slip through your hands. Contact Satterley & Kelley, PLLC so we can begin the critical work of building your case.
Contact Satterley & Kelley Today
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys have extensive experience representing clients exposed to asbestos at Big Rivers power plants and other Kentucky facilities. We understand the challenges these cases present and have the knowledge, resources, and dedication to pursue maximum compensation for you.
Don’t allow the statute of limitations to end your rights to compensation. Call our Louisville office at 855-385-9532, locally at 502-589-5600, or reach us online to learn more about how we can help you and your family.