Asbestos Exposure at the Rohm & Haas Louisville Plant
The Rohm & Haas Company’s Louisville plant was built to supply the US military with artificial rubber during World War II. During the 1940s, asbestos use in chemical plants was widespread. Though its use was common, and those working with or near it may have had no idea how dangerous it was, executives in the asbestos industry were well aware of its ability to injure and kill those exposed to it.
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyers represent people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases who seek compensation for the harm they suffer. If this is your situation, contact us at 855-385-9532 to learn more about how we can help you obtain compensation for your injury.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of mineral fibers resistant to fire, heat, electricity, chemicals, and corrosion. Asbestos has been used in about 3,000 products, including pipe insulation, building materials, floor tiles, cigarette filters, vehicle brakes, and clutches. These fibers are strong, durable, light, and microscopic.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos was used in thousands of products because its fibers are tiny, light, strong, and durable. Those same qualities make them incredibly hazardous to the human body. The fibers won’t immediately cause a deadly reaction in people who inhale or swallow them. It may take years or decades for the damage caused by asbestos to become known.
Fibers become stuck in human tissue. The immune system tries to get rid of them, but the fibers destroy the cells meant to dissolve them instead. This results in scar tissue, inflammation, and, over time, severe health problems and genetic cell mutations that result in cancer tumors.
Asbestos causes or increases the risk of several cancers, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly cancer that can affect several parts of the body. It can involve the linings covering organs (including the heart and lungs) and the chest and abdominal cavities.
What is the Rohm & Haas Company?
Rohm and Haas was founded in Germany in 1907 and began its US operations two years later. It’s involved with manufacturing and selling a wide range of specialty chemicals used to make products as diverse as animal feed, paints, adhesives, sunscreen, and computer chips. The company generated annual sales of about $9.6 billion in 2008. The following year, Rohm and Haas was bought by the Dow Chemical Company, and it’s now a wholly owned Dow subsidiary.
Louisville’s Rohm and Haas plant was constructed for the federal government to supply synthetic rubber for the war effort during World War II. The plant shut down after the war and re-opened for a time during the Korean War. Rohm and Haas bought the plant in 1961 from Union Carbide and renovated it. Dow Chemical purchased the plant in 2009.
Why Did the Rohm & Haas Company Use Asbestos?
Chemical companies used asbestos because it’s resistant to chemicals, extreme temperatures, and fire. Until the early 1980s, asbestos-containing insulation products, gaskets, and packing materials were extensively used in industrial operations, refineries, chemical plants, naval ships, and energy plants.
Asbestos was in or on the following:
- Boilers
- Boiler valves and pumps
- Heat exchangers
- Gaskets sealing chemical-carrying pipes
- Steam pipe insulation
- Laboratory equipment
- Electrical equipment
- Insulation on machinery generating heat for chemical reactions
Asbestos was in office floor and ceiling tiles. Safety equipment and clothing meant to shield employees from high heat also contained asbestos.
Which Workers Would Be Exposed to Asbestos Fibers?
The greatest danger from asbestos comes when materials are applied, torn, cut, drilled into, or removed because that’s when fibers can be liberated and sent into the air, where they can be inhaled or swallowed. Fibers can also come loose if the equipment the product’s on vibrates or through age and deterioration. The closer and more frequently someone worked with asbestos-containing products, the greater the threat they posed. This includes employees and contractors who worked in the plant. Even those present in the plant who do not handle or come into contact with asbestos products directly may inhale fibers. This is especially true when equipment was maintained or repaired because asbestos-containing products were removed and replaced.
Family members of employees and contractors were also at risk. Those working with asbestos would return home in clothes covered in microscopic fibers that could drift through the household, where they could be inhaled or swallowed.
Why Should I Contact Satterley & Kelley, PLLC?
If you or a family member is diagnosed with an asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for what you’ve endured. Depending on the circumstances, compensation may be received for the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income and illness-related costs and expenses
- Past and future medical treatment
- The negative effects on relationships
If you have an asbestos-related condition due to asbestos exposure at the Rohm and Haas Company plant in Louisville or elsewhere, improve your chances of a successful claim by retaining a lawyer with the following:
- Knowledge of Kentucky and federal asbestos laws, deadlines, court procedures, and jury dynamics
- Access to historical industrial and asbestos litigation records
- Experience in mesothelioma litigation
- Resources to secure experts who can show asbestos caused your illness, where it came from, and the harm you suffer due to your illness
- The ability to tailor strategies for your unique situation
Given the complexity and stakes of your case, you should discuss with a Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyer how we can help.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
If you or a family member in Kentucky suffers from an asbestos-related condition, Satterley & Kelley PLLC is the law firm you can trust. Call our Louisville office at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.