Anaconda Aluminum and Asbestos: A Deadly Combination for Workers
Thousands of employees worked at Anaconda Aluminum over the years. The plant heavily used asbestos products, affecting everyone there. If you worked at Anaconda Aluminum, as an employee or contractor, and were later diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation for the harm you suffer.
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC in Louisville, has nearly 30 years of experience trying asbestos and mesothelioma cases in Kentucky. Because of our successes, which include millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, we are regarded as a leading Kentucky law firm for representing clients with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Learn more by calling us at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring mineral fibers. They’re resistant to fire, heat, corrosion, and electricity. It’s highly versatile, incredibly strong, and at one time, cheap to mine and incorporate into thousands of products. It was commonly used in buildings and industrial facilities of all kinds, including aluminum smelters.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos fibers are tiny, light, strong, and durable. These qualities make them highly toxic to the human body. It may take years or decades for asbestos’ damage to become apparent, which makes these fibers all the more dangerous.
Fibers become stuck in human tissue. The immune system tries to destroy them, but the fibers destroy immune cells instead. This causes scar tissue, inflammation, and, over time, cell mutations that cause several types of cancer, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer that can affect several parts of the body. It may involve the linings covering organs (including the heart and lungs) and the chest and abdominal cavities.
What Was Anaconda Aluminum?
Construction of the Anaconda Aluminum Co. smelter near Sebree finished in 1973, and Century Aluminum currently operates it. The plant used reactors, or “pots,” arranged in a nearly 1,000-foot-long line to smelt aluminum, according to The Gleaner.
Anaconda was a Fortune 500 company in the late 1960s and had more than 25,000 employees. Ownership of the smelter changed over the years, with Century Aluminum buying it in 2013. As of 2023, it employed about 625 people.
Why Were Asbestos-Containing Products Used in Aluminum Smelters?
Anaconda Aluminum’s smelter was constructed before asbestos was largely regulated off the market in the 1970s, and it used asbestos extensively. Aluminum smelting requires temperatures of thousands of degrees to melt aluminum oxide, and even higher temperatures are needed to purify it. Asbestos was commonly used for high-temperature insulation and fire protection.
Asbestos-containing products were used in many places:
- The pot lines needed extensive insulation to maintain temperature and protect workers from the heat. Asbestos blankets, boards, and cloth were commonly wrapped around furnaces, crucibles, and pipes carrying molten metal
- Electrical systems had to be fireproofed because smelters use enormous amounts of electricity, and the high heat in the smelter. Asbestos was used in electrical insulation, cable wrapping, and around transformer stations
- Buildings housing these operations needed fireproof walls, roofing, and panels. They may have used cement board, corrugated roofing sheets, and spray-on asbestos insulation
- Workers’ personal protective equipment often included asbestos-containing gloves, aprons, and other heat-resistant clothing
- Gaskets and seals in high-temperature piping systems and pumps would have contained asbestos to prevent leaks and withstand thermal expansion
When the plant operated in the 1970s and 1980s, many people in various capacities were exposed to asbestos.
What Compensation is Available for Those with Asbestos-Related Diseases?
Those with asbestos-related diseases may have several options for compensation, depending on their circumstances:
- Workers’ compensation is a system providing benefits for medical expenses and lost wages filed against a current or former employer
- Personal injury lawsuits may be filed against companies that manufactured, distributed, and sold asbestos products. These legal actions could recover damages for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses
- Asbestos diseases often take decades to develop, and many cases involve companies that no longer exist. If the company went through the bankruptcy process, it may have a trust fund covering asbestos-related compensation claims
- Wrongful death claims are a type of personal injury lawsuit. They may be pursued by family members if someone who died due to an asbestos-related disease
The amount of compensation varies widely based on many factors.
If I Worked at Anaconda Aluminum and Have an Asbestos-Related Disease, Why Should I Contact Satterley & Kelley, PLLC?
If you or a family member is diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Depending on the situation, you may be compensated 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 because of your exposure at Anaconda Aluminum, you may improve your chances of a successful claim by retaining an attorney with the following:
- Knowledge of Kentucky and federal asbestos laws, court procedures, and jury dynamics
- Access to industrial and asbestos litigation records involving the company
- Experience with asbestos litigation
- Resources to secure experts who can show how asbestos caused your illness, where it came from, and the harm you suffer as a result
- The ability to tailor strategies to your circumstances
Given the complexity and what’s at stake, you should discuss your case with a Satterley & Kelley, PLLC lawyer.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
Whether you worked at Anaconda Aluminum or elsewhere, if you or a family member in Kentucky suffers from an asbestos-related condition, Satterley & Kelley PLLC can be 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.