Asbestos Exposure at the Ghent Powerhouse in Kentucky
The Ghent Powerhouse began commercial operation in 1973, and it was the largest power plant in LG&E and Kentucky Utilities Company’s system. For decades, employees were exposed to asbestos at this plant, and they often brought asbestos dust home, exposing their families as well. Many people suffered exposure during the construction of the facility in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
If you or a loved one developed mesothelioma or another serious illness due to asbestos exposure at the Ghent Powerhouse, you may be entitled to compensation. To get help now, contact us at Satterley & Kelley, PLLC today.
Asbestos Exposure at the Ghent Powerhouse
This coal-fired power plant contained a significant amount of asbestos in its building materials and power plant equipment. In particular, the facility featured asbestos in its insulation, floor, and ceiling materials. Additionally, equipment such as boilers, turbines, generators, steam pipes, tanks, and other vessels were lined with or insulated by asbestos-containing materials.
The exposures happened during the construction process before the plant was brought online and continued while the plant was operating. People who maintained and repaired the equipment were exposed to asbestos fibers. For example, when repair crews replaced asbestos insulation, they were exposed. They also released dust into the air that exposed everyone else in the facility.
Risks of Asbestos Exposure at the Ghent Powerplant
Asbestos exposure leads to serious and deadly illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. You can be exposed just a single time to develop one of these devastating illnesses. However, many employees were exposed repeatedly over decades, increasing their risk even more.
Additionally, when employees went home for the day, they generally carried asbestos fibers on their clothing unknowlingly exposing their spouses and children to their contaminated clothing. Exposure occurred from handling or laundering their clothing or from simply hugging the exposed worker after work.Once a home was contaminated with asbestos, it was impossible to completely removing using standard household vacuum cleaners. It required special vacuums, which most people did not know they needed to purchase.
Other Deaths and Diseases Related to the Ghent Power Plant
Asbestos exposure wasn’t the only health risk at this plant. Research indicates that the Ghent Generating Station was responsible for over 13,000 deaths due to fine particle pollution from its coal-fired plants.
Soot, acid droplets, and heavy metals produced by the plant caused tens of thousands of cases of chronic and acute bronchitis, asthma, heart failure, lung disease, and pneumonia. In 2006, the station ranked 10th on a list of the worst polluting coal plants in the United States.
Statute of Limitations for Asbestos-Exposure Cases
If you were exposed to asbestos due to the Ghent Powerplant, you need to act quickly. The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Kentucky is only one year from the date of discovery. Usually, the date of discovery is the date of diagnosis, but in rare cases, the courts accept a slightly later date when the patient doesn’t realize their exposure site right away.
To be on the safe side, you should contact an attorney as soon as you are diagnosed. They can help you identify the exposure site and file the right forms. The courts are not permitted to hear cases that are filed even just one day after the statute of limitations expires.
If you want to bring forward a lawsuit related to a family member who has died, you only have one year from the date that the estate is formed. You have no more than two years from the date of death. Time is of the essence and you must act quickly.
Liability for Asbestos Exposure in Kentucky
Kentucky’s workers’ compensation laws prevent employees from bringing these types of lawsuits against their employers. In other words, if you contracted mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure while employed by Kentucky Utilities, you will not be able to hold file a lawsuit against it seeking to recover for your injuries. Luckily, that does not mean that you do not have a case.
Your lawyer will help you to identify other liable parties and pursue them for compensation. In these types of cases, that often means going after suppliers or manufacturers of construction materials.
Keep in mind that all of these companies knew about the risks — the risks of asbestos were documented for decades before the exposures at the Ghent facility. But to protect their profits, these companies continued to use asbestos, exposing potentially millions of people to this extremely harmful material.
However, if you developed mesothelioma due to secondary exposure from someone who worked at Ghent, you may be able to pursue a lawsuit against this company. Kentucky law allows family members to recover compensation from injuries created by secondary exposure. For instance, if you inhaled asbestos fibers from your parent or spouse’s clothing, the parent or spouse’s employer may be held liable.
Get Help Today
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, your number one priority is your health. Find a great medical team and let them lead your care. But at the same time, you also need money to pay for your medical bills, and that’s where an attorney comes in.
To protect your rights and pursue financial justice, find an experienced mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible after diagnosis. Remember if you wait too long, you may lose your chance to bring forward a case. An experienced attorney can handle your case while you focus on your medical care and quality of life.
At Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, we have extensive experience representing mesothelioma patients from Kentucky and other areas. Ready to learn more and get help? Then, contact us today.