Asbestos Exposure at Louisville Gas and Electric
Many employees of Louisville Gas and Electric, as well as outside contractors, were exposed to asbestos numerous facilities built, owned and operated by the Company. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer and you worked at this power plant between the 1940s and the 1990s, you may be entitled to compensation due to your exposure.
To help you navigate this difficult time, this guide outlines what to do after a diagnosis. Then, it explains how employees of Louisville Gas and Electric were exposed to asbestos.
What to Do If You’ve Been Diagnosed With Mesothelioma
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you need to focus on your recovery. This is a rare and deadly disease. Treatment needs to be your first priority.
However, you should also contact a personal injury attorney experienced with mesothelioma cases. At Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, we have represented many former employees of Louisville Gas & Electric after they received a cancer diagnosis.
There are only about 3,000 mesothelioma cases diagnosed every year in the United States. When multiple people who worked for the same employer (such as Louisville Gas & Electric) have this diagnosis, it’s a clear indication that they were exposed to asbestos on the job.
Louisville Gas & Electric
Louisville Gas & Electric is a power company based in Louisville, KY. Originally founded in 1838, the company has gone through several name changes and mergers. In 1998, it merged with Kentucky Utilities, and in 2010, it was purchased by the PPL corporation, its current owner, for just over $7 billion.
The company has several plants including the Trimble County Generation Station, Mill Creek Station, Ohio Falls Station, Muldraugh and Magnolia Compressor Stations, and Cane Run Station.
(Louisville Gas and Electric photo by Joseph @ Flickr)
Asbestos Injury Lawsuits Against Former Employers in Kentucky
In Kentucky, you cannot bring a lawsuit against your employer. You are limited to pursuing compensation through the state’s workers’ compensation program. However, due to the strict time limits of this program and the long latency of mesothelioma, people with mesothelioma typically can’t make claims under workers’ compensation laws.
However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have a claim. In many cases, you may be able to hold a supplier liable. For instance, say that you were exposed to asbestos while refurbishing the firebrick lining in a boiler at Louisville Gas & Electric. Then, the fire brick manufacturer may be liable. Note this is just an example. Every case is unique, and when you talk with an attorney, they will help you identify a liable party in your situation.
Lawsuits for Secondary Exposure to Asbestos
Unfortunately, the family members of Louisville Gas & Electric may also have been exposed to asbestos. People who worked for this plant often brought home fibers on their clothing. When inhaled, these fibers can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious illnesses.
If you have a mesothelioma diagnosis due to secondary exposure, you should also contact a personal injury attorney. You are likely to be eligible for compensation. Although you cannot file a lawsuit against your employer in Kentucky, you can file a suit against your relative’s employer. In fact, in 2023, a decision from the Kentucky Court of Appeals solidified this right for relatives of employees.
Asbestos Exposure at Louisville Gas & Electric
Louisville Gas & Electric was a power plant that supplied gas and electricity to residents of Jefferson County and the surrounding area. The plant used asbestos in the following products:
- Insulation on turbines and boilers
- Firebrick or refractory materials used to line furnaces
- Gaskets
- Packing in steam valves
- Wiring
- Panel box insulation
- Electrical equipment
Through the above products and many others, employees were exposed to asbestos fibers. At the Cane Run Generating Station, crews took 15 to 20 years to build six to 10-story boilers, and at the Mill Creek Generating Station, this same construction process went on for about 10 years.
During the construction phase, people were exposed as they cut and sawed asbestos-containing materials, installed steam lines, and applied firebrick in the boilers.
Once the boilers were active, employees continued to be exposed when they operated, cleaned, or repaired the boilers. Additionally, they were exposed when they would overhaul the boilers and replace the interior lining. Because most employees were with Louisville Gas & Electric for 25 to 30 years, they faced repeated exposure.
Supervisors, administrators, maintenance workers, and anyone else who regularly passed through these areas may have inhaled asbestos fibers as well. Outside contractors such as electricians, engineers, plumbers, pipefitters, and others were also exposed.
Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Lawsuits in Kentucky
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in Kentucky, you have one year to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations starts on the day of discovery. In most cases, that is the date of diagnosis, but in rare cases, it may be a different date.
The courts have to be very strict about the one-year deadline. Do not delay. Mesothelioma treatment is expensive, and a lawsuit can help you cover expenses. It can also provide you with some compensation for pain and suffering, loss of your family members, and other injuries.
Get Help If You Have Mesothelioma Due to LG&E
Louisville Gas & Electric and its suppliers knew about the risks of asbestos for decades, but the companies continued using the product. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of these actions, you have a right to compensation.
To get help, contact us at Satterley & Kelley, PLLC today. We will talk with you about your situation and help you find the best path forward. You can rely on our 30+ years of experience with asbestos litigation to guide your case so that you can focus on your health and spending time with your loved ones. Don’t wait — contact us today.