Billings Mesothelioma Attorney

The long-running Grace Mine disaster in nearby Libby, Montana, illustrates many asbestos exposure issues. W.R. Grace bought the Libby mine in 1963. For roughly thirty years, the mine provided 80% of the country’s vermiculite insulation under the brand name Zonolite. This insulation was laced with asbestos fibers. The company declared bankruptcy in 2001. Subsequently, it offered to pay over $18 million to clean up the site. The weight of liability lawsuits forced the company into bankruptcy, but not before it agreed to set up a large victim compensation fund.

Grace company officials only cared about profits. They cared nothing about public safety. In contrast, the dedicated Billings mesothelioma attorneys at the Throneberry Law Group only care about asbestos exposure victims. Therefore, as soon as you reach out to us, we reach out to our professional partners, like investigators, doctors, and industrial hygienists. These partnerships enable us to build rock-solid cases that guarantee maximum compensation for your serious injuries.

The asbestos use process begins when miners pull this fibrous substance out of the ground. Usually, these workers aren’t completely protected from these toxic particles. The asbestos use process continues with:

• Refineries and Smelters: Asbestos does not conduct heat, making it a prized ingredient in all types of insulation. Montana’s many oil and chemical refineries and ore smelters generously used asbestos. High-temperature pipes and equipment were often encased in high-percentage asbestos insulation and cement.
• Power Plants and Factories: Since asbestos does not conduct heat, these materials were also used from the very beginning of power generation in Montana. Factory workers often wore protective clothing that contained asbestos. These workers also endured dangerous working conditions because of asbestos construction materials.
• Lumber and Paper Mills: When the modern lumber industry came to Montana, it brought asbestos-based fireproofing to the community. It made lumber mills safer in the short term but more dangerous for workers in the long term. Montana’s paper mills also used sheets of asbestos felt as drying surfaces for paper pulp.
• Food Processing Plants: Sugar beets may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Montana and asbestos exposure risks. High-temperature refining equipment, be it for oil or sugar, usually involves asbestos insulation. Workers came into contact with asbestos materials at many of Montana’s mills and food processing plants.
• Public Parks and Land: In 2011, the Associated Press found asbestos-contaminated wood chips and tree bark in public parks, yards, and outside schools. It is unclear exactly where the contaminated wood was placed, so residents were warned to be aware of public areas with landscaping.

The people who lived with or near these workers were also at risk for mesothelioma. Workers often carry microscopic fibers home on their clothes or in their vehicles.

Mesothelioma, mostly pleural mesothelioma, pleural thickening, a related condition, and asbestosis, a lung disease, are the most common asbestos-exposure illnesses.

Mesothelioma is a rare, painful, and aggressive kind of cancer. The rarity makes it difficult to diagnose. The pain weakens the body, so aggressive cancer treatments usually are not an option. This cancer spreads quickly. Mesothelioma’s five-year survival rate is under 10%.

Pleural thickening is an inflammation of the lung’s pleural area. This inflammation makes breathing very difficult. Many victims say it’s like trying to breathe while a car is on your chest.

Asbestosis is the burning and scarring of tiny airways. This process blocks these airways, making breathing even more difficult. This disease is difficult to treat, and many older people, who constitute most asbestos-exposure victims, cannot tolerate these treatments.

Asbestos exposure causes serious injuries that are normally fatal. For a free consultation with an experienced Billings mesothelioma lawyer, contact the Throneberry Law Group. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start fighting for you.