Apex Smelting Asbestos Attorney
Representing Apex Smelting Workers in Mesothelioma & Asbestos Cancer Claims
Former California and Ohio workers at the Apex Smelting plant may have been exposed to asbestos, and have an increased risk to develop lung diseases and deadly cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Recent medical studies have concluded aluminum smelting increases the risk of workers developing lung and bladder cancer.
Like many other companies in the aluminum smelting and refining industry, the Long Beach, CA and Cleveland, Ohio Apex plant commonly used asbestos as an insulator on its work sites. For decades, this dangerous material went unregulated as it posed terrible health risks, often being sent airborne and inhaled by workers in aluminum facilities.
Asbestos fibers can be very dangerous, causing internal lung scarring, and in extreme cases, deadly tumors. Asbestos can rest in the lungs for many years, causing cancer including mesothelioma.
Many former workers at Apex have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated personal injury lawyer representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of toxic tort and mesothelioma claims.
Asbestos in Apex Smelting Plant
Workers at Apex were possibly exposed to asbestos in several areas of the California and Ohio production sites. And even if workers were not directly participating in the production process, all workers may have been exposed to asbestos and risk developing mesothelioma.
Asbestos was commonly used as insulation in equipment that included the following:
• Ovens
• Hot blast stoves
• Generators
• Furnaces
• Rolling mills
• Tanks
• Boilers
• Cranes
• Steam pipes
Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Those who develop mesothelioma may not show signs of illness for several years, even decades, after their first exposure. By the time symptoms appear, however, mesothelioma has most likely reached an advanced stage. Breathing asbestos fibers into the lungs may permanently damage tissue surrounding the lungs. This could serve as the primary source for the development of mesothelioma.
Symptoms of mesothelioma can be varied, and depend on several factors. Symptoms may include the following:
• Pain in the chest and rib area
• Persistent cough
• Trouble breathing
• Lumps of tissue on the chest and abdomen
• Stomach pain
• Swelling of the abdomen
• Weight loss
Medical professionals recommend that former workers at Apex contact their doctor about possible exposure to asbestos.
Occupations at Highest Risk of Exposure
There are many jobs in the metal industry that regularly faced asbestos exposure hazards. The positions at Apex most commonly exposed to asbestos include:
• Pipefitter
• Machinist
• Boilermaker
• Smelter
• Welder
• Insulator
• Maintenance Crews
Legal Action: Apex Asbestos Exposure
Because of the overwhelming use of asbestos in aluminum work sites around the country, many California and Ohio Apex workers affected by asbestos-related diseases have sought financial compensation through litigation.
Attorneys for victims contend that asbestos manufacturers and metal corporations knew about the serious health dangers of asbestos as early as the 1930s and failed to warn employees.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
Many experience asbestos exposure through the workplace. Workplaces may have been filled with toxic materials, and employers may have failed to warn of the serious health risks of the job. Filing a suit helps to raise the awareness of job safety.
Asbestos can be found in factories, warehouses, hospitals, schools, homes built before 1980, construction sites, and in many military installations. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there are 75 different jobs that can expose workers to asbestos, with those jobs primarily involving construction and manufacturing. Thousands of American workers are still exposed to asbestos each year.
Mesothelioma is a serious illness that has been linked to asbestos exposure in medical literature. It is estimated that there will be thousands of new cases due to the latency period of 20-50 years after being first exposed to asbestos.
