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St Regis Paper 
Asbestos Exposure


Filing Paper Mill Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Claims

Nationwide Success

Asbestos Cancer Attorney

Representing St Regis Paper Mill Workers in Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Claims

Paper mill workers were often exposed to asbestos and other toxic materials in paper mills, perhaps including St Regis Paper facilities. The Regis processing plants, along with Champion Paper, who eventually bought them out, were among the biggest paper product manufacturers in the 1960s and 1970s. The equipment and building materials they used to construct the paper mills were known to contain harmful chemicals and toxins that would endanger the health of many workers.

Paper mill equipment and the corresponding facilities the house it are no longer made with asbestos materials, but paper mills built before the 1980s may still contain asbestos in a variety of work areas. Many of those former workers in the paper industry have fallen ill with lung diseases and cancers like mesothelioma, esophageal cancer and colorectal cancer.

The process of pulping and paper production operations involve very high heat, which is why asbestos was used to insulate pipes and machinery. Asbestos was thought to be the best insulator because of its durable nature and resistance to heat and fire. Of course this later caused cancer in thousands of cases, primarily with those staff who directly handled asbestos products or repaired and cleaned around the materials.

St Regis Paper workers were potentially exposed during the drying process where asbestos dryer felts and fabrics were used to enhance production of high-speed paper equipment. There was also an inherent fire risk with the paper products piled up, and the buildings themselves were built with asbestos roofing, flooring and paneling.

Paper mill equipment that most likely contained asbestos included gaskets, dryer felts, adhesives, talc and sandpaper backing. Routine maintenance of these machines would release asbestos dust and workers would often inhale these toxins and it would lodge in their lung tissue.

Where Did St Regis Asbestos Products Originate?

Some of the larger asbestos manufacturers that supplied paper mills with these toxic products include:

  • AstenJohnson: a provider asbestos dryer felts
  • Johns Manville: produced asbestos building materials
  • Kaiser Aluminum: produced asbestos building materials and refractory cement used
  • Kimberly-Clark: produced asbestos sandpaper backing
  • Scapa Dryer Fabrics: manufactured asbestos dryer felts
  • Keasbey & Mattison: produced asbestos paper. Asbestos paper products could contain as high as 70 to 90 percent asbestos content. They were mixed with other materials for pipe coverings, gaskets, and insulation.

Who Used Asbestos Materials?

It wasn’t only paper mills using asbestos products, but almost every manufacturing and heavy industry in the country. Once the EPA and CDC discovered how hazardous the material was to worker health, the public was warned. But it was too late for thousands of victims. Asbestos trust funds have been established to compensate former St Regis Paper workers who have been diagnosed with a number of asbestos-related illnesses and cancers.

Was I Exposed to Asbestos?

Thousands of paper industry workers could have been at risk for asbestos exposure, including St Regis Paper employees. Even a small amount of exposure to asbestos, long or short-term, can cause severe illness according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Joe Lyon is an experienced Asbestos Cancer Lawyer representing paper mill staff in asbestos exposure settlements. 

CONTACT THE LYON FIRM TODAY

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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.

Occupational Lung Disease Symptoms

Symptoms of asbestosis and lung cancer are often mistaken for minor illnesses, as signs  and symptoms present as the following:

  • Pain in the chest or lower back
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Excessive sweating
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Hoarseness
  • Swelling of the face and arms

St Regis Asbestos Linked to Certain Tasks

  • Cutting, sawing and slicing paper products
  • Banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, or sealing paper
  • Transporting raw materials (wood, pulp, etc.)
  • Machine inspection
  • Machine repair
  • Handling talc and sandpaper backing
  • Working on pipes and boilers

St Regis Asbestos Locations

Paper Mill Asbestos Cancer Cases

Health and work safety agencies around the globe have raised concerns over work-related illness in paper mills. The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study that found paper industry workers were “at increased risk of dying from lung cancer and mesothelioma, probably due to exposure to asbestos.”

Former staff at St Regis Paper may have been exposed to toxins in a variety of working settings and positions. Victims of such asbestos exposure typically have similar stories, and many allege that their employers have been negligent for the following:

  • Failure to warn of asbestos on the premises
  • Failure to comply with health and work safety regulations 
  • Failure to measure the air for pollutants and toxins
  • Failure to protect employees from exposure to airborne toxins
  • Failure to take basic precautions and provide safety equipment
  • Failure to properly ventilate workplaces and to  guard against health hazards in common work areas 

Questions about Paper Industry Asbestos Exposure

Does Asbestos Cause Cancer?

It is now common knowledge that asbestos is very toxic and can lead to a number of serious health conditions, including asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer, as well as other cancers. 

What Paper Mill Materials Contained Asbestos?

Asbestos paper, sandpaper backing, dryer felt, and insulation for paper machinery. 

Why Did paper mills Use Asbestos?

Mostly to fireproof facilities and to run machines without the risk of fires. 

Why Should I Hire the Lyon Firm?

Joe Lyon has been working with victims of workplace toxic exposure for 20 years. We understand these are difficult and emotional cases, and we fight on your behalf for rightful compensation. We have settled many asbestos cancer cases and continue to represent America’s workers in all 50 states. 

Your Right to workplace Safety
Asbestos Trust Funds & Settlements

Asbestos was found in many paper mills and paper industry warehouses. As a result, many former workers have filed personal injury claims and settled with asbestos trusts that were established when it became apparent that asbestos was causing huge amounts of cancer and lung disease. Your settlement will be based on your work history and your current diagnosis. 

Our Victories

The Lyon Firm aggressively, professionally, and passionately advocates for injured individuals and families against companies due to asbestos exposure.

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Asbestos (Mesothelioma)

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Asbestos (Mesothelioma)