Hawaii: Mesothelioma Lawyers Help HI Asbestos Exposure Victims

HONOLULU, HAWAII, JUNE 23, 2015 – MESOTHELIOMA LAWYERS FROM THE NATIONAL ASBESTOS LITIGATION FIRM OF LEVY KONIGSBERG LLP (“LK”) ARE CONTINUING TO HELP HAWAII MESOTHELIOMA PATIENTS AND FAMILIES OBTAIN LEGAL COMPENSATION FROM COMPANIES WHO MANUFACTURED, SOLD OR USED ASBESTOS-CONTAINING PRODUCTS.

Every year, thousands of men and women across the country are diagnosed with mesothelioma, including many in Hawaii. Even more are diagnosed with lung cancer and asbestosis. All of these asbestos-related diseases could have been prevented if workers had been properly protected from exposure to asbestos.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

Pearl Harbor is often linked to memories of the 1941 attack on the United States’ military base. Many people outside of Hawaii, however, are unaware that for over a century, Pearl Harbor has been home to a strategic Naval shipyard. Ships requiring normal maintenance or complete overhauls were regularly docked at Pearl Harbor for extensive work. Employees, military personnel and independent contractors worked with asbestos-containing equipment on a regular basis while completing this work.

Vessel repair and overhaul work at Pearl Harbor typically occurred in cramped spaces with poor ventilation systems, resulting in regular exposure to high levels of asbestos dust. Individuals at the Pearl Harbor regularly worked with and around equipment and machinery, which required asbestos-containing materials. Shipyard employees, independent contractors and military personnel frequently were exposed to asbestos dust from gaskets, packing, raw asbestos, insulation, and other asbestos-containing materials throughout their careers at these shipyards. Mesothelioma lawyers at LK are experienced in identifying the unique asbestos exposures suffered by individuals who were employed at shipyards. Despite your job responsibilities at the Pearl Harbor shipyard, there are many areas of asbestos exposure, which an LK mesothelioma attorney will investigate.

Sugar Processing Plants

Due to prime weather conditions, sugarcane growth flourishes in Hawaii. To capitalize on Hawaii’s ideal climate, several companies constructed and operated processing plants throughout the state. Between the 1930s and 1990s, thousands of Hawaii citizens were employed at these sugar-processing plants. To process sugar for consumer use, large and heavy equipment was required. Various tradespeople, including millwrights, electricians, laborers, and insulators, worked with and around asbestos-containing equipment.

Sugar Worksites in Hawaii:

• American Sugar Company
• California & Hawaii Sugar Company
• Kaeleku Sugar Company
• Ewa Sugar Mill
• Kohala Sugar Company
• Haiku Sugar Company
• Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company
• Kekaha Sugar Company
• Puna Sugar Company
• Laupahoehoe Sugar Company
• McBrydge Sugar Company
• Olokele Sugar Company
• Wailuku Sugar Company

Hawaii Power Plants

The generation of power in Hawaii required the use of large, high-temperature equipment. Boilers, furnaces, turbines, cooling towers and ovens were installed, maintained and repaired at these power plants. This equipment required large amounts of asbestos-containing products to properly function. Other products, including pumps, valves, motors, wire, cable, heaters, air conditioning units, gaskets, packing, chillers, and steam traps were necessary to allow the powerhouses to properly function. Individuals working at these Hawaii power plants were exposed to high levels of asbestos dust from their work with or around these products.

Power Plant Construction – Between the 1930s and 1980s, construction of power plants, rail yards, generating sites and other locations for equipment were undertaken throughout Hawaii. Independent contractors, construction crews and powerhouse employees were present while these locations were constructed. Between the 1930s and 1980s, many of the construction materials used or installed at these power plant construction worksites contained asbestos.

Hawaii Power Plant Worksites:

• Hawaii Electric Company
• Hilo Electric Light Company
• Kauai Electric Company
• Maui Electric Company
• Waiau Power Plant

Hawaii Oil Refineries and Rigs

Hawaii’s Oil Industry – Hawaii residents were employed throughout the state on oil rigs and refineries. LK attorneys have experience investigating the unique exposures suffered by individuals employed in this industry.

Oil Well Rigs – Due to Hawaii’s abundance of ocean water, hundreds of companies employed residents on water-based oil rigs. Also known as an “oil platform,” heavy equipment containing asbestos was required to be installed and maintained on a regular basis. Pumps, valves boilers, motors, generators, engines, and cranes were installed and operated on water oil rigs. Individuals present on these oil rigs operated this equipment on a regular basis, unaware of the serious health hazards created by exposure to asbestos-containing materials. Other areas of asbestos exposure on water-based oil rigs which LK attorneys have previously investigated are the asbestos-containing drilling muds used by rig workers and the large braking systems of the rig’s cranes, which required regular maintenance.

Hawaii Oil Refineries – Major companies established oil refineries throughout Hawaii, including Chevron, Standard Oil and Dillingham Petroleum. The process of refining oil required the use of large, high-temperature equipment. Boilers, furnaces, turbines, cooling towers and ovens were installed, maintained and repaired at these power plants on a regular basis. This equipment required large amounts of asbestos-containing products to properly function. Other products, including pumps, valves, motors, wire, cable, heaters, air conditioning units, gaskets, packing, chillers, and steam traps were necessary to allow the oil refineries to properly function. Individuals working at these Hawaii oil refineries were exposed to high levels of asbestos dust from their work with or around these products.

Other Industrial Worksites

Regardless of where you worked, attorneys at LK will assist your family in identifying the unique asbestos exposures you suffered at your worksite. If you worked at a power plant, oil refinery, manufacturing facility, auto garage, railroad, or delivery service, our attorneys and investigators will work tirelessly to identify each manufacturer and each product that exposed you to asbestos.

Individual Case Review – In Hawaii, and across the country, many people also developed mesothelioma from non-occupational asbestos exposures, such as automotive work, home renovations and other hobbies, or from “second-hand asbestos exposure,” which occurred when work clothes contaminated with asbestos were worn home. An experienced LK mesothelioma lawyer will assist your family in determining all possible sources of your exposure to asbestos dust.

Hawaii worksites where asbestos exposure was common include:

Figure 1. Map of the most common asbestos exposure worksites in the State of Hawaii.

• Alexander & Baldwin (Maui)
• California & Hawaii Sugar Company (Alea)
• Chevron (Barbers Point)
• Dillingham Petroleum Corp. (Barbers Point)
• Erra Plantation (Hawaii)
• Ewa Sugar Mill (Hawaii)
• Grove Farm (Kauai)
• H Mackfield & Company (Lahaina)
• H.R. Worthington (Molokai)
• Haiku Sugar Company (Mani)
• Halstead Brothers (Oahu)
• Hawaii Commercial Sugar (Kahulul)
• Hilo Electric Light Company (Hawaii)
• Honolulu Plantation Company (Alea)
• Kaeleku Sugar Company (Hana)
• Kahe Power Plant (Oahu)
• Kaiser Cement & Gypsum (Nanakull)
• Kanoehe Rauch Company (Hawaii)

• Kauai Electric COmpany (Kauai)
• Kekaha Sugar Company (Kauai)
• Kikei Plantation (Mani)
• Kohala Sugar Company (Hawaii)
• Matson SS Lines (Kahulul)
• Maui Electric Company (Maui)
• Naval Fleet Base (Pearl Harbor)
• Pioneer Mill Company (Lahaina)
• Puna Sugar Company (Keaau)
• Reciprocity Sugar Company (Hana)
• RR Hind Hawaii Plantation (Kohala)
• Standard Oil (Barbers Point)
• Tesoro Hawaii (Kapolei)
• U.S. Naval Shipyard (Pearl Harbor)
• W.A. Ramsay, Ltd. (Hawaii)
• Waialua Plantation (Hawaii)
• Waialua Plantation (Oahu)

If you or your loved one are a Hawaii resident or were exposed to asbestos in Hawaii, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, please call (800) 315-3806 or submit an email inquiry receive a FREE consultation with an attorney at Levy Konigsberg LLP.

ATTENTION: Mesothelioma has no known cure and often causes severe pain, suffering, and other types of damage, such as loss of consortium, and loss of income. Additionally, due to the exceedingly high cost of mesothelioma treatments, many families exhaust savings and accumulate financial debt in order to pay for the medical expenses of their family member.

Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from mesothelioma may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually obtained with the help of experienced mesothelioma attorneys. In some states other types of damages may also be recovered.

Asbestos litigation affords mesothelioma victims the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold accountable the companies that caused their asbestos exposure.

IMPORTANT: If you or your family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer as early as possible to determine if you have a mesothelioma case and to:

• Preserve your rights to bring a legal action against the responsible parties within the limited time frame allowed by law, known as statute of limitations;
• Obtain maximum compensation in your case by being able to:
  • Preserve evidence and establish facts of the asbestos exposure while the claimant is still alive and able to provide information;
  • File and resolve a lawsuit against the responsible parties before they file for bankruptcy or, if they already have, to obtain compensation before their bankruptcy trust funds run out of money;
• Expedite your case, as courts tend to give higher priority to mesothelioma lawsuits where the claimant is still alive.

Find out whether you have a case by speaking to one of our experienced mesothelioma lawyers via our 24/7 toll-free hotline at (800) 315-3806 or submit an email inquiry. Our attorneys will be quick to respond to you and happy to answer all of your questions.

NOTE: While our offices are located in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Georgia, many of our mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice law in a number of U.S. states and have the capability and extensive experience of representing mesothelioma clients throughout the United States. You are encouraged to contact us with any questions.