Tennessee: Mesothelioma Attorneys Share TN Asbestos Exposure Map

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Mesothelioma attorneys from the national asbestos litigation firm of Levy Konigsberg LLP (“LK”) are continuing to help Tennessee mesothelioma patients and families obtain legal compensation from companies who manufactured, sold or used asbestos-containing products. Today, LK attorneys share a map of the most common asbestos exposure sites in TN (see below).

Mesothelioma Cases in Tennessee

Every year, thousands of men and women across the country are diagnosed with mesothelioma, including many in Tennessee. Even more are diagnosed with lung cancer and asbestosis. According to statistics compiled by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Tennessee ranks twenty-first in the country for number of deaths from mesothelioma. All of these asbestos-related diseases could have been prevented if workers had been properly protected from exposure to asbestos.

Exposure to Asbestos in Tennessee

Due to the presence of numerous power plants, paper and pulp mills and industrial employers throughout Tennessee, powerhouse employees, mill workers, insulators, plumbers, laborers, electricians, pipefitters, chemical operators, machinist, boilermakers, engineers and many other trades were routinely exposed to asbestos on a daily basis at their places of employment. Mesothelioma attorneys at LK have extensive experience in investigating these occupational exposures:

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Established in 1933 as a product of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, TVA operates six coal-fired power plants, two nuclear power plants, seven combustion turbine sites, nineteen hydroelectric dams, and a pumped-storage plant. With locations stretched across Tennessee, TVA is responsible for oversight and operation of reservoirs, dams, fossil plants, coal plants, and nuclear plants. Thousands of Tennessee citizens were employed at different TVA locations throughout Tennessee.

Although engaged in power generation, TVA conducted other activities between the 1930s and 1980s which exposed employees and independent contractors to vast amounts of asbestos-containing products. TVA completed various public works projects, including major construction, creation and reinforcement of new and existing state infrastructure, improvement of farm infrastructure throughout Tennessee, development of navigation channels, and design of generating units. Many of the TVA worksites located throughout Tennessee contained numerous asbestos-containing products and machinery which employees and independent contractors worked with and around.

Asbestos Exposure at TVA Powerhouses

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, steam traps and masonry products were necessary to allow the powerhouses to properly function. Individuals working at these TVA power plants were exposed to large amounts of asbestos dust from their work with or around these products.

Asbestos Exposure at Other TVA Projects

Between the 1930s and 1980s, the TVA engaged in major construction projects, requiring independent contractors and employees to work with and around asbestos-containing products. During this time period, asbestos was a major component in construction materials. Tennessee citizens employed at these TVA construction worksites were routinely exposed to asbestos. An experienced mesothelioma attorney at LK will investigate all possible sources of asbestos exposure you or a love one suffered at TVA worksites.

Tennessee Paper and Pulp Industry

For several decades, Tennessee was called home by several major paper and pulp manufacturers, including Evergreen Company, International Paper, Kingsport Paper and Mead Paper. These paper and pulp companies operated large mills throughout Tennessee which contained large, asbestos-containing equipment and other asbestos-containing products, which employees and independent contractors were routinely exposed to. Although preventable, individuals present at these Tennessee Paper and Pulp mills were not warned about the dangers associated with exposure to asbestos dust.

Scientific Research

In 2002, an article was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, investigating lung and pleural diseases of 62,937 males who worked for at least one year in the paper and pulp industry between the years 1945 and 1966. The study found that at least 36% of paper and pulp employees were exposed to asbestos while employed at a paper and pulp mill. Many of the paper and pulp employees who developed a lung or pleural disease performed maintenance work at the paper and pulp mill.

Mesothelioma Lawyer for Cases in Tennessee

An experienced LK mesothelioma attorney will investigate all possible exposures you or your loved one suffered at a Tennessee paper and pulp worksite. Individuals present at these worksites commonly worked with and around boilers, furnaces, turbines, ovens, motors and generators. Other products commonly used at paper and pulp mills include gaskets, packing, pipe covering, raw asbestos and masonry products, much of which contained asbestos.

Other Tennessee Industries

Tennessee’s industry between the 1930s and 1980s included manufacturers and producers of paper and pulp, foundry materials, automotive accessories, beverages, oil products, construction materials, chemicals, film and photography products, industrial chemicals, and other everyday consumer products. Individuals in Tennessee employed at these worksites performed the critical work necessary to make these companies successful without knowledge of the serious health hazards created by exposure to asbestos at these worksites. Mesothelioma attorneys at LK have the expertise necessary to carefully analyze your work history to identify the unique asbestos exposures that were present at your previous places of employment.

Individual Case Review

In Tennessee, 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 attorney will assist your family in determining all possible sources of your exposure to asbestos dust.

Tennessee “Take Home” Exposure

In 2008, the Tennessee Supreme Court decided the case of Satterfield v. Breeding Insulation Co. In 1973, Doug Satterfield began working for Alcoa, a manufacturer of aluminum products. Doug Satterfield, like many other industrial employees in Tennessee, was exposed to high levels of asbestos dust at his place of employment. At the end of each work day, Doug Satterfield would wear his work clothes home, leaving asbestos fibers from his place of employment in his vehicle, home and laundry room. Other family members would interact with him after work, suffering asbestos exposure from the asbestos fibers on his clothes. In 1979, Doug Satterfield’s wife, Donna Satterfield, gave birth to a daughter, Amanda Satterfield. Sadly, at the age of twenty-five, Amanda Satterfield passed away from mesothelioma, due to her exposure to her father’s asbestos-laden work clothes. The Tennessee Supreme Court found that Doug Satterfield’s employer owed a duty to all individuals foreseeably harmed by contact with asbestos-laden work clothes. In 1972, OSHA approved regulations which prohibited employees who had been exposed to asbestos from taking their work clothes home to be laundered. Many employers in Tennessee failed to adhere to OSHA’s 1972 regulation, thus putting numerous spouses, children, family and friends at risk of severe asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma attorneys at LK are experienced in investigating “take home” asbestos exposures and will answer all of your questions about these investigations.

Tennessee worksites where asbestos exposure was common include:

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

• Allen Steam Plant (Memphis, TN)
• Allied Chemical (Chattanooga, TN)
• American Finishing (Memphis, TN)
• American Smelting & Refining Company (Knox County, TN)
• Amoco Oil (Chattanooga, TN)
• Atomic Energy Commission Plant (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Bowater Paper Mill (Calhoun, TN)
• Calhoun Paper Mill (Calhoun, TN)
• Chicago Bridge & Iron Manufacturing Plant (Memphis, TN)
• Chickasaw Ordnance Works (Millington, TN)
• Combustion Engineering (Chattanooga, TN)
• Container Corporation (Chattanooga, TN)
• Counce Paper Mill (Counce, TN)
• Crump Lime & Cement (Memphis, TN)
• Cumberland Chase (Chattanooga, TN)
• Cumberland City Power Plant (Cumberland City, TN)
• Davis Furniture Mfg. Plant (Memphis, TN)
• Dixie Foundry Company (Cleveland, TN)
• Douglas Dam (Sevier County, TN)
• DuPont (Statewide, TN)
• Eastman Kodak (Kingsport, TN)
• Edgemoor Steam Plant (Knoxville, TN)
• Eureka Foundry (Chattanooga, TN)
• Evergreen Company (Memphis, TN)
• Firestone Plant (Memphis, TN)
• Ford Motor Plant (Nashville, TN)
• Gallatin Power Plant (Gallatin, TN)
• Gaskell Manufacturing Plant (Memphis, TN)
• General Cable Plant (Memphis, TN)
• General Electric Company (Memphis, TN)
• Grace Chemical (Chattanooga, TN)
• Hercules Powder Plant (Chattanooga, TN)
• Holston Defense Corporation (Kingsport, TN)
• International Paper (Memphis, TN)
• Kingsport Paper Mill (Kingsport, TN)
• Lookout Boiler Company (Chattanooga, TN)
• Loonie Chevrolet Cadillac (Kingsport, TN)
• Louisville & Nashville Railroad (Nashville, TN)
• Mead Paper Mill (Kingsport, TN)
• Miller Transport (Memphis, TN)
• Mueller Company (Chattanooga, TN)
• Nashville Steam Plant (Nashville, TN)
• Paint Pigment Plant (Nashville, TN)
• Proctor & Gamble (Memphis, TN)
• Rock Ten Paper Mill (Chattanooga, TN)
• Southern Bell Office (Nashville, TN)
• Tennessee Pulp & Paper Company (Counce, TN)
• Tennessee Valley Authority (Chattanooga, TN)
• Tennessee Valley Power Plant (Memphis, TN)
• Velsco (Memphis, TN)
• Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company (Bristol, TN)
• Watts Barr (Spring City, TN)

If you or your loved one are a Tennessee resident or were exposed to asbestos in Tennessee, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, please call 1-800-637-6529 or contact us electronically on this website to receive a FREE consultation with a mesothelioma 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.

What Does it Cost to File a Mesothelioma Claim?

At Levy Konigsberg, all mesothelioma cases are represented on a “contingency fee” basis – you can expect zero out-of-pocket expenses, and you owe us nothing for our legal work unless you win.

How Long Does it Take for a Mesothelioma Claim to Settle?

When the claimant is still living, these cases are often expedited, and given a higher priority. In some cases, a mesothelioma claim may be resolved within four to five months. If a lawsuit is filed, the process takes longer, but often will settle long before the case goes to court. Every case is different, but the skills and experience of your attorney make a difference in the speed with which your case is resolved.

How Long Do I Have to File a Mesothelioma Claim?

In Tennessee, as in all states, you must file a lawsuit within a specific time, or lose the right to file at all. The window of time in the state is only one year from the date of a diagnosis of mesothelioma. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this deadly cancer, it is critical that you do not miss this filing deadline, and thus lose your right to seek compensation.

How Do I Prove Asbestos Exposure?

If you are suffering from an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma, the exposure to the substance must be supported by proof. In many cases, the company may be known to have exposed workers to asbestos, and proof exists which can be accessed with the help of your attorney. Proving you worked at the location will be required as well.

I Don’t Want to Harm my Past Employer by Filing a Lawsuit – What Should I Do?

A third party entity, whether a manufacturer, contractor, or other business, responsible for the asbestos exposure, is usually protected by insurance. A third party lawsuit filed to recover compensation will also often be paid through the insurance policy, not from company profits. If exposure was caused by your employer, the benefits are typically paid through workers’ compensation insurance. You should not worry about the financial impact on an employer or other party because it is important that all parties that caused your asbestos exposure be held accountable.

Have All Companies That Sold Products Containing Asbestos Gone Bankrupt?

Many companies that manufactured or sold products that contained asbestos are still operating, and many of them are recognized as being among the largest, most profitable companies in the USA. When evidence can be found to support a claim, a lawsuit can be filed to hold these companies accountable for the damages from mesothelioma, which are extensive.

How Long Will it Take to Settle a Mesothelioma Claim?

The length of time will vary, case by case. For mesothelioma cases in Tennessee in which the individual is still living, these cases are often expedited, and could take less than six months to settle. In other cases, it may require longer, particularly if the case must go to trial for resolution. Even in these cases, many pending trials lead to a settlement long before presenting the case in court.

How is Compensation Paid from Mesothelioma Bankruptcy Trusts?

Mesothelioma trusts were established by companies that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. These trusts were required to be established to pay out compensation for future mesothelioma claims, or other asbestos-related diseases. You may not be aware that you may be eligible for funds from several trusts, based on your work history.

How Long Do I Have to File A Mesothelioma Claim?

Under Tennessee law, you have one year from the date of your diagnosis to file a claim. Once that date has passed, you are likely barred from ever seeking compensation. It is imperative that your claim is filed in a timely manner, and by a mesothelioma litigation firm that has a record of successful cases, will focus on your case, you, and your family, and provides personalized care throughout the process.

Get Help Now.

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 by submitting an email inquiry (see form above). 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.