Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that causes malignancies in the thin membranes that surround the lungs, abdominal organs, heart, or testicles. Pleural mesothelioma in the lung lining is the most common form of the disease.
Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure, which typically occurs at work when people inhale or swallow asbestos fibers. (Verywellhealth.com).
Approximately 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed every year. The prognosis is poor, with only a 5-10% five-year survival rate. Most patients are unaware they have this cancer until they are in the late stages, so treatment is challenging.
Mesothelioma can usually be prevented, but many Maryland companies used materials that contained asbestos for decades. They often knowingly exposed workers to hazardous asbestos, knowing workers could get malignant mesothelioma cancer years later.
Maryland and Asbestos Exposure
Most asbestos exposure in Maryland happens at work. Maryland residents who did not regularly work around products that contain asbestos have a low risk of exposure.
There are up to 22 known asbestos deposits in the state that could expose residents to the deadly mineral. The worst incidence of mesothelioma is around Baltimore and Washington, D.C. (mesothelioma.com)
Maryland Sites of Asbestos Exposure
Maryland has been a heavy industrial and manufacturing state for more than a century, so many companies there used asbestos in their daily operations. (mesothelioma.com). If you worked in manufacturing or heavy industry in this state before 1980, you could have been exposed to asbestos.
Shipbuilding
The Chesapeake Bay offers plenty of coastlines for shipyards to flourish in Maryland. One of the most significant asbestos users in the state was Bethlehem Steel which built a large shipyard at Sparrow’s Point. Thousands of shipbuilder workers were probably exposed to asbestos at this major shipyard.
Other shipbuilders in Maryland include Maryland Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Newport News Shipyard, and Key Highway Shipyard.
Power Plants
Asbestos was often used in the power industry to insulate wires from heat and electricity. It also was used as insulation to prevent fires in various power plant buildings. Maryland has the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, which is known to contain high levels of asbestos.
Three other power plants in Maryland that exposed workers to asbestos include Potomac Electric Power Company, Glen Burnie Powerhouse, and Basco Power Electric.
Higher Education
Many universities take pride in their campus’ historical buildings, but many of them in Maryland and elsewhere contain asbestos. The University of Maryland has had serious problems with asbestos in their facilities.
There was at least one report that found asbestos in more than 90 buildings on their campuses in College Park and Catonsville. Other universities in Maryland that have exposed students and faculty to asbestos are Johns Hopkins University, Washington College, and Maryland State College.
Military
One of the best-known military academies in the nation is the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. It has been open since 1845 and has been the site of asbestos exposure to many military members. Some other military bases in Maryland with asbestos problems are the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Naval Propellant Factory, and the US Naval Ordnance Laboratory.
Also, the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard has asbestos problems in Fleet Hall. This is a barracks that was built with asbestos shingles on the roof. The salvage lot at the yard was used for scrap metal since the 1940s and also was used for asbestos debris.
The Curtis Bay yard also had a burn pit next to the salvage lot that was operational in the 1940s and 1950s. Asbestos-containing materials were incinerated or disposed of there. The Curtis Bay Coast Guard was declared a Superfund site by the EPA in 2008.
Maryland Job Sites with Asbestos Exposure
There are many companies in Maryland that needlessly exposed their workers to asbestos, such as:
- Anchor Packing Company
- Bethlehem Steel
- Fairfield Shipyard
- Foreign Motors
- Porter Hayden Company
- Baltimore Marine Industries
- Eastern Stainless Steel
Maryland Asbestos Exposure Laws
Maryland has laws regarding asbestos pertaining to notification procedures, certification, training, and licensing standards for asbestos abatement contractors and others that work in asbestos-related jobs. Maryland defines an asbestos project as any activity that features the demolition, renovation, or encapsulation of asbestos-containing materials. (MDE.Maryland.gov).
Maryland Mesothelioma Attorneys
If you have developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure in Maryland please contact one of the mesothelioma attorneys below:
Peter. T. Nicholl Law Offices
36 South Charles Street, Suite 1700
Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
(410) 244-7005
www.nichollaw.com
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important to contact experienced Maryland asbestos litigation attorneys as soon as possible. They will take the time to collect as much information about your case as possible. These Baltimore-based mesothelioma law firm attorneys have years of experience tracking down the companies responsible for exposing workers to asbestos. They will help you get the mesothelioma compensation you need to care for your health and your loved ones.
The Yost Legal Group
341 North Calvert Street, Suite 100
Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
(800) YOST-LAW
www.yostlaw.com
This experienced asbestos exposure law firm in Baltimore knows that mesothelioma victims deserve fair mesothelioma compensation for their injuries. Medical treatment for cancer treatments is expensive, and people with this disease cannot work. Getting as much compensation as possible is necessary for your health and finances, and the Yost Legal Group can help.
Brown Kiely LLP
4915 Saint Elmo Avenue, Suite 510
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814
(301) 718-4548
www.brownkielylaw.com
Asbestos litigation is a specialized field of product liability law. Success in mesothelioma settlements and asbestos lawsuits after death in asbestos litigation requires familiarity with the complex industrial hygiene and medical issues that are in most asbestos exposure cases. Brown Kiely LLP has more than 20 years of experience representing the rights of Maryland asbestos exposure attorneys.
Request Immediate Maryland Legal Help
With over $30 billion available for victims through asbestos bankruptcy trust funds, you are entitled to financial compensations without ever filing an asbestos, lung cancer or mesothelioma lawsuit. You need legal representation to get started. Mesothelioma & lung cancer victims qualify immediately. Complete the form or call us toll-free (800) 352-0871 immediately.
