Illinois (IL) Mesothelioma, Asbestos Cancer, and General Asbestos Resources

Illinois (IL) Asbestos Information:

Illinois Industries

There are over sixty businesses, factories, schools and other institutions in Illinois that have been named defendants in asbestos-related lawsuits. One of these, oddly enough, has been Pepsi Cola.

What does the manufacturing process of a soft drink have to do with asbestos?

Nothing, actually. It has more to do with the mergers and acquisitions that allows one corporation to own and control completely unrelated industries such as a defense company, several media companies and a soft drink manufacturer. While it arguable made these corporations stronger and more, there is a flip side: when Corporation "A" takes over "Corporation "B," it also acquires B's liabilities - including any and all pending lawsuits. This is essentially what has happened with Pepsi Cola.

While Pepsi-America is a noteworthy defendant, most of the businesses and industries on the list are places commonly associated with asbestos exposure: oil refineries (including Amoco, Citgo, Mobil, Shell and Standard) and numerous power stations.

Another location where asbestos was a problem was the Great Lakes Naval Base. Navy veterans make up a substantial number of those who suffer from mesothelioma, as do anyone who has worked in maritime industries. Because of the enclosed environment below decks, the chances of inhaling concentrated, friable asbestos fibers - much of which was of the amphibole variety - were greatly increased. A recent study at that National Cancer Institute showed that those who spent time working aboard naval and civilian vessels had a "significantly higher" chance of contracting the rare asbestos cancer mesothelioma.

This type of asbestos insulation was also found in many aging public buildings, including schools and even hospitals. The city of Kankakee had asbestos problems at a parochial school, a state DOT garage, the city hospital and even in the water system (due to the asbestos cement used to manufacture water pipes between the 1930s and 1970s).

Despite the prevalence of asbestos in Illinois industries, there is no indication of naturally-occurring asbestos formations anywhere within the state's boundaries.

Illinois Mortality Statistics

Currently, Illinois is the fifth most populous state in the U.S.; as of the 2000 census, the number of people living in Illinois totaled 12.8 million. During the preceding two decades, the state lost a total of 1,731 lives to asbestos diseases.

Statewide, over three times as many asbestos victims suffered from mesothelioma as they did from asbestosis, which is much more treatable. Asbestosis is much more common than mesothelioma in general; however, it is not malignant, and if caught early on, victims may live out their normal lifespan.

This may be an explanation as to why actual mortality due to malignant mesothelioma is so much higher than asbestosis. Another explanation may be due to the more prevalent use of amphibole asbestos, especially tremolite, which was a frequent contaminant of vermiculite.

 

Illinois (IL) Job Sites At Risk From Asbestos Exposure:

Over the course of the last century, hundreds of thousands of workers were exposed to asbestos while on the job – and for the most part, they were not warned. Below is a list of Job sites covered on Asbestos.net from the state of Illinois (IL) where workers were potentially and unnecessarily put at risk:

 

Illinois (IL) Asbestos Cancer & Mesothelioma Doctors:

The diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related cancers and other diseases is gradually becoming a sub-specialty in the field of medicine all its own. However, as of the present time, there is no medical degree that is specific to asbestos-related practice.

Most doctors focusing on asbestos disease today are trained in oncology, thoracic surgery, respiratory or occupational medicine, or some related field. Below is a list of doctors in Illinois (IL) that specialize in some form of asbestos cancer or mesothelioma treatment and the institution they are currently affiliated with:

Illinois (IL) Mesothelioma Lawyer & Legal Resources:

For a long time, Illinois was associated with pro-plaintiff decisions in regards to asbestos-related cases. More specifically, Madison County had been known as pro-plaintiff, due in no small part the ten years of rulings presided over by judge Nicholas Byron, who presided over 953 such cases in 2003 alone. Illinois mesothelioma lawsuits involving asbestos cancer often resulted in multimillion-dollar awards, such as the $250 million judgment issued in 2003 by a jury in Byron's courtroom.

Because of the perceived pro-victim stance and the high return in rewards, Madison County was criticized by former U.S. Attorney Griffin Bell; he noted that the county had 25% of the nation's asbestos suits. According to Gretchen Schaefer, spokeswoman for the American Tort Reform Association, "Madison County is a magnet for asbestos litigation that has no connection to that jurisdiction". Due to the pressures related to this, when Nicholas Byron retired, his successor was urged to tighten up on Illinois mesothelioma lawsuits.

Other counties in the area also became less relaxed in allowing asbestos-related litigation. For example, Cook County, which has one of the largest state court systems in the US, began sidelining cases filed by people who do not display actual symptoms of asbestos-related diseases. Around the same time, Cook County Judge William Maddux began regularly denying requests for continuances, in effect giving Illinois mesothelioma lawyers about a year to prepare for trial, which can be a challenge since many cases involve more than 50 defendants.

There is no specific legislation about the damages that can be awarded to Illinois victims of mesothelioma. However, in Kochan v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. (1994), when the defendant argued that the award violated the constitutional ban on excessive and unreasonable punishment, attorneys for the plaintiffs, a group of Illinois construction workers, were able to convince the appeals court to preserve the original monetary judgment.

One asbestos-related case to come to the attention of the media is the 2007 case of Yanchick v. Rapid American Corp. et al. Originally filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County in August, 2006, the case was later removed to the federal court for the Northern District of Illinois. The victim in the case has sued over 130 companies, but that's not why this made news. It made news because it brings up the issue of second-hand asbestos exposure. More specifically, it asks the courts to decide whether an employer has a legally recognized responsibility to protect a non-employee spouse or relative from asbestos exposure outside the workplace.

Those interested in filing an Illinois mesothelioma lawsuits should know that the statute of limitations for personal injury law in Illinois is two years. This two-year period begins, according to a "Modified Discovery Rule", when the victim knew or should have known that the injury was wrongfully caused even if they didn't know it was actionable, which makes it important to talk to an Illinois mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible after a diagnosis. Wrongful death cases fall under the same statute of limitations and follow the same discovery rule. There is no specific statute about asbestos.

The information provided on Asbestos.net, a website of Sokolove Law, is general in nature, does not apply to any particular factual situation, and is not and should not be taken as legal, medical, financial, insurance, or other professional advice. We make no commitment or warranty that the factual, legal, medical, financial, or any other information on Asbestos.net, or on any linked website, is accurate, complete, error-free, or current. As such, you should not rely on such information, and should seek professional advice if and as you determine appropriate. While some information on Asbestos.net may have been reviewed by an oncologist, none of it has been endorsed or approved by any medical professional. Similarly, no attorney-client relationship between you and Sokolove Law is or may be created by your access to or use of the website or any information herein. We may include on the website information regarding lawsuits, settlements, and judgments for cases that Sokolove Law was not involved in. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Please see our Terms of Use & Privacy Policy, which is new and/or materially revised effective February 18, 2010, and our Disclaimers, which are new effective February 18, 2010, for further information.

HOME | ABOUT ASBESTOS.NET | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy | DISCLAIMERS | CONTACT US | Sokolove Law, LLC

Copyright © 2003-2010 Sokolove Law, LLC