A Portland mesothelioma lawyer can help you recover damages if you have an asbestos-related illness. The economy in Portland, Maine, includes a long history of port activities and shipbuilding. Both of these are connected to asbestos exposure in workers.
If you or someone you love suffers from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in Portland, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
- Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
- Learn how to get paid in 90 days
- File for your share of $30 billion in trust funds
Portland Asbestos Facts
- Maine has the highest rates of new mesothelioma diagnoses and deaths from asbestos illnesses among all states.
- Portland’s long history of shipping and shipyards, asbestos exposure has been a risk for many residents.
- Between 1999 and 2017, over 2,400 people in Maine died from asbestos-related illnesses.
- Nearly 400 of those deaths were in Cumberland County and Portland.
When Do I Need a Portland, Maine, Mesothelioma Lawyer?
Contact a lawyer as soon as possible after receiving a diagnosis of an asbestos illness like mesothelioma. You could be eligible to make a claim or file a lawsuit for compensation to cover medical and other expenses.
Top Portland, ME, mesothelioma lawyers are available now to help you take the next steps. Don’t wait to contact them. Time is limited to make a claim or file a lawsuit. Reputable lawyers will not charge you for an initial consultation to discuss your case. ‘
How to Choose a Portland Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma and asbestos cases are complicated. They require a lot of evidence and often involve multiple defendants. Don’t settle for a lawyer without expertise and experience handling these types of cases.
When choosing a lawyer in Portland, Maine, to help you make a mesothelioma or asbestos claim, consider the following:
- They should offer a free initial consultation.
- A local lawyer is important, but they should be part of a larger law firm that operates nationwide.
- A firm should have enough resources, investigators, and medical experts to build a case and see it to a successful conclusion.
- The right lawyer should have proven experience winning cases for similar clients.
- You should not have to pay any fees until they win and you receive a settlement or other form of compensation.
How Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Portland?
Asbestos exposure mainly occurs in the workplace. Maine has a high rate of mesothelioma and asbestos deaths for several reasons. One is that Maine’s economy has long relied on several industries that used asbestos heavily in the past:
- Ports and shipping
- Shipbuilding
- Ship repair
- Lumber
- Paper manufacturing
Additionally, the construction industry everywhere used asbestos in many materials. Maine has a lot of older buildings that still contain asbestos and that continue to put people at risk of exposure.
Shipyards and Asbestos in Portland
Maine has been a center for shipbuilding for hundreds of years. Pines and other trees that grew in its forests were used by the British Navy to build its warships during colonial times. Portland’s position on the coast made it ideal for ports and shipyards.
Asbestos became prized for shipbuilding because of its ability to protect from fire and heat without adding a lot of extra weight.
Asbestos was an integral part of shipbuilding, especially throughout most of the 20th Century. Every modern vessel, civilian or military, built from the early 1900s to the 1970s, contained asbestos in almost every component.
Steam pipes, gaskets, wall insulation, and even firefighting suits contained the fibrous minerals because a fire at sea was a major concern for ships’ owners, captains, and crews.
Asbestos use soared during World War II when the U.S. built thousands of warships and cargo vessels to conduct a two-ocean war. In South Portland, 30,000 men and women built 266 cargo ships for the U.S. and Britain between 1941 and 1945.
Todd-Bath Iron and South Portland Shipbuilding owned and operated the two main shipyards. These two companies, which later merged into the New England Shipbuilding Company, closed after the war ended.
The asbestos industry suppressed information about the material’s risks and dangers for years. Many unsuspecting shipyard workers inhaled or swallowed asbestos fibers while they worked. They were all put at risk of developing diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Other Portland Job Sites Affected by Asbestos
Shipbuilding wasn’t the only industry that used asbestos. Every major industry that relied on fire produced a lot of heat and needed sturdy insulation.
For decades paper mills, power stations, chemical plants, oil storage tanks, pipelines, public buildings, rail yards, airports, and dockyards used asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in their construction and operation.
Although asbestos use is now significantly reduced and abatement programs help keep new exposures down, there are many job sites in the Portland area where workers may have been exposed in the past:
- New England Shipbuilding Company (Todd Iron) East Yard
- New England Shipbuilding Company (South Portland) West Yard
- Wyman Power Station in Yarmouth
- Cape Station Power Generator in South Portland
- Boston & Maine (B&M) Railroad Yard in Portland
- Portland Transportation Center
- Randall and McAllister Coal Company
- Maine Central Railroad Yard in South Portland
Mesothelioma Treatment in Portland
The MaineHealth Medical Center in Portland is home to the Maine Medical Cancer Institute, the largest cancer treatment facility in the state. Its doctors, surgeons, and oncologists provide cancer treatments of all types that meet national guidelines.
The Cancer Institute is also an accredited teaching cancer hospital vetted by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.
It is crucial to receive care for mesothelioma from specialists. This is a deadly and rare type of cancer that not all physicians or oncologists can treat.
Legal Assistance in Portland
As previously mentioned, if you’ve been exposed to asbestos and suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to compensatory damages. Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. For questions and assistance, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.
