Kansas City mesothelioma lawyers help victims of asbestos exposure in the area seek compensation. As the largest city in Missouri, Kansas City has a robust economy with many industries that used asbestos for decades. Workers exposed in the past are now at risk of severe illnesses like mesothelioma.
If you or a loved one have mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Kansas City, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file an asbestos trust fund claim and much 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
Kansas City Asbestos Facts
- Missouri had 4,711 asbestos-related deaths between 1999 and 2017.
- Of those deaths, nearly 500 were in Kansas City and Jackson County.
- Industries, including chemical manufacturing and vermiculite processing, were major contributors to exposure in the city.
Why Do I Need a Kansas City Mesothelioma Lawyer?
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are sick because one or more companies negligently exposed you to asbestos. You have a legal right to hold those companies accountable and to seek compensation.
Taking legal action against these large companies requires expert legal guidance. Top-rated Missouri mesothelioma lawyers serving Kansas City have the experience, expertise, and resources to help you win your case.
Asbestos cases are complicated. A local lawyer who can come to you is essential. They should also be backed by a large firm with broad jurisdiction. They must have the resources necessary to prove your mesothelioma came from asbestos associated with specific companies.
What Are My Legal Options for Mesothelioma?
The right Kansas City lawyer will explain all your options for seeking compensation for past asbestos exposure. You might be eligible for one or more of these actions:
- Filing a mesothelioma personal injury lawsuit
- Making an asbestos trust fund claim
- Filing a mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit
- Filing for VA benefits
How Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Kansas City?
Asbestos was once used heavily in many industries, including several that operated in Kansas City. If you lived and worked here decades ago, you were likely exposed to asbestos on the job.
Some of the industries that most used asbestos in Kansas City in the past include:
- Construction
- Chemical manufacturing
- Industrial manufacturing
- Oil refining
- Steel working
- Mineral processing
Some examples of specific companies and workplaces that put Kansas City workers at risk of asbestos exposure include:
Harcros Chemical Incorporated
Chemical manufacturing is an industry that once heavily relied on asbestos. Harcros Chemical Incorporated once used it in all of its plants, including at its headquarters in Kansas City.
High-temperature machinery and equipment contained asbestos to prevent overheating and fires.
Subsequently, thousands of workers at Harcros facilities risked asbestos exposure. The company had manufacturing plants across the country.
Although Harcros stopped using asbestos in the late 1970s, this didn’t stop lawsuits after workers developed serious asbestos-related diseases.
Zonolite Vermiculite Processing
Kansas City was once home to a W.R. Grace/Zonolite vermiculite exfoliation facility. In the 1960s, the plant received thousands of tons of vermiculite from the Libby, Montana, vermiculite mine, which was found later to be contaminated with asbestos.
Exfoliation of vermiculite is particularly risky for asbestos exposure. The process releases fibers and puts workers and even nearby residents at risk. Anyone who worked there or lived in the area could have been exposed.
Asbestos in the Jackson County Courthouse
While much asbestos exposure in Kansas City occurred in the past, some workers continue to be at risk. This is because asbestos lingers in many older buildings, including in public buildings like the Jackson County Courthouse.
Workers in the courthouse won a major victory in 2016 when they received an $80 million settlement for asbestos exposure. The county hired U.S. Engineering to renovate the old building’s pipes and air-handling units, which contained asbestos.
The company failed to protect workers from asbestos dust while doing the work in the 1980s. One worker in the building, Nancy Lopez, died from mesothelioma in 2010 at the age of 56. Her family sued U.S. Engineering and settled for $10.4 million.
The thousands of other workers in the courthouse joined a class-action lawsuit, suing for damages even though they did not yet show signs of asbestos illnesses. The settlement of $80 million will pay for medical monitoring for the plaintiffs over the next 30 years.
Other Job Sites Associated with Asbestos in Kansas City
Chemical and mineral industries were major sources of asbestos exposure in Kansas City, but not the only ones:
Hospitals
- Children’s Mercy Hospital
- Grace Hospital
- St. Joseph Hospital
- Research Medical Center
- Saint Luke’s Hospital
- Kansas City VA Medical Center
Schools
- Pasco High School
- Kansas City Art Institute
Electric Companies
- Association Electric
- Edison Electric and Power Company
- Empire District and Electric Company
- Kansas City Electric Light Company
- Kansas City Public Utilities
Hotels
- Alcazar Hotel
- Grand Avenue Hotel Company
- Muehlebach Hotel
- The Raphael Hotel
Steel Companies
- Armco Steel Corporation
- Midwest Steel Division
- Scullin Steel Company
- Sheffield Steel Corporation
- United Aluminum & Steel
Other Companies
- Colgate Palmolive Plant
- Philips Refinery
- Procter & Gamble Plant
Mesothelioma Treatment in Kansas City
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, getting specialist care is essential. Kansas City is home to one Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute:
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
4001 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, KS
844-323-1227
The lung cancer department can treat patients with pleural mesothelioma. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma benefit from HIPEC treatment here, the leading treatment type for this kind of mesothelioma that is not available everywhere.
Getting Legal Help in Kansas City
Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area.
Aaron Dickey
Reviewer and EditorAaron K. Dickey is a partner with the Flint Law Firm, LLC in Frontenac, Missouri. With 20 years of experience he specializes in helping victims of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, as well as wrongful deaths, product liability and personal injury. As an expert in litigating and negotiating settlements, Dickey has been instrumental in helping his clients get justice for the harm caused to them as well as in recovering significant damages.
References
- Harcros. (n.d.). Our History.
Retrieved from: https://www.harcros.com/chemical-distributors/ - Environmental Working Group. (n.d.). Asbestos: Think Again.
Retrieved from: https://www.ewg.org/research/maps/cities-received-asbestos-shipments - U.S. Government Accountability Office. (n.d.). Zonolite Company/W.R. Grace, 515 Madison Street, Kansas City, Missouri.
Retrieved from: https://files.gao.gov/special.pubs/gao-09-7sp/file213.html - Margolies, D. (2016, October 26). $80M Settlement Averts Trial Over Asbestos in Jackson County Courthouse. KCUR.
Retrieved from: https://www.kcur.org/health/2016-10-26/80m-settlement-averts-trial-over-asbestos-in-jackson-county-courthouse - The University of Kansas Cancer Center. (n.d.). Lung Cancer.
Retrieved from: https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer/cancer-types/lung-cancer - Al-kasspolles, M. (2022, November 29). Aggressive Treatment for Aggresive Abdominal Cancers: CRS-HIPEC. The University of Kansas Cancer Center.
Retrieved from: https://www.kucancercenter.org/news-room/blog/2022/11/crs-hipec-treatment