Tennessee Valley Authority

Tennessee Valley Authority employees exposed to asbestos

One of the primary reasons asbestos was present in power plants during the last century was to protect machinery prone to overheating from catching fire or exploding. Insulation that contained asbestos could be found on boilers, pipes, and turbines. Asbestos would also increase the lifespan of the machinery and equipment in power plants. Power plant workers were exposed to asbestos insulation and other asbestos products when they would perform maintenance and repairs. For instance, employees would cut through the insulation to fit it to the equipment, which usually released asbestos fibers in the air they would subsequently breathe.

The following are the occupational groups with the highest risk of asbestos exposure in power plants between the 1920s and the 1980s:

• power plant workers
• boiler workers
• electricians
• insulators
• pipefitters
• welders

Over the years, the asbestos used as insulation on various machinery, equipment, and components would become brittle and crumble, which made exposure very easy to occur. By disturbing old asbestos insulation, even slightly, a worker could release a lot of toxic asbestos dust. This would also pose a health threat to the other employees working nearby. Furthermore, workers who had to handle hot equipment had to wear protective gear containing asbestos such as gloves, aprons, and masks to shield themselves from burns. They would also use asbestos blankets and cloth to move components from one place to another. Fabrics containing asbestos fibers are very dangerous, as they can easily cause carcinogenic particles to become airborne.

Secondary asbestos exposure, a serious concern for the family members of Tennessee Valley Authority workers

During the last century, the families of power plant workers would experience secondary asbestos exposure frequently, as these employees were not required to change their clothes at the end of the day. Therefore, they would bring asbestos dust home. While their wives would inhale and ingest asbestos fibers when laundering their work clothes, their children would come in contact with the harmful mineral when greeting and hugging their fathers upon coming back home. The longer the worker had their job at the power plant, the higher the risk of family members developing diseases related to asbestos exposure.

If you developed a disease that seems to stem from secondary asbestos exposure and lived in the same house as a Tennessee Valley Authority employee, we urge you to contact our attorneys, as you may be eligible for compensation from the responsible company. Filing a claim for secondary asbestos exposure is similar to filing a regular claim for the same reason. Your participation in the legal process will be minimal, as we are aware that asbestos exposure victims are generally in a lot of pain and are also busy undergoing medical tests and getting the treatment they need. Eventually, you will benefit from the largest sum of money available for your health problem.

Legal assistance in wrongful death asbestos exposure cases for family members

Unfortunately, many people whose health was affected by asbestos exposure refuse or fail to seek the financial compensation they deserve for their unfair suffering. This is either because they pass away sooner than expected or because they are afraid of a never-ending legal process that would take up a lot of their time. However, if you are the surviving family member of a former Tennessee Valley Authority worker who was struggling with a disease caused by occupational asbestos exposure, you can file a wrongful death claim on their behalf if they had not done it while alive.

To file a wrongful death claim, you will first have to get in touch with our legal team and explain your situation in detail. Afterward, you will be asked to send us basic documents as evidence, such as the employment and medical records of your departed loved one and their death certificate. Our attorneys will carefully review your case, and if they deem you eligible to file a wrongful death claim, they will promptly begin attending to it. In the end, you will benefit from the compensation you are entitled to on behalf of your lost family member.