Casino hotels transformed Las Vegas from a sleepy, one-light desert town into one of America’s most popular tourist destinations. The money that these hotels and casinos generate greatly benefits the people of Las Vegas. But everything about casinos and hotels is not wine and roses. The workers who built these hotels were exposed to asbestos. The risk continues today. The people who stay in these hotels, as well as the people who demolish and renovate them, also risk asbestos exposure.
Casinos, hotels, and other hospitality businesses are only concerned with their own profits. In contrast, the dedicated Las Vegas mesothelioma attorneys at the Throneberry Law Group only care about victims. This dedication enables us to quickly and thoroughly evaluate your case and explain the benefits and drawbacks of your legal options. Then, once we plan our work, we quite simply work on the plan. Just like students who do their homework normally do well on tests, attorneys who work diligently before trial usually obtain life-changing results for injury victims.
Asbestos Hotspots in Las Vegas
Much of the asbestos risk in Las Vegas is not connected with casinos and hotels. The W.R. Grace mine in Libby, Montana, shipped over 80,000 tons of asbestos to just three locations in Las Vegas: U.S. Gypsum Company, Pabco Gypsum/Johns Manville, and Flintkote Company Gypsum Products Division. Other area hotspots include:
- Construction: These workers have faced numerous asbestos-related health threats in Nevada. As mentioned, many of the state’s historic hotels and casinos were built with asbestos-containing materials. Workers responsible for the repair and maintenance often inhaled asbestos fibers. Frequently, these fibers were released from construction materials such as fiberboard, tiles, and roof shingles.
- Chemical Plants: Chemical plants in Nevada are also known for exposing workers to asbestos. For example, the former Montrose Chemical Corporation and Stauffer Management Company sites were both found to be contaminated with asbestos. Chemical plant workers often wore asbestos-laced protective clothes.
- Landfills: In 2008, the owners of Sunrise Mountain Landfill paid $1 million for violating the Clean Water Act. Renovations to the Clark County facility exceeding $36 million were also ordered to correct hazardous waste discharges of up to 14 million pounds each year.
Lung diseases, mostly pleural mesothelioma and asbestosis, are among the most serious asbestos-exposure illnesses. These diseases have very long latency periods and are usually fatal.
Legal Options for Victims
If the exposure was work-related, a Las Vegas mesothelioma lawyer typically files a workers’ compensation claim. No-fault benefits are available that pay reasonably necessary medical bills and replace lost wages.
Initially, Claims Examiners usually deny these claims, at least in part. So, these victims must persevere until an Administrative Law Judge reviews the claim. Since ALJ hearings resemble trials, attorneys are free to introduce evidence, make legal arguments, and challenge evidence.
Secondhand exposure victims, like people who stayed in asbestos-laced hotels, normally file civil claims. Manufacturers are strictly liable for the injuries their dangerous or defective products cause. Failure to warn, a similar legal theory, may be available as well.
Frequently, these options overlap. Nevada law often allows injured workers to bypass the workers’ compensation process and file civil claims.
Count on a Hard-Hitting Las Vegas Mesothelioma Attorney
Asbestos exposure victims deserve and need substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Las Vegas mesothelioma lawyer, contact the Throneberry Law Group. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.
