Electricians Mesothelioma Lawyer

Knowledgeable Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure Attorney for Electricians

For electricians, asbestos exposure could happen as part of ordinary work around electrical equipment, insulation, walls, ceilings, mechanical systems, and industrial machinery. 

The danger often was not apparent at the time. Decades later, that exposure can be linked to mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer associated with asbestos.

Kelley Ferraro, LLC has represented people with asbestos-related diseases for nearly 30 years, including tradespeople whose work brought them into contact with asbestos-containing products. 

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, our attorneys can investigate your occupational history, identify potential sources of exposure, and explain the compensation options that may apply.

A diagnosis can raise difficult questions about medical expenses, lost income, and what legal rights remain available after years have passed. Contact Kelley Ferraro, LLC to discuss your circumstances with a mesothelioma attorney and learn what steps may be available.

Asbestos Exposure Risks Electricians May Have Encountered

Electricians worked in many of the same environments where asbestos-containing materials were installed throughout industrial and commercial buildings. 

Power plants, factories, steel mills, manufacturing facilities, construction sites, and older buildings could contain asbestos in electrical equipment and surrounding materials.

The products and conditions involved varied from one job to another. An investigation may need to consider the equipment an electrician installed or repaired, the buildings where the work occurred, and the other trades working nearby.

Potential sources of occupational asbestos exposure for electricians included:

• Electrical equipment and components such as switchgear, fuse boxes, cables, motors, and other equipment that could contain asbestos or be installed alongside asbestos-containing materials.
• Insulation and fireproofing around electrical systems, pipes, boilers, machinery, and other equipment.
• Older building materials such as joint compounds, cement products, ductwork, and other materials that could release asbestos fibers when cut, drilled, damaged, or removed.
• Electrical installation and retrofit work that required drilling, cutting, opening walls, or entering enclosed areas where asbestos-containing materials were present.
• Industrial workplaces where electricians worked around machinery, insulation, pipefitters, maintenance crews, and other trades that could disturb asbestos.
• Demolition and renovation projects involving older structures where asbestos-containing materials could be disturbed during electrical work.

Many Ohio electricians worked in power plants, steel mills, and industrial facilities. Some asbestos-containing electrical products and insulation remained in use well into the 1980s.

Identifying exposure is rarely limited to finding one product or one employer. Your attorney may need to reconstruct decades of employment and determine which manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, property owners, or other parties may have played a role.

Why an Electrician’s Asbestos Exposure May Not Become Clear for Decades

Mesothelioma can develop many years after asbestos exposure. That long latency period is one reason a person may have no reason to connect a current diagnosis with electrical work performed decades earlier.

Asbestos fibers can become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are cut, drilled, broken, worn, or otherwise disturbed. Once inhaled or swallowed, the fibers can remain in the body and contribute to disease development.

Pleural mesothelioma, which develops in the lining surrounding the lungs, is the most common form. 

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen. Symptoms can be difficult to distinguish from other illnesses during the early stages, which may delay diagnosis.

Ohio Rules That Apply to Electricians’ Asbestos Claims

Ohio has specific statutory requirements for asbestos-related lawsuits. Those rules can affect how a mesothelioma claim is established and when an action may be filed.

Under Ohio Revised Code § 2307.92 and § 2307.93, an asbestos claimant must provide medical evidence meeting the requirements established by the statutes. The law treats malignant asbestos-related conditions differently from certain nonmalignant conditions. 

A mesothelioma claim is not subject to the same physical-impairment showing required for claims involving nonmalignant asbestos-related conditions.

Ohio’s statute of limitations also recognizes the delayed nature of asbestos-related diseases. Under Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10, the limitations period for an asbestos claim is tied to when a competent medical authority informs the individual that the individual has an injury related to asbestos exposure, or when the individual should have known of it if that date is earlier, rather than beginning on the date of the original workplace exposure.

That distinction can be important for electricians who encountered asbestos decades before receiving a diagnosis. Someone who worked around asbestos-containing insulation or electrical equipment in Cleveland or elsewhere in Ohio may still have a potential legal claim long after leaving the trade.

For electricians in the Cleveland area, asbestos litigation may be handled through the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, which maintains an asbestos docket.

Nearly 30 Years Representing People With Asbestos-Related Diseases

Kelley Ferraro, LLC has represented asbestos-exposed tradespeople and other clients nationwide for nearly 30 years. 

The firm reports that its attorneys have handled nearly 55,000 asbestos-related cases and recovered more than $1 billion for clients.

Mesothelioma litigation can require extensive investigation because the relevant exposure may have occurred decades before the diagnosis. Our attorneys can handle the research involved in identifying potential exposure sources, developing the evidence, and assessing available claims.

The firm can also evaluate whether your circumstances may support an asbestos trust claim, workers’ compensation claim, personal injury lawsuit, or more than one form of legal action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the asbestos manufacturer is no longer in business?

A company going through bankruptcy does not necessarily eliminate every potential source of compensation. Many asbestos-related companies established trust funds as part of bankruptcy proceedings. If your exposure can be connected to one of those companies, an asbestos trust claim may be available.

How can an electrician prove where the asbestos exposure occurred?

The investigation may begin with your complete employment history and the locations where you performed electrical work. Attorneys may also research the equipment and materials used at those sites, manufacturers and suppliers, work records, union information, and testimony from people familiar with the work. The objective is to establish a reliable connection between your asbestos exposure and the parties potentially responsible for it.

Can family members pursue a claim after an electrician dies from mesothelioma?

Potentially. Ohio law provides for wrongful death claims in appropriate circumstances, but who may bring the claim, what damages may be available, and the applicable deadlines depend on the facts. A lawyer can review the circumstances surrounding the death and explain which claims may remain available.

Talk With a Cleveland Electricians Mesothelioma Lawyer

A mesothelioma diagnosis can bring immediate medical and financial concerns while the asbestos exposure behind the illness may date back decades. 

Reviewing your work history promptly can help preserve evidence and identify potential sources of compensation.

We can review the circumstances surrounding your asbestos exposure, investigate potential responsible parties, and explain the legal options that may apply to your case.

Contact Kelley Ferraro, LLC to discuss your mesothelioma claim.