Lung Cancer Rates in Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Lung cancer is a problem for residents of both Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Estimated new cases of lung cancer for Pennsylvania in 2019 are 79,890 and new cases for West Virginia are 12,440. Industries like steel mills contribute to this problem, causing lung cancer in workers just trying to make a living. One of the main causes of lung cancer in steel mill workers is asbestos. In the past, it was used to protect workers from extreme heat, and while doing so it endangered their lives and increased the chance that they would become sick later in life. Asbestos dust flew around work areas and was inhaled by workers, leading to cases of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
More prominent jobsites in West Virginia where people were exposed to asbestos include Weirton Steel and Wheeling Pitt Steel as well as powerhouses and chemical plants like DuPont and Union Carbide. Prominent jobsites in Pennsylvania include US Steel Edgar Thomson Works, Braddock Works, Clairton Works, Bethlehem Steel, Carnegie Steel, J&L Steel in Pittsburgh and Aliquippa as well as powerhouses like the Homer City power station. At these locations, pipefitters, boilermakers, welders, blacksmiths, and many other trades were exposed to asbestos. It’s an insulation that withstands a lot of heat, but the numerous cancers are not a good tradeoff for heat resistance.
It can take a long time for people to develop diseases when exposed to asbestos. Whether it is lung cancer, mesothelioma, or asbestosis, people working a long time ago could just now be diagnosed with one of these devastating diseases. It can take up to 40 years to develop asbestos caused lung cancer, so people today could have been exposed to asbestos 40 or more years ago. They may not even realize that their lung cancer was a direct result of asbestos exposure and they could be owed compensation for being exposed to the harmful carcinogen.
Steel workers are just one example of workers now being diagnosed with lung cancer and other diseases. If you were diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, you could be entitled to compensation. Call us at 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form to speak to one of our staff and learn more.
