Indiana’s industrialized areas surprise many people. While it’s often looked upon as an agrarian Midwestern state, there have been major industrial pockets in Indiana for well over one hundred years. The northwestern corner of the state is actually a section of the Chicago metro area and in the northwest Indiana cities there were many businesses that comprised part of the area’s industrial strength in the twentieth century. Gary, Indiana had at least six steel mills at one time while the town of East Chicago, Indiana had four – along with an oil refinery.
Indianapolis also has its share of industries that made use of asbestos products, including a Ford and a GM plant. The city also has several power plants, which are known for their asbestos insulation in the steam generating units. GM, GE and RCA all had large installations in the smaller towns around Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The state had abundant chemical plants, manufacturing facilities and refineries. Standard Oil and Amoco had refineries in Whiting, which was also the site for a Union Carbide Plant.
Asbestos diseases are one of the risks for workers in facilities like these, which used asbestos heavily for insulation and fire retardant purposes. Most of the mesothelioma deaths recorded in Indiana in the last two decades of the twentieth century occurred in the Gary area or around Indianapolis.
Legal Rights for Indiana Asbestos Victims
Indiana has a statute of limitations law that appears to be much more advantageous for asbestos victims than many states. In most, a personal injury suit must be filed within two years after the diagnosis of an asbestos related disease; a wrongful death suit within two years of the death. In Indiana, one state law provides a ten year window for product liability actions. There is a more specific law that applies to people who worked in the asbestos trade with a shorter period for legal action, but it does allow for separate actions should a plaintiff develop a second asbestos related disease in the future.
The laws on actionable liability are more complicated than in most states, and there have been specific rulings regarding second-hand exposure that were in favor of the victim. In Indiana someone who develops asbestosis or mesothelioma as the result of exposure to dust brought home from the work place by a family member is eligible for compensation under the state’s product liability laws.
If you are an Indiana resident with an asbestos related disease you should speak with an experienced attorney familiar with Indiana’s statutes on liability issues and state court decisions on asbestos suits. Fill out the brief form on this page and one of our attorneys will be in touch to review your case and discuss your legal options – at no cost or obligation to you. Read more about how to to find the right Asbestos lawyer as well as recent Mesothelioma case settlements in addition to lawsuits for Mesothelioma.
