While it is not known as a heavy industry state, Mississippi has been home to many shipyards, two of which are known to be locations where many sailors and shipyard workers suffered asbestos exposure over the years. Ingalls Shipbuilding opened in 1938, is currently owned by a major defense contractor and at one time was the largest employer in the state. Another Ingalls installation opened in 1940 on the other side of the river closed in 1974. There are several oil refineries in Mississippi along with the petrochemical plants that accompany oil processing facilities. Both types of facilities are known for employee asbestos exposure to insulation, pipe and pump gaskets and fittings, and the use of asbestos protective clothing.
Mesothelioma Deaths in Mississippi
A study conducted by a private organization of death certificates issued between 1979 and 2000 showed that Mississippi reported 408 deaths attributed to asbestosis over that period. During the same period there were a minimum of 204 mesothelioma-caused deaths, with the more likely figure being in the range of 363. The federal government finally began tracking mesothelioma deaths in 1999, reporting 115 fatalities from 199 -2005 alone. The more recent, formalized record keeping illustrates the likelihood of severe underreporting on asbestos related deaths throughout the last half of the 20th Century.
Legal Righst of Mesothelioma Victims in Mississippi
Mississippi residents suffering from an asbestos related disease have three years after diagnosis to file a personal injury or a wrongful death claim and two years to file a product liability case. The joint and several liability concept provides for apportionment of financial liability in cases where there are multiple defendants, as is usually the case with asbestos lawsuits. The principal of comparative negligence also applies in Mississippi law, allowing a plaintiff to collect damages even if he or she is partially responsible for the occurrence of injury.
Asbestos Exposure Lawsuits in Mississippi
Mississippi has become one of the most popular locales for filing an asbestos liability case. Reasons for this fact include a 1999 settlement on behalf of over 4,000 plaintiffs in two class action asbestos liability suits against E.D. Bullard and ABEX, which yielded $160 million in settlements. In December of 2001 Halliburton was found to owe a $30 million asbestos judgment, after having been stuck with a portion of a $21.5 million judgment earlier that year. Several hundred thousand asbestos claims were on Mississippi court dockets in 2009. Read more about how to to find the right Asbestos lawyer as well as recent Mesothelioma case settlements in addition to lawsuits for Mesothelioma.
