ASARCO

Workers exposed to asbestos

American Smelting and Refining Company was founded in 1899 following the merger of several mines from Colorado and Mexico. The company continued to grow during the next century, purchasing other mines from South America and from other southern regions of the country. In 1975, the company changed its name to ASARCO. By acquiring several subsidiaries, ASARCO became a manufacturer and distributor of asbestos-containing products. A second subsidiary even supplied raw asbestos from Canada.

Claim Evaluation

ASARCO employees exposed to asbestos

Shortly after ASARCO sought bankruptcy protection, over 95,000 former employees filed asbestos claims to recover financial compensation for their injuries, which amounted to approximately $750 million. Due to their remarkable strength and durability, asbestos fibers would be incorporated in the cement pipes the company was primarily known for, whereas a subsidiary would also handle raw asbestos fibers. While the number of ASARCO workers who came to struggle with the harrowing aftermath of occupational asbestos exposure is already staggering, it may continue increasing over time, as diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma usually take several decades to develop. Therefore, if you held down a job at this company before 1980, you are still at high risk.

The occupations at the highest risk of developing a serious disease as a result of the asbestos exposure which occurred by working at ASARCO or with their products are:

Considering the fact that asbestos-related diseases may take a long time to develop, it's extremely important that anyone who has a history of asbestos exposure regularly monitor their health. In the interest of promoting the importance of early diagnosis, we are offering screenings free of charge for ASARCO employees.

Asbestos related cancer eligible for filing a claim

If you developed one of the following cancers as a result of occupational exposure, you are eligible for compensation. If you are too ill, a family member can help you with the legal process. In the unfortunate event that you pass away before recovering compensation, your surviving family members will receive compensation on your behalf.

Lung Cancer Mesothelioma Throat Cancer Esophageal Cancer Bronchial Cancer Gastrointestinal Cancer Colorectal Cancer

If, however, you struggle with non-cancerous pleural diseases such as asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, COPD (emphysema & chronic bronchitis), pleurisy, lung nodules, lung spots, asthma, pneumonitis, tuberculosis, rounded atelectasis or lung scarring, please seek a second or even a third opinion as the rate of misdiagnosis is very high among the victims of asbestos exposure.

Many family members of ASARCO workers were injured by secondary asbestos exposure


By returning home with asbestos dust on their clothes, which was seen as mere “nuisance dust” at the time, workers were inadvertently endangering the health of their loved ones, who could easily inhale the toxic fibers. Secondary asbestos exposure was highly prevalent among the family members of ASARCO employees. While spouses would be exposed to asbestos when laundering their husbands’ work clothes, children would breathe in carcinogenic fibers upon greeting or playing with their father. As a consequence, numerous people who had never handled asbestos themselves were later diagnosed with mesothelioma or another awful disease, which was subsequently revealed to be the result of domestic asbestos exposure.

The asbestos trust fund set up by ASARCO also provides financial compensation to the family members of former employees who were affected by secondary asbestos exposure, whether their diagnosis is pleural plaques or lung cancer. Our lawyers have successfully assisted over 200,000 asbestos victims with filing a claim since 1990 and will gladly help you as well. Seeking compensation from asbestos trust funds is a simple process that requires no litigation. For more information, please feel free to contact us and we will thoroughly answer all your questions.

Legal assistance in wrongful death asbestos exposure cases for family members

The surviving family members of a worker who developed a disease as a result of occupational asbestos exposure but has not taken legal action during their lifetime are also eligible for compensation. With over 25 years of experience in pursuing compensation for the victims of asbestos exposure and their family members, our attorneys will help you recover the money you deserve on behalf of your loved one. While it is very complex, the legal process requires minimal involvement on your part, as the majority of the aspects, such as the claim and the documents which must accompany it, will be efficiently handled by our legal team. If you have a family member who lost their lives to a disease that was caused by workplace asbestos exposure, do not hesitate to contact our law firm for quality legal assistance. It is important to know that, because we work on a contingency fee basis, you will not have to pay anything unless we recover compensation for you.