Georgia has a long and varied industrial history that includes widespread asbestos use across construction, power generation, manufacturing, and ship-related activities. Many Georgia asbestos exposure job sites associated with current claims involved products that historically contained asbestos for insulation, fireproofing, or heat resistance during much of the twentieth century.
By identifying historically significant industries and companies in Georgia, it becomes possible to better understand where asbestos exposure occurred and why asbestos-related diseases are often diagnosed decades after these materials were phased out.
As Georgia expanded in the mid-twentieth century, power plants and utility infrastructure were constructed and expanded throughout the state. Power plants and other facilities that were constructed or retrofitted during this period of time may have contained asbestos materials, as it was a time when asbestos was widely used in the construction industry.
Georgia asbestos exposure claims, as a result, have involved work conducted at power generation facilities, substations, and other utility support structures. Exposure was most likely to have occurred during maintenance, repair, and retrofit work conducted after the original construction, as aging insulation and equipment were disturbed during routine work or upgrading.
Georgia’s economy has historically been home to many large manufacturing and industrial operations. Chemical processing facilities, textile manufacturers, paper production facilities, and heavy equipment manufacturing companies are examples of Georgia businesses that opened and expanded their operations prior to stricter asbestos regulations.
Asbestos exposure claims that name Georgia manufacturing sites as defendants often involve workers who ran or maintained large industrial equipment, worked in production areas, or were tasked with maintaining facilities. Asbestos-containing materials used in these job sites include materials that were used in manufacturing machinery and piping, as well as building materials that could break down over time and lead to exposure.
Construction and industrial infrastructure projects have been a major part of Georgia’s growth over the past century. Commercial buildings, public facilities, schools, and industrial buildings have used asbestos-containing materials throughout the twentieth century. Georgia asbestos exposure claims frequently include workers who were involved in construction, renovation, or demolition projects where older materials were cut, removed, or disturbed.
Infrastructure projects, including government buildings, transportation facilities, and utility structures, are often investigated to determine where exposure may have occurred from construction-related work decades earlier.
Georgia is home to numerous military bases and federal facilities, many of which were built during periods when asbestos use was common. Some of these sites have extensive mechanical systems and ancillary housing/support buildings, which often contain asbestos products.
Many asbestos exposure claims related to military and federal sites in Georgia have involved service members, civilian employees, or contractors, often in the course of doing construction, maintenance, or repair work. Asbestos exposure may have been related to older buildings and/or utility tunnels and mechanical systems, rather than to typical administrative duties.
Mesothelioma is not a common disease in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, about 3,000 mesothelioma cases are diagnosed each year. Since the disease is rare and often diagnosed decades after asbestos exposure, many individuals are unfamiliar with it until symptoms appear. This rarity can make it more difficult to immediately identify when and where asbestos exposure may have occurred.
Mesothelioma is a serious cancer that often carries a limited life expectancy after diagnosis. The average life expectancy following a mesothelioma diagnosis is about 18 months, though outcomes vary based on disease type, stage, overall health, and treatment. Prognosis differs by form, with pleural mesothelioma showing an estimated five-year survival rate of about 7-24%.
You do not necessarily need to remember the exact job site to file a claim. Memory alone is often insufficient to support asbestos exposure claims. Employment records, union records, military service records, and historical research often form the basis of these types of claims.
While specific job sites cannot always be recalled, asbestos exposure can often be established by proof of job duties, along with dates and knowledge of working conditions on specific sites derived from occupational and industry records.
Just because you worked at a known location does not necessarily mean you were exposed to asbestos. Asbestos exposure is determined by what job you had, the materials on site, and the years you worked. Some workers were exposed frequently, and others working at the same site were not exposed.
Georgia Code O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 usually limits personal injury claims, which include mesothelioma claims, to two years. In asbestos cases, Georgia courts apply a discovery-based approach, meaning the filing period typically begins when the disease is diagnosed or reasonably should have been discovered, rather than when asbestos exposure occurred. This distinction is critical given the long latency period associated with mesothelioma.
Wallace & Graham, P.A. has nearly 40 years of combined experience pursuing asbestos exposure claims against Georgia job sites and industrial plants. We have reviewed records and assessed claims to determine what asbestos-containing products were present and how exposure could have occurred in various industries and time periods.
Nuestro equipo jurídico builds our claims around documented industrial practices and known evidence, including medical records, occupational history, and legitimate historical research. Georgia asbestos claims commonly involve work sites and employment that took place many years ago. Reviewing known asbestos hotspots from years past and statutes of limitation can help identify possible exposure sites.
Wallace & Graham, P.A. has handled many asbestos claims in Georgia and knows how to properly investigate and build a case based on medical findings, employment history, and Georgia law. Concertar una consulta a hire a Georgia asbestos exposure lawyer hoy.