Union Carbide

Union Carbide was a chemical manufacturing, mining, and asbestos company. It never made asbestos products but distributed the mineral to many industries, exposing countless workers. Union Carbide later faced thousands of related lawsuits.

If you have asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about experienced mesothelioma lawyers in your area, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file an asbestos trust fund claim, and much more. 

Union Carbide History

Established in November 1917, Union Carbide began as a merger between several different companies, including Prest-O-Lite, Linde Air Products, and Electro Metallurgical.

Within a few years, the company began manufacturing chemical products, acquired numerous chemical companies, and opened an ethylene plant.

Throughout the next 40 years, Union Carbide continued to expand substantially. During World War II, the company began manufacturing raw materials and developing plastics. It also began mining uranium ore then opened several uranium ore plants.

Until 1972, Union Carbide sold massive amounts of asbestos to other businesses. The company mined chrysotile asbestos from New Idria, California, and marketed it under the name “Calidria.”

The fibers were then sold in mass amounts to other companies to be used in joint compounds, drywall, and numerous other purposes.

When workers started developing asbestos illnesses due to Union Carbide’s products, asbestos-related lawsuits soon followed.

Union Carbide Bankruptcy and Lawsuits

Although Union Carbide never made or sold asbestos-containing products, it did sell asbestos to other companies.

This meant that Union Carbide was liable for numerous asbestos-related lawsuits filed by those who developed life-threatening diseases.

Unlike many companies that faced thousands of lawsuits, Union Carbide never filed for bankruptcy protection nor set up an asbestos trust fund to help pay off the mounting claims. This led to the company losing millions in lawsuits.

For over 40 years, Union Carbide has been facing mesothelioma lawsuits. In a recent 2014 trial, a California jury awarded plaintiff Bobbie Izell $18 million.

According to court documents, the jury found that Union Carbide caused “reprehensible indifference to the health and safety of others” after reviewing a series of documents that indicate that the company was well-aware of the dangers of asbestos, yet continued to place workers at risk for years.

“[A]s Union Carbide acknowledged, had it warned of the known risk of cancer, the result may have been ‘fatal’ for its asbestos business, but it also likely would have prevented Mr. Izell from being exposed to its dangerous product.”

Hawks Nest Tunnel

Not only did Union Carbide expose thousands of people to asbestos, but between 1927-1932, workers were also exposed to silica while mining West Virginia’s Hawks Nest Tunnel (under the direction of Union Carbide).

The company failed to provide any workers with any protective gear as they worked in the mines. A total of 406 workers died, primarily due to developing silicosis, a fatal lung disease caused by ingesting silica dust.

The devastating tragedy prompted legislation to take notice of the dangers of silica and enforce new laws to help protect workers in the future.

Bhopal, India and the Union Carbide Disaster

In 1984, Union Carbide was in the hot seat once again after its plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, released gas and injured more than 500,000 people.

Over 3,7000 of those people died, and at least 40,000 were disabled for life. For its negligence, Union Carbide was ordered by the Indian Supreme Court to pay $470 million in 1989.

Union Carbide Today

In 2001, the Dow Chemical Company bought Union Carbide for an estimated $11.6 billion.

Before the purchase, Union Carbide sold off a few of its businesses, leaving Dow Chemical with its electronic chemicals, gasses, polyurethane, and carbon products.

If you developed an asbestos disease through your workplace years ago, there is a chance Union Carbide asbestos contributed. Contact a mesothelioma lawyer to determine your legal rights and to seek compensation.

Resources and Help for Asbestos Victims

Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.