An Omaha mesothelioma lawyer can help you if you’ve been harmed by asbestos exposure. Omaha has a long industrial history crucial to the local economy, but many of the companies in the state used asbestos and put workers and residents at risk.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for pain, suffering, lost wages, and much more. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in Omaha, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
- Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
- Learn how to get paid in 90 days
- File for your share of $30 billion in trust funds
Omaha Asbestos Facts
- Douglas County and Omaha account for the largest number of asbestos-related deaths in Nebraska.
- Between 1999 and 2017, more than 501 people in the county died from asbestos exposure and illness out of just over 1,600 such deaths in the state.
- Several industries, as well as older buildings constructed with asbestos, have caused exposure and continue to be an issue in Omaha.
Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma
Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, a devastating cancer with a poor prognosis. If you worked with or around asbestos, you might have inhaled its fibers. Those fibers cause inflammation and damage in tissues and cells.
Some people exposed to asbestos develop illnesses decades later. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos causes lung cancer and asbestosis, a non-malignant disease.
Most people exposed to asbestos encountered it on the job. Companies can be held accountable for negligent exposure. Victims have a right to seek compensation for resulting damages.
Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Omaha
A mesothelioma lawsuit can help you get compensation to cover medical and other expenses. These lawsuits can be complicated, but an Omaha mesothelioma lawyer can guide you through the process and give you the best chance of a good outcome.
In addition to a mesothelioma injury lawsuit, an asbestos attorney can help you make other types of claims to seek compensation:
- Asbestos trust fund claim. Asbestos trust funds currently contain nearly $30 billion to compensate asbestos-exposure victims. Ask your lawyer if you are eligible for any of these trust funds.
- Wrongful death lawsuit. If you lost a loved one to mesothelioma, your lawyer can help you sue for damages.
- Veteran benefits claim. If you are a veteran, your lawyer can determine if you were exposed to asbestos in the military. They can help you navigate the benefits system.
Most mesothelioma lawsuits end in settlements, which average between $1 million and $1.4 million. Jury awards are larger, but most of these cases do not go to trial.
Work with an Omaha Mesothelioma Lawyer at No Cost
Reputable asbestos firms do not charge for an initial consultation. If they take your case, they charge no fees until they win. You can contact and work with a lawyer at no cost, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Choose a lawyer with experience handling and winning asbestos cases. They should be part of a large firm. Because asbestos cases are complicated, you need the backing of a big firm with a lot of resources.
The firm will use these resources to investigate your past asbestos exposure. They use investigators and medical experts to gather evidence and prove that negligent asbestos exposure led to your current illness.
Where Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Omaha?
Many industries and workplaces in Omaha used asbestos for decades. These companies and those that supplied them with asbestos negligently exposed workers, putting them at risk for mesothelioma. These are just a few examples.
Western Mineral Products
Omaha was once home to an important vermiculite processing plant. Between 1967 and 1991, it handled over 165,000 tons of the mineral commonly used in construction minerals.
Owned by Western Minerals Products, the plant received shipments of vermiculite from the infamous W.R. Grace mines in Libby, Montana. The minerals shipped out from the Libby mines contained contaminating asbestos.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded in a site report that workers and their families were likely to have been exposed to harmful levels of asbestos. Whether or not nearby residents were exposed is unknown.
Omaha Public Power District
Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) is Omaha’s largest utility company. Almost all of its stations, plants, and facilities were constructed before the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) strict regulations on asbestos. Workers in these facilities risked asbestos exposure.
An Omaha judge awarded Dale Watson, a former employee of OPPD, compensation after he filed an asbestos lawsuit against the company in 2001. From 1979 to 1996, Watson inhaled asbestos fibers in the central maintenance department.
In 1997, Watson left OPPD. A few months later, a physician diagnosed him with pulmonary asbestosis.
Even though a different company employed Watson at the time of his diagnosis, the judge determined he developed asbestosis after spending long hours working at OPPD.
Potentially many more workers at OPPD were exposed to asbestos and developed illnesses. Asbestos was once used in the company’s equipment, insulation, tiling, machinery, pipes, and machinery.
Other Job Sites and Businesses Associated with Asbestos Use in Omaha
Many industries used asbestos before the EPA’s regulations. While some of these companies are no longer in business, many of the buildings with asbestos are still in use.
Electric and Power Companies
- Anderson Electric
- General Electric (GE-North Omaha Power Station, Unit 4)
- Master Electronics
- Omaha Steam Electric Station
- Sperry Electric Light Company
- Western Electric Plant
- Bellview Power Plant
- Nebraska Power & Light
Hospitals
- The Nebraska Medical Center
- Douglas County Community Mental Health Center
- Lutheran Medical Hospital
- St. Joseph’s Hospital
Refineries
- American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO)
- Sinclair Refining
Hotels
- Castle Hotel
- Hilton Omaha Hotel
Additional Buildings and Job Sites
- Alger Warehouse
- Allied Chemical
- Ceco Building Systems
- Drake Williams Steel
- Fairmont Creamery Company
- Chaney Furnace Company
- American Loan and Trusts
- Blue Chip Auto Corporation
- Armstrong Contracting and Supply
- Cornhusker Motor Club
- Ferer Aaron & Sons
- Falstaff Brewing
- First Methodist Church
- Kelley Plant
- Campbell’s Soup
- Kellogg Corporation
- Kiewit Plaza
- Land Paving Company
- Northern Gas Products
- Offutt Air Force Base
- Olron Brothers Inc.
- Omaha Gas Works
- Omaha Ice and Cold Storage Corporation
- Paul Davie and Sons
- Quaker Oats Company
- Swift & Company (Store and Store Rooms)
- Thomas A. Walsh Manufacturing Company
- United States Post Office and Garage
- Dewey Park Tennis Center (J.L. Tatum Residence)
- University of Nebraska- Activities Building
- University of Nebraska- Gymnasium
- St. Anthony Parish Church
- Union Stock Yards (House Barns)
- Puritan Manufacturing
- Rosborough Fire Brick & Supply
- Fred Krug Brewing Company
- Jack Perry Plumbing
- Sears, Roebuck & Company
- United Benefit Life Insurance Company
- Union Pacific Railroad Company
- Willow Springs Distillery
Ongoing Asbestos Exposure in Omaha
Asbestos is less of a danger now than it was in workplaces in the past, but some people are still at risk of exposure. This is because many older buildings in Omaha were constructed with asbestos in several materials, like insulation.
Asbestos has been an ongoing issue in Omaha’s police headquarters. The city has been in discussions to provide new, combined facilities for the police and firefighters due to numerous building issues. One of these is lingering asbestos that puts workers at risk of exposure.
People in Omaha also face risks of asbestos exposure in residential buildings. In 2019, residents of Legacy Crossing Apartment were forced to evacuate over asbestos concerns.
Cancer Treatment in Omaha
Several cancer treatment centers in Omaha provide quality care with innovative, cutting-edge technology. Each center offers treatment options, clinical trials, research, and specialized oncology.
Creighton University Medical Center
Cancer Center
601 North 30th Street
Suite 2803
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
Good Samaritan Health Systems
Mesothelioma Treatment Section
Connie S. Wittman,
RN, MN 10 E. 31st St.
Kearney, Nebraska
Creighton University Medical Center, Cancer Center
Mesothelioma Treatment Section
Brian W. Loggie, MD, Professor of Surgery, Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology,
Director, Cancer Center
601 N. 30th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
CCOP-Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
Mesothelioma Treatment Department
James A. Mailliard, MD
601 N. 30th St. #2565
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
Legal Assistance in Omaha and Additional Information
Remember, if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for significant compensation. Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. For questions and assistance, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.
Paul Danziger
Reviewer and EditorPaul Danziger grew up in Houston, Texas and earned a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. For over 25 years years he has focused on representing mesothelioma cancer victims and others hurt by asbestos exposure. Paul and his law firm have represented thousands of people diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, recovering significant compensation for injured clients. Every client is extremely important to Paul and he will take every call from clients who want to speak with him. Paul and his law firm handle mesothelioma cases throughout the United States.
References
- Court of Appeals of Nebraska. (2001, January 30). Watson v. Omaha Public Power District (2001).
Retrieved from: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ne-court-of-appeals/1044285.html - Omaha Public Power District. (n.d.). Company History.
Retrieved from: https://www.oppd.com/about/company-history/ - Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. (2009, September 5). Title 178 Environmental Health. Chapter 22 Asbestos Products.
Retrieved from: http://www.sos.ne.gov/rules-and-regs/regsearch/Rules/Health_and_Human_Services_System/Title-178/Chapter-22.pdf - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2004, October 14). Western Minerals Products. Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska.
Retrieved from: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/WestMinProd101404HC-NE/WestMinProd101404HC-NE.pdf - Environmental Working Group. (n.d.). Asbestos-Related Deaths in Nebraska.
Retrieved from: http://www.asbestosnation.org/facts/asbestos-deaths/ne/ - Hegarty, A. (2023, May 9). Omaha Police and Fire Departments Could Get New, Combined Headquarters. 3 News Now Omaha
Retrieved from: https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/omaha-police-and-fire-departments-could-get-new-combined-headquarters - Pearson, L. (2019, March 30). Asbestos Threatens West Omaha Apartment Complex. WOWT.
Retrieved from: https://www.wowt.com/content/news/Asbestos-threat-in-west-Omaha-apartment-complex-507900301.html