A Tennessee mesothelioma lawyer can help you fight for justice if you’ve been injured by asbestos. Tennessee is known for its contributions to American musical culture, but its agricultural, electrical power, and construction industries are linked to heavy asbestos use.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to get a free Financial Compensation Packet. You’ll learn about the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Tennessee, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file a claim for the asbestos trust funds, and more.
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We are happy to offer assistance to asbestos victims and their families in all areas of Tennessee, including:
Memphis, Nashville-Davidson, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Jackson, Johnson City, Bartlett, Hendersonville, Kingsport, Collierville, Smyrna, Cleveland, Brentwood, Germantown, Columbia, La Vergne, Spring Hill, Gallatin, Cookeville, Oak Ridge, Morristown, Lebanon, Mount Juliet, Maryville, Bristol, Farragut, East Ridge, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, Dyersburg, Goodlettsville, Springfield, Sevierville, Greeneville, Dickson, Elizabethton, McMinnville, Athens, Middle Valley, Soddy-Daisy, Lakeland, Portland, Red Bank, Arlington, Martin, Lewisburg, Crossville, Millington, Seymour, White House, Union City, Lawrenceburg, Manchester, Bloomingdale, Paris, Brownsville, Clinton, Collegedale, Covington, Lenoir City, Atoka, Alcoa, Winchester, Signal Mountain, Humboldt, Ripley, Jefferson City, Fairview, Lexington, Harrison and Hartsville/Trousdale County, Milan, Pulaski, Dayton, La Follette, Fairfield, Glade, Fayetteville, Oakland, Savannah, Newport, Church Hill, Greenbrier, Millersville, Henderson, Green Hill, Lynchburg, Moore County, Harriman, Nolensville, Erwin, Pigeon Forge, Munford, South Cleveland, Tellico Village, Sweetwater, Kingston, Loudon, McKenzie, Mount Carmel, and more.
Tennessee Asbestos Facts
The number of deaths in Tennessee related to asbestos between 1999 and 2017 numbered 4,935.
Of those deaths, 3,580 resulted from asbestos-related lung cancer.
There were 895 deaths caused by mesothelioma and 484 from asbestosis.
Davidson County and Hamilton County have the highest number of asbestos-related deaths.
About Mesothelioma and Asbestos in TN
Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral that many industries and workplaces used for many years in Tennessee and other states.
Asbestos readily sheds tiny fibers that workers cannot see and inadvertently inhale or ingest. Inside the body, these fibers damage cells and tissues, causing inflammation. Some people get sick decades later from the damage caused by asbestos.
Pleural mesothelioma affects the tissue around the lungs and causes symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pains, and coughing. Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common and develops in the abdomen. It causes abdominal pain and swelling, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Filing an Asbestos Claim in Tennessee
If you have a mesothelioma diagnosis, you were most likely negligently exposed to asbestos in the workplace. This means you have a right to take legal action to seek compensation from the asbestos companies responsible:
Mesothelioma Personal Injury Lawsuit. Mesothelioma is almost always a personal injury because it is caused by negligent asbestos exposure. Asbestos lawsuits usually end in a settlement for the victim.
Asbestos Trust Fund Claim. If the companies responsible for your exposure went bankrupt, you cannot sue them. You can probably qualify for an asbestos trust fund claim. Bankrupt asbestos companies set up these funds to compensate future claimants.
If you were exposed to asbestos during military service, you could be eligible for VA benefits. A lawyer can help you make a successful claim for monthly disability compensation.
How Much Compensation Can a Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawyer Get for Me?
Compensation is never guaranteed, but experienced Tennessee asbestos attorneys give you the best chance of recovering maximum damages. Compensation amounts vary by case and depend on:
Costs of medical care
Future medical expenses
Lost wages
Home care and other medical costs
Degree of emotional and physical pain and suffering
Most asbestos lawsuits end in settlements. Mesothelioma settlements average between $1 million and $1.4 million. Choose an experienced, expert mesothelioma and asbestos law firm to ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation the asbestos companies owe you.
Where Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Tennessee?
If you received a mesothelioma diagnosis, you were probably exposed to asbestos years ago at one or more workplaces. Many industries used asbestos for decades without warning workers of the risks. These are just some examples from Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Authority and Asbestos
Tennessee became a major provider of electricity in the 1930s and 1940s when the federal government created the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Starting in 1933, TVA helped set up a variety of industries that ranged from power and electricity generation to flood control, navigation, and even the manufacture of fertilizer.
TVA’s mission was to modernize Tennessee and areas of several neighboring states during the recovery from the Great Depression. TVA succeeded in its goals and is still the largest regional planning agency in the U.S.
The first 40 years of TVA’s existence coincided with the peak era of asbestos use in the U.S.
Many TVA facilities, including hydroelectric facilities such as the Chickamauga Dam near Chattanooga and the Boone Dam on the South Fork Holston River, were built with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
The TVA also built coal and oil-powered power plants, including the Bull Run Fossil Plant near Oak Ridge and the Kingston Fossil Plant.
The Kingston power plant was built in the early 1950s to provide electricity for the nuclear reactors in nearby Oak Ridge.
Paper Manufacturing
Paper manufacturing is another key industry for Tennessee’s economy. Pulp and paper mills provide thousands of jobs for Tennessee residents. Tennessee paper mills built through the 1980s are often associated with asbestos.
Consequently, several former employees who worked at paper manufacturing sites such as the Tennessee River Pulp & Paper Company in Counce or the Mead Paperboard Corporation plant in Harriman are at a heightened risk of developing an asbestos-related illness.
Other Tennessee Industries Associated with Asbestos
Other industries which depended on asbestos in the state included metal processing, construction, and chemical manufacturing.
Until the late 1970s, many builders used ACMs when building schools, courthouses, government offices, military bases, residential homes, and apartment buildings.
Additional Job Sites in Tennessee with Known Asbestos Use
Bowater Paper Mill, Calhoun
Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Bristol
Chickasaw Ordnance Works, Millington
E.I. DuPont De Nemours Chemical Plant, Old Hickory
Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Coffee County
Calhoun Paper Mill, Calhoun
Dixie Foundry Company, Cleveland
Douglas Dam, Sevier County
Gallatin Power Plant (coal-fired), Gallatin
Mueller Company Plant, Chattanooga
Combustion Engineering, Chattanooga
American Smelting and Refining Company, Knox County
Allied Chemical Plant, Chattanooga
Lookout Boiler Company, Chattanooga
Tennessee Valley Power Plant, Memphis
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Nashville
Crump Lime and Cement, Memphis
Memphis City School District, Memphis
Atomic Energy Commission Plant, Oak Ridge
Union Carbide Chemical Plant, Oak Ridge
Memphis Street Lighting Department, Memphis
Chicago Bridge and Iron Manufacturing Plant, Memphis
Current Asbestos Exposure in Tennessee
Asbestos risks are much less today than in the past. Unfortunately, there is still some risk to Tennessee residents and workers. These are some examples that illustrate the ongoing risk:
In 2022, the Eastman Chemical plant experienced a high-pressure steam line failure. It resulted in an explosion that spread debris over the town of Kingsport. The debris included asbestos dust. Residents have filed a class action lawsuit against Eastman.
Clean-up efforts at the East Tennesse Technology Park in Oak Ridge continued in 2023. The project included the removal of 200,000 pounds of debris from a creek in the area. The material included asbestos panels that had been dumped there years ago.
In 2022, residents of Cumberland County received notification that their water tested positive for asbestos. The information came from the West Cumberland Utility District. Asbestos can appear in water for many reasons, including the deterioration of aging asbestos cement pipes.
Tennessee Asbestos Laws
Several Tennessee state laws and precedents affect how asbestos lawsuits proceed. Other laws regulate the current management of asbestos to protect workers and residents today.
Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Cases in Tennessee
Tennessee follows a strict statute of limitations when it comes to filing an asbestos-related lawsuit:
Although many states allow from three to six years to file an asbestos-related suit, in Tennessee, you must file within one year of the initial diagnosis or within one year in which the disease should have been reasonably found out.
For wrongful death cases, the lawsuit must be filed within a year of the victim’s death.
Secondhand Asbestos Exposure and Take-Home Duty
The Tennessee Supreme Court made an important ruling in a 2008 case in which a woman’s estate sued Alcoa Aluminum. She died from mesothelioma at the young age of 25. Her family blamed her illness on secondhand exposure to asbestos fibers her father inadvertently brought home from work on his clothing.
The case went all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court. The Court ruled that Alcoa and other companies have a duty to warn workers and their families of the risks of secondhand exposure. This set a precedent that allows other secondhand asbestos exposure victims to seek compensation.
Bare Metal Defense
While the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in favor of secondhand asbestos exposure victims, another ruling limits compensation for victims in some cases.
The Court ruled that companies can use what is called the bare metal defense in asbestos cases. Companies use this defense to deny liability for asbestos parts used in their products.
In the deciding case, plaintiff Donald Coffman worked with asbestos parts at the Eastman chemical plant. He sued the manufacturers, claiming they had a duty to warn him about asbestos parts made by other companies that were used in their products. His argument did not hold up.
Asbestos Trust Fund Transparency
In 2016, Tennessee passed a law requiring greater transparency in asbestos trust fund claims. Plaintiffs in asbestos lawsuits must disclose information about claims they have made or plan to make.
If a plaintiff receives any compensation from an asbestos trust fund, the court can reduce a jury award by that amount.
Asbestos Claims Priorities Act
Tennessee also passed the Asbestos Claims Priorities Act in 2016. This law requires that plaintiffs in asbestos cases provide a medical report in their filings.
The report must include test results showing that asbestos was a substantial cause of the plaintiff’s illness. It must be signed by a qualifying physician.
Asbestos Safety Regulations
The state of Tennessee follows NESHAP federal regulations regarding the demolition or removal of asbestos material from public property.
However, there are also mandated state laws in place to help protect residents and encourage safety throughout the state:
Tennessee requires that contractors and inspectors to go through state-approved training in order to operate within the state.
The state has comprehensive rules regarding certification regarding asbestos removal via their hazardous waste management courses.
Prior to the removal of asbestos material, the contractor must give written notice, which must be accepted at least 10 days before the work begins.
The state also requires that the contractor and property owner maintain a “Waste Shipment Record” that the state files to keep track of hazardous material.
For further information and resources, contact the Tennessee Air Pollution Control at 615-532-0554.
Mesothelioma Treatment in Tennessee
The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) in Nashville is the state’s leading cancer-treatment facility. Affiliated with Vanderbilt University, VICC is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer in Tennessee.
For 20 years, VICC has provided cancer treatment to patients with asbestos-related cancers, including asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma.
In addition to offering various types of oncology treatments, VICC is also involved in advanced cancer research to develop more effective cancer-fighting techniques.
Getting Legal Help in Tennessee
Remember, if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for significant compensation. 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.
Paul 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.
