Nevada began to be developed much later in the 20th century than most other big cities in the country. Asbestos does not occur in natural deposits in the state and so until cities such as Reno and especially Las Vegas began to expand significantly, Nevada residents were safer from asbestos exposure and resulting diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.
However, the state began to see rapid growth, especially in Las Vegas, and until the recent economic slump, it was the fastest growing city in the United States for years. Casinos brought in visitors which in turn created jobs in the hospitality industry. Workers in these jobs required homes, physicians, retail stores, libraries, schools, etc.
Unfortunately, from the 1950s to the early 1980′s, construction of nearly all these casinos, hotels, homes, stores, and buildings involved asbestos. Asbestos was regularly present in insulation, drywall, plaster, floor tiles, plumbing, and other building products.
All of this growth also made electricity in high demand, especially considering the amount of power the Las Vegas strip uses. At first, casinos built their own power generators on site, but eventually, regional power generation stations replaced them. Now the state has a number of power stations, and each of these has asbestos present.
The reason for this is that asbestos was also frequently used in electrical wires, partitions, and panels because it is resistant to heat and electricity.
As a result of asbestos exposure, hundreds of people that have lived or worked in Nevada have developed mesothelioma. Nevada law protects the rights of mesothelioma victims and Nevada mesothelioma lawyers have helped their clients achieve settlements and verdicts against asbestos companies to help with financial and other losses.
Tags: asbestos, mesothelioma
