History of Asbestos in New York
Asbestos has a long history in New York. Natural deposits are found in five areas of the state and three of them were actively mined in the 20th century. Most notably, the state was the birthplace of the world's largest asbestos products company, the Johns-Manville Corporation.
In 1858, at the age of 21, Henry-Johns Wood founded the H.W. Johns Manufacturing Company. The company produced asbestos construction products such as tiles, roofing and insulation. The company grew and eventually became the infamous Johns-Manville Corporation.
This name is well known to many asbestos plaintiffs because the company's asbestos products resulted in such a large number of asbestos injuries such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer, among others; so many, in fact, that the company filed for bankruptcy in 1982. At that time, it was the wealthiest company to ever file bankruptcy. Many people who received mesothelioma settlements for pennies on the dollar from the Johns-Manville asbestos trust were understandably angry since the company continued to prosper even after going bankrupt.
Henry-Johns Wood died of asbestosis at the age of 61.
In addition to Johns-Manville, asbestos played a deadly part in the success of many other companies and industries in New York. Heavily used as an insulator and heat retardant in manufacturing and construction, asbestos was built into nearly every home, building and ship built in the state until about 1980 and was present in a multitude of factories.
Companies with Potential Asbestos Exposure
Thousands of buildings and company worksites in New York currently have, or had at some point, asbestos present in the environment. As mentioned above, it was almost always used in construction, so public buildings such as schools, churches, synagogues, libraries, hospitals and government buildings likely had asbestos insulation.
Below is a selective list of industries and companies believed to have had asbestos present to an extent that people could have been exposed. This list is meant to be helpful, but is not comprehensive.
Manufacturing:
- DuPont Chemical
- Beaver Falls Paper Mill
- Empire-Ace Insulation Manufacturing
- Johns-Manville Corporation
- Dunlop Tire Company
- W.R. Grace's Zonolite
Oil:
- Mobil Oil Co.
- Ashland Oil Co.
- Commonwealth Oil Co.
Shipyards:
- Brooklyn Naval Shipyard
- New York Naval Shipyard
- Todd Shipyards Corp.
- Defoe Shipyard
Metal:
- Bethlehem Steel
- Brooklyn Steel Warehouse Co.
- ACME Steel
- Revere Copper & Brass
- Badger Aluminum Foundry
- Alcoa Aluminum
Power:
- Astoria Power
- Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
- Arthur Kill Powerhouse
- Nine Mile Point
- Con Edison
Railroad:
- Long Island Railroad
- D&H Public Railroad
- New York Central Railroad
Military:
- Steward Air Force Base
- Plattsville Air Force Base
- Brooklyn Naval Shipyard
- New York Naval Shipyard
- U.S. Coast Guard Base
Asbestos-related Deaths in New York
Mesothelioma death rates in New York are among the highest in the country. Between 1979 and 2001 it is estimated that 2626 to 4088 people died of mesothelioma and asbestosis. Even worse, this number is considered to be low and the actual number of mesothelioma deaths were significantly higher. The estimates are suspect because when accurate reporting of mesothelioma deaths was mandated in 1999, the number rose markedly.
Where to Find Help
New York Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
Mesothelioma victims in New York are fortunate to be able to choose from several of the top mesothelioma treatment centers in the country:
Albert Einstein Cancer Research Center
Chanin Building, Room 209
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, New York 10461
Phone: 718-430-2302
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Dr. Robert N. Taub
Professor of Clinical Medicine
161 Fort Washington Avenue, Herbert Irving 9-907
New York, New York 10032
Phone: 212-305-4076
Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
College of Physicians & Surgeons
Columbia University
1130 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, New York 10032
212-851-5273
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, New York 10021
Phone: 212-639-2000 or 800-525-2225
NYU Cancer Institute
New York University Medical Center
550 First Avenue
New York, New York 10016
Phone: 212-263-6485
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Elm & Carlton Streets
Buffalo, New York 14263-0001
Phone: 716-845-5772
The Derald H. Ruttenberg Treatment Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center
1190 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
Phone: 212-241-6756
New York law has established that companies making or using asbestos products knew or should have known that asbestos was deadly and should have taken steps to warn anyone that could have come in contact. However, many didn't.
As a result, you've developed mesothelioma and your life and your family's and your financial stability is in jeopardy. New York mesothelioma attorneys can review your case to see if you may be eligible for financial compensation to assist with medical bills, loss of income and benefits, loss of companionship and household services, pain and suffering, and other losses.
The mesothelioma attorneys at Simon, Eddins & Greenstone, LLP have experience helping asbestos victims in New York win settlements and verdicts. We are knowledgeable in the New York laws that apply to mesothelioma cases.