History of Asbestos in South Dakota
South Dakota is a sparsely populated state with little in the way of industry when compared to industrial giants along the East Coast and in the South. The state is landlocked and so does no shipping or shipbuilding and has no naval bases.
There are several naturally occurring deposits of asbestos in South Dakota, but the main way the mineral has found its way into the state is in insulation of public and commercial buildings as well as homes. Most insulation before 1975 was either purposely produced with asbestos as an ingredient or was contaminated when vermiculite from the W.R. Grace Vermiculite Mine, which was heavily contaminated with asbestos, was added.
Asbestos was also an ingredient in many household items such as toasters, hair dryers, curling irons, clothes irons, ironing boards, pot holders and even flame retardant pajamas. It was used in vehicles, especially in brake pads.
Asbestos was heavily applied in power stations and electrical wire because of its ability to resist heat, flame and electricity. South Dakota power stations are likely sources of asbestos exposure.
In addition, there are two Air Force Bases in the state. The entire U.S. Military made extensive use of asbestos in facilities, barracks, ships, planes, vehicles, power stations and just about every other building, mostly in the forms of insulation and fireproofing such as in plumbing, walls and ceilings, floor tiles, and electrical partitions, and wiring.
Companies with Possible Asbestos Exposure
These locations are suspected of having asbestos in the environment in a way that may have exposed people.
- A.H. Bennett Co.
- Amdak Corp.
- Big Stone Power Plant
- Consolidated Coal Co.
- Dakota Midland Hospital
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- Halde and Fleer, Inc.
- Healy Plumbing & Heating Co.
- Macarthur Co.
- Northern States Power Co.
- Pathfinder Power Plant
- Piere Junior High School
- Rapid City Air Force Base
- Red Ball Warehouse
- Revillo School
- Risager Plumbing & Heating Co.
- South Dakota State University
- St. Luke Hospital Power Plant
- State Hosptial
- XCEL Energy
Asbestos-related Deaths in South Dakota
It is estimated that between 63 and 94 deaths in South Dakota between 1979 and 2004 were caused by mesothelioma. This number is low compared to the national average but much higher than it should be.
Where to Find Help
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
Because the state is so rural, there are not a lot of treatment options for mesothelioma:
Avera Cancer Institute
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
800 East 21st Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
Phone: 605-322-8000
John T. Vucurevich Cancer Care Institute
Rapid City Regional Hospital
353 Fairmont Boulevard
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: 605-719-1000
You may find these options in nearby states offer more in the way of specialized mesothelioma treatment:
Eppley Cancer Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
600 South 42nd Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6805
Phone: 402-559-4238
Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of Iowa
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Phone: 313-353-8620
Masonic Cancer Center
University of Minnesota
420 Delaware Street, S.E.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
Phone: 612-624-8484 or 888-226-2376
Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
Mayo Clinic Rochester
200 First Street, S.W.
Rochester, Minnesota 55905
Phone: 507-266-4997
If you can pinpoint the source of asbestos exposure that lead to mesothelioma, you may be able to hold the asbestos companies and employers that exposed you responsible for their greedy and negligent actions. South Dakota law has established that these companies knew or should have known how deadly their products were and should have warned and protected people from being exposed.
A South Dakota mesothelioma lawyer can discuss the details of your case with you free of charge, and let you know if there is enough evidence to proceed with a lawsuit. If you aren't sure how you were exposed, they are likely able to help you pinpoint a source. Call Simon, Eddins & Greenstone, LLP for a free consultation about your legal options. We work on a contingency fee basis which means you owe us nothing unless we win your case. 866-632-7574.