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Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Due to Asbestos Exposure in Arkansas

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Prevalence in Arkansas

Mesothelioma is a cancer marked by tumors that form in the mesothelial lining covering organs such as the lungs and abdomen. The disease is primarily caused by asbestos exposure. From 2017 to 2021, Arkansas recorded an age-adjusted mesothelioma rate of 0.6 per 100,000 people, with 108 newly reported cases.

Lung cancer is another serious illness associated with asbestos fibers. Between 2017 and 2021, Arkansas reported 13,491 new lung cancer cases, with an age-adjusted rate of 68.2 per 100,000 people. This rate is significantly higher than the national average of 53.6, placing Arkansas among the higher-ranking states for lung cancer incidence.

Asbestos exposure has had long-lasting health consequences in Arkansas, affecting workers, families, and entire communities for decades.

Contributing Factors

Asbestos exposure in Arkansas remains a concern, particularly in certain locations and occupations. The state received contaminated vermiculite shipments from Libby, Montana, with large quantities sent to North Little Rockand additional shipments distributed to cities such as Nashville, Hope, Pine Bluff, and Little Rock.

Workers in industries such as power generation, construction, chemical manufacturing, demolition, and public service faced elevated risks. Smoking further increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer when combined with asbestos exposure.

Was I exposed to asbestos in Arkansas?

Select a city in arkansas-asbestos-lawyers where you or a household member worked to see the jobsites in Arkansas with known asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure has affected workers and families in every state, across countless industries, and often long after the original exposure occurred. Asbestos-related illness is not limited to any single region. Exposure has occurred in factories, power plants, oil refineries, shipyards, schools, hospitals, military bases, and residential buildings throughout the United States.

Workplace

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High-Risk Occupations for Asbestos Exposure in Arkansas

Many Arkansas workers encountered asbestos on the job, particularly those in construction, chemical plants, manufacturing facilities, and military service. Secondary exposure also affected family members when fibers were carried home on clothing, skin, or hair.

Chemical Plant Workers

Large-scale chemical processing facilities were major sources of asbestos exposure. Notable sites included the Ethyl Corporation Chemical Plant in Magnolia and the Texaco Plant in Little Rock. Maintenance crews, insulators, pipefitters, plumbers, and boilermakers faced the greatest risk.

Asbestos was commonly found in equipment such as insulated tanks, boilers, furnaces, gaskets, piping, HVAC systems, and even protective clothing like gloves and aprons.

Construction Workers

Although Arkansas has limited natural asbestos deposits, most mesothelioma cases are linked to occupational exposure. A notable example is the former W.R. Grace brick processing plant, which received tens of thousands of tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite over several decades.

Exposure extended beyond workers to their families due to fibers brought home from job sites.

Power Plant Workers

Power plant workers were heavily affected because asbestos was widely used for insulation due to its resistance to heat and electricity. Boilers, turbines, and surrounding building materials often contained asbestos.

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Cities in Arkansas with Asbestos

There are 165 cities in Arkansas that are covered by Asbestos Trust Funds

Trust Funds for Arkansas Asbestos Victims

Throughout the twentieth century, many companies used asbestos in industrial operations. As lawsuits increased, several corporations filed for bankruptcy and established trust funds to compensate individuals diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.

The American Smelting and Refining Company, through its subsidiary Central Asbestos Pipe Company, operated facilities in Van Buren, Arkansas. Workers exposed to asbestos-containing cement pipes may qualify for compensation through the ASARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust, established in 2009.

Landmark Arkansas Asbestos Verdict

Ronald Burlie Thomas vs. Honeywell International Inc.

In 2019, a federal jury in Little Rock awarded $18.5 million to the family of Ronald Burlie Thomas. He was exposed to asbestos while working with brake-shoe linings during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Honeywell International was held liable due to asbestos exposure linked to Bendix products. Although Ford Motor Company was named in the lawsuit, it was not found responsible for his illness.

Asbestos Exposure by State

Recognition Received