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Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Due to Asbestos Exposure in South Carolina

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Prevalence in South Carolina

Mesothelioma is caused by prolonged exposure to life-threatening asbestos minerals. When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they become trapped in the thin lining of internal organs, causing tissue scarring that can eventually develop into cancerous tumors.

According to CDC statistics, the age-adjusted rate of mesothelioma in South Carolina between 2017 and 2021 was 0.7 per 100,000 people, with 236 new cases reported during that period.

Although asbestos deposits are located in mountainous regions, higher mesothelioma rates are seen in coastal counties due to shipbuilding-related exposure.

Lung cancer is another serious disease linked to asbestos exposure. In 2023, an estimated 4,650 new lung cancer cases were reported in South Carolina, and approximately 2,630 people died from the disease during the same year.

Between 2017 and 2021, the age-adjusted lung cancer rate in South Carolina was 58.4 per 100,000 people, with 20,329 new cases reported. The 2024 State of Lung Cancer report lists the state's rate at 58.7 per 100,000, which is higher than the national average of 53.6 per 100,000.

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Select a city in south-carolina-asbestos-lawyers where you or a household member worked to see the jobsites in South Carolina 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.

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Contributing Factors

South Carolina is home to eight known asbestos deposit sites. Vermiculite ores and white asbestos are primarily found in the northwest region, along the eastern slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in the Piedmont and Upstate areas.

Additional asbestos deposits have been identified in Kings Mountain State Park and along Highway 97, particularly in the southwestern part of the state.

Occupational exposure has also been a major contributor to asbestos-related diseases. Approximately 18% of textile workers in South Carolina developed lung cancer due to asbestos exposure. Shipbuilding, power plants, and smoking-related risk factors have further increased vulnerability among exposed workers.

High-Risk Occupations in South Carolina

Workers in industries such as mining, textiles, shipbuilding, and power generation were routinely exposed to asbestos, significantly increasing their risk of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.

Shipbuilders

Beginning in the mid-1930s, asbestos was widely used to insulate ships. Workers and visitors at South Carolina shipyards were exposed during construction and repair processes. Notable shipyards associated with asbestos exposure include Braswell Services Group, Charleston Shipbuilding, Carolina Shipping Company, Detyen's Shipyards, and Drydock Company.

Power Plant Workers

Asbestos was commonly used in power plant equipment such as gaskets, valve seals, pumps, pipe fittings, and insulation. South Carolina facilities associated with asbestos exposure include South Carolina Electric & Gas Company in Columbia, Duke Power Company's Oconee Nuclear Plant in Seneca, and the Charleston Consolidated Railway, Gas & Electric Company.

Veterans

Military veterans and civilians stationed at South Carolina bases were exposed to asbestos through ship insulation, vehicle brake pads, and building materials. Bases with known asbestos exposure include Parris Island Marine Base, Charleston Air Force Base, and the Naval Weapons Station at Goose Creek.

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Cities in South Carolina with Asbestos

There are 220 cities in South Carolina that are covered by Asbestos Trust Funds

Successful Asbestos Lawsuits in South Carolina

Despite strict statutes of limitations, South Carolina residents have successfully pursued asbestos-related lawsuits. In September 2021, a jury awarded $32 million in a case involving secondary asbestos exposure.

Major Asbestos Verdicts

In Perry vs. Johnson & Johnson, a South Carolina jury awarded Michael Perry over $63 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages after he developed mesothelioma from long-term use of talc-based baby powder.

In Weist Family vs. Various Defendants, a jury awarded damages to the family of Kathy Lynn Weist, who developed mesothelioma through secondary asbestos exposure from family members' work clothing.

In Plant vs. Whittaker, Clark & Daniels, Sarah Plant was awarded $29 million after a jury found the company responsible for her asbestos exposure. Additional companies settled during the trial.

In Jolly vs. Duke Energy, Dale and Brenda Jolly were awarded $300,000 after asbestos exposure at Duke Energy power plants between 1979 and 2003 was found to be the cause of Dale's mesothelioma.

Asbestos Exposure by State

Recognition Received