Mesothelioma in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee, was an industrial leader in East Tennessee. Combustion Engineering was a prominent area employer that manufactured asbestos-containing products, including boilers and insulation. Workers may have been exposed to asbestos on the job. Local treatment and legal resources are below.
Learn More About Asbestos and Mesothelioma in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee Mesothelioma Treatment
Chattanooga, Tennessee, residents have access to a variety of mesothelioma treatment options. There are several top cancer centers and specialists in Tennessee. Other top centers located in Atlanta, Georgia, may be options for Chattanooga residents.
At these centers, specialists create personalized medical treatment plans for Chattanooga residents with mesothelioma. These plans may include chemotherapy, surgery or radiation, as well as palliative care options. Patients seeking care at top cancer centers may be eligible to take part in clinical trials. Trials can give patients access to promising emerging treatment options.
Cancer Centers for Mesothelioma Serving Chattanooga, Tennessee
Several cancer centers in and around Chattanooga offer mesothelioma treatment and care.
Options for mesothelioma treatment in Tennessee include the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center located in Nashville, Tennessee. The National Cancer Center Institute (NCI) has designated this facility as a comprehensive cancer care center. Among the unique offerings at this cancer center are patient navigators to assist patients in scheduling appointments and collecting medical and financial records.
Other options for mesothelioma treatment include Georgia Cancer Specialists and Northside Hospital Cancer Institute located in Atlanta, Georgia, less than a two-hour drive from Chattanooga. Northside has been designated by NCI as a comprehensive cancer center and participates in the NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCP). Participation in NCCP helps to bolster the offerings the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute provides.
Tennessee Mesothelioma Cancer Clinics
Chattanooga, Tennessee Mesothelioma Doctors
Chattanooga patients have access to mesothelioma doctors who specialize in treating this rare cancer. It is important for mesothelioma patients to seek treatment from a specialist who can design a treatment plan to potentially improve their mesothelioma prognosis.
Mesothelioma specialists working with patients may include thoracic surgeons and oncologists. These doctors have experience in providing a mesothelioma diagnosis and managing the disease. They can develop a treatment plan for a patient based on the type and stage of mesothelioma. Treatment plans may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and other therapies. Enrollment in a clinical trial may be another treatment option for patients who meet a trial’s eligibility requirements.
Tennessee Mesothelioma Doctors
Chattanooga, Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawsuits
Mesothelioma lawsuits may provide options for financial compensation to asbestos-related disease victims in Chattanooga. Main types of asbestos lawsuits include:
- Personal injury lawsuits: Filed by a mesothelioma patient after diagnosis
- Wrongful death lawsuits: Filed by family members after the death of a mesothelioma patient
Hiring an experienced mesothelioma lawyer is the best way to obtain compensation from negligent companies responsible for asbestos exposure.
Finding a Lawyer or Law Firm in Chattanooga, Tennessee
After a mesothelioma diagnosis, it is important for victims to speak with a qualified attorney. Asbestos lawyers have experience handling mesothelioma cases. Mesothelioma law firms are familiar with asbestos jobsites in Chattanooga and which companies could be potential defendants.
Past cases have shown Chattanooga companies exposed their workers to asbestos. Victims may be able to file lawsuits against these companies. Some asbestos companies have set up asbestos bankruptcy trust funds to compensate victims. A mesothelioma law firm can explain individuals’ eligibility and guide them through the legal process.
Deadlines for Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Lawsuits filed in Chattanooga must follow Tennessee laws, including statutes of limitations. A statute of limitations sets the timeframe for filing a lawsuit.
Claims must be filed within 1 year after an asbestos-related diagnosis.
Claims must be filed within 1 year after an asbestos-related death.
Working with a law firm that is familiar with local laws is beneficial for claimants. For example, law firms familiar with Tennessee asbestos lawsuits may have information about known exposure sites in the city. These lawyers can assess the merits of a case, determine which companies are at fault, pursue steps for compensation and negotiate settlements for their client.
Examples of clients served in the Chattanooga area include:
Age: 78
Occupations: Navy, Utility
Jobsites Worked at: Tennessee Valley Authority (1966 – 1980); University of Chattanooga (1966 – 1973)
Settlement: ~$6,024,535
Age: 93
Occupation: Plant worker
Jobsites Worked at: Combustion Engineering (1946 – 1985)
Settlement: ~$1,801,158
Age: 69
Occupations: Laborer, Machinist
Jobsites Worked at: Underwater Divers Training (1976)
Settlement: ~$1,042,538
Age: 75
Occupations: Pipefitter, Construction
Jobsites Worked at: Blanchard Handle Corp. (1955 – 1956); Combustion Engineering (1956 – 1966)
Settlement: ~$653,195
Asbestos Use in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Many industries in Chattanooga used asbestos, including manufacturing and construction companies and railroads. The mineral was heat resistant and easy to work with. Residents and workers in the area may have been exposed to asbestos and risk developing mesothelioma.
As an industrial hub in Tennessee, Chattanooga was home to many large companies. One employer that frequently used asbestos was Combustion Engineering (CE). At one point, CE employed thousands of workers.
| Gender | Number of Deaths |
|---|---|
| Male | 60 |
| Female | 8* |
*This is an estimate based on CDC data for total mesothelioma deaths in the county and deaths among male patients.
Asbestos Exposure at Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee
In 1925, CE acquired two boiler companies in Chattanooga. Asbestos components soon became incorporated into their boiler production, which included welded boilers, because the components could resist heat and pressure. Boiler workers were commonly exposed to asbestos. CE eventually expanded into other asbestos product manufacturing, including cement and insulation.
By the mid-1960s, the company was receiving hundreds of asbestos injury claims annually after individuals were diagnosed with mesothelioma. An asbestos personal injury trust was established for the company in 2005 after its acquisition by the ASEA Brown Boveri Group.
Among those exposed to asbestos dust in CE’s facilities was a former Tennessee State Senator. In November 2016, the senator sat down for an interview with News Channel 9 to discuss his experience. He recalled the dust created by the asbestos manufacturing process and noted that he was not even aware that he was working with a dangerous material at the time. The senator proceeded to bring litigation against the responsible parties through an asbestos attorney.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Jobsites Where Asbestos Exposure Occurred
- 3M Company
- Air Products
- Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company
- Allied Chemical
- American Bakeries Company
- American Oil Company
- Atlantic Ice & Coal Company
- Atlas Chemical Industries, Inc.
- Baroness Erlanger Hospital
- BASF
- Betterton-Wallace Shoe Company
- Blue Cross Building
- Bowater Paper Mill
- Breeding Insulation Company Inc.
- Burn-Zol, Inc.
- C.E. Station
- Cannon Corporation
- Cavalier Corporation
- Central Soya Company, Inc.
- Chattanooga Brewing Company
- Chattanooga Electric Company
- Chattanooga Food Terminal
- Children’s Hospital at Erlanger
- City Meat Market
- Combustion Engineering, Co., Inc.
- Container Corporation of America
- Cramet, Inc.
- Cream Top Creamery
- Crystal Ice Company
- Crystal Springs Bleachery
- Cumberland Corporation
- Dixie Mercerizing Company
- Dixie Yarns, Inc.
- E.I. Dupont De Nemours & Company
- East Ridge High School
- Ecko Products, Inc.
- Eclipse Lookout Boiler Company
- Edwin W. Lawson
- Elder Realty
- Electrical Securities Corporation
- Erlanger Hospital
- Eureka Foundry Company
- F.H. Kalbfleisch Corporation
- Farmers Chemical Association, Inc.
- Fort Oglethorpe
- Gager Lime and Manufacturing Company
- Garland Sherman Company, Inc.
- Garland Sherman Company, Inc.
- General Portland Cement Company
- Girdler Corporation
- Hale & Wallace, Inc.
- Hamilton County Memorial Hospital
- Hamilton National Bank
- Heatec, Inc.
- ICI America, Inc.
- Ingalls Ship Corporation
- James Supply and Hardware Company
- Knoedler & Merideth
- Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School
- Lookout Boiler and Manufacturing Company
- Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company
- Lutex Chemical Corporation, Inc.
- Maclellan Building
- Main Street Warehouse
- Massey Electric Company, Inc.
- McBrien Elementary School
- McBryer Drywall Company
- McCallie School
- Miller's Department Store
- Moccasin Bend Substation
- Norris & Son, Inc.
- North American Royalties, Inc.
- Northgate Mall
- Olin Chemicals and Chlor Alkali, Inc
- Plibrico Sales & Service, Inc.
- Polysar Latex Inc
- Purity Extract and Tonic Company
- Read House Hotel
- Rock-Tenn Company
- Rockwell International
- Rome Furnace Company
- S.Y. Wilson and Company
- Service Electric Company
- Sewanee Coal & Supply Company
- Southern Belt Line Delivery
- Southern Blowpipe Sheetmetal & Roofing Company
- Southern Wood Preserving Company
- Standard Coosa-Thatcher Company
- Sulzberger and Sons Company
- Temple Company
- Tennessee Paper Mills, Inc.
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- Tennessee Valley Authority’s Paradise Steam Plant
- Tri-state Refractories Company
- Tuberculosis Sanitarium Association of Chattanooga
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant
- W. R. Grace & Company
- Westview Elementary School
- Wheland Foundry
Sources
Bagwell K. Former State Senator Exposed to Asbestos Four Decades Ago Now Paying With His Life. News Channel 9 ABC. November 2016.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020. CDC Wonder Online Database.
Financial Assistance for Mesothelioma Patients
Legally
Reviewed by
Jennifer Lucarelli
Mesothelioma Lawyer and Legal Advisor
For more than two decades, Jennifer Lucarelli has served as Legal Advisor at Mesothelioma.com. She has advocated for more than 1,000 asbestos victims, securing millions in settlements and helping them access quality medical care.
