ASBESTOS EXPOSURES SUFFERED AT THE MERCER GENERATING STATION – HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY

The Mercer Generating Station went online in 1960. Located in Hamilton Township, near the Delaware River, the plant is owned and operated by PSEG. United Engineers and Contractors constructed the Mercer Generating Station, which features coal-fired and gas-fired boilers manufactured by the Foster Wheeler Corporation. Additional equipment, including turbines and generators, were manufactured and installed by the General Electric Corporation. For decades, the plants 650 megawatts of energy have powered Southern New Jersey. Many of the plant’s retired employees were members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Operations at the Mercer Generating Station regularly exposed many employees and independent contractors to vast amounts of asbestos. Due to the high temperatures of the power-generating equipment, much of the machinery was externally insulated with asbestos. Similarly, much of this equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, pumps, valves and air compressors, required several pieces of asbestos components, including asbestos gaskets, packing and seals. During scheduled maintenance and emergency repairs, employees and independent contractors tore apart external asbestos insulation and removed and replaced asbestos gaskets and packing.

The Foster Wheeler Corporation manufactured the plant’s boiler units. Foster Wheeler is a major manufacturer of electricity-generating equipment, and for decades, was a member of various trade groups that discussed product design and customer safety. As a member of industry trade associations, including the National Safety Council, Foster Wheeler was warned about the dangers associated with exposure to airborne dust as far back as 1935. Despite these warnings, Foster Wheeler manufactured boilers that required interior and exterior insulation, pipe covering, asbestos rope, asbestos gaskets, and asbestos block, while failing to adequately warn users of its products about the hazards of asbestos.

Workers assigned to operate and monitor Mercer Station’s Foster Wheeler boilers regularly worked with and around these asbestos materials. To access the boilers, the asbestos insulation had to be cut and removed, which released thousands of asbestos fibers into the immediate workspace of Mercer Station’s employees. Then, in poorly ventilated areas of the interior of the boiler, workers removed and replaced asbestos gaskets, packing and rope. This maintenance was necessary to ensure that the boiler could operate for prolonged periods of time without interruption. Despite warnings dating as far back as 1935, Foster Wheeler failed to warn or protect against employee exposure to asbestos dust at the Mercer generating station.

General Electric manufactured Mercer Station’s turbine and generator equipment. Like Foster Wheeler, General Electric was a member of several trade groups that shared scientific knowledge with the scientific community and other corporations. Although General Electric was aware of the dangers associated with exposure to airborne dust as early as the 1930s, the company did not begin removing asbestos from its products until the late 1970s. General Electric’s chief medical doctor, William J. Taylor, congratulated the company on removing asbestos from their products, but questioned how the corporation could defend itself when a link between asbestos exposure and lung disease was suggested in 1935 and confirmed in 1955, years before Mercer Station’s construction.

Work with and around General Electric’s turbines and generators exposed workers to vast amounts of asbestos dust. Because this equipment operated at dangerously high temperatures, much of it was insulated with asbestos. Additionally, these General Electric products contained numerous asbestos gaskets and packing. During scheduled maintenance and emergency repairs, workers would rip out large pieces of asbestos insulation to reach the equipment, before removing and replacing worn gaskets and packing.

Additional products, including pumps, valves and air compressors, also contained various asbestos components. When Mercer Station was taken offline for repairs, workers would check each piece of equipment for damage. During this time, asbestos insulation was removed from the equipment, and the asbestos gaskets and packing were scraped out and changed. At times, employees would change dozens of worn gaskets and pieces of packing in a single day. Without warning or proper safety gear, each maintenance job further poisoned the lungs of these skilled tradespeople.

Why Choose Levy Konigsberg?

Since the 1980s, Levy Konigsberg has evolved into a nationwide powerhouse for mesothelioma litigation in the U.S. Our national mesothelioma lawyers have represented numerous individuals and groups of workers, successfully securing multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts.

Our top-rated mesothelioma lawyers have:

• A massive knowledge of asbestos law and science
• Decades of experience to their legal practices
• Tried hundreds of asbestos and mesothelioma cases before juries
• Secured record mesothelioma and asbestos compensation verdicts
• Achieved some of the highest peer reviews and ratings available
• Helped hundreds of satisfied clients

Additionally, we offer:

• A caring and understanding approach to your case
• Personalized attention and counsel based on each unique case
• No upfront costs for handling your mesothelioma case
• Fast and efficient handling of your mesothelioma case
• Frequent case updates and reliable attorney accessibility

Understanding the science of asbestos exposure is an invaluable resource. One of the many benefits of our early involvement in mesothelioma litigation is our access to pioneering researchers and experts in this complex and ever-changing medical field. We put these experts to work on behalf of our clients, in the courtroom and in treatment of their disease.

Our lawyers bring to bear on every case a level of experience that can only come from decades of working together toward a common goal—maximum compensation for mesothelioma victims and their families.

Each new generation of mesothelioma attorneys at the firm acquires the skills, techniques, and knowledge of our senior partners through mentoring relationships. Not only does this benefit every lawyer, but it also benefits our clients in the form of consistently successful representation.

A Long History of Success in Mesothelioma Cases

Countless lawyers who advertise themselves as mesothelioma attorneys have never actually handled an asbestos case before. In fact, they refer them out to real mesothelioma lawyers for a fee.

That is not how we operate.

We are true, experienced mesothelioma attorneys who personally work on each case from beginning to end. We are always happy to meet our clients, whether at our New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, or Maryland offices, at a client’s home or hospital, or anywhere in the country.

Our legal team has succeeded by negotiating tirelessly with manufacturers of asbestos products and their insurance companies, no matter how influential or uncooperative they are. We are even often able to recover compensation from companies that have long been bankrupt.

Most defense lawyers are familiar with our solid reputation and credentials and know in advance that we will not settle for less than the best possible offer. They know that we build every mesothelioma and asbestos case as if it is going to trial, and we have taken hundreds of cases to juries when a fair settlement had not been offered.

The mesothelioma attorneys at Levy Konigsberg have also served as lead counsel in major state and federal mass consolidation cases designed to benefit many hundreds of people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other types of asbestos-related diseases.

We are proud of the work our lawyers do on behalf of our clients, often in groundbreaking cases against the toughest defendants. Our law firm has obtained landmark asbestos and mesothelioma jury verdicts for exposures to welding rods, cable, asbestos gaskets and packing, commercial talc, and industrial equipment, including the first-ever jury verdicts against welding rod, cable, and commercial talk manufacturers.

Our law firm is frequently referenced by the legal press for our association with the largest and landmark asbestos and mesothelioma verdicts in virtually every category, including various jurisdictions, types of asbestos products involved, and forms of asbestos exposure.

We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for victims of mesothelioma and asbestos cancers, and we are prepared to fight for you.

Providing Your Case with the Individual Attention It Deserves

Unfortunately, many law firms today use a generalized approach to handling cases of the same type, even those as complex as mesothelioma cases.

With a goal of cutting back on the time spent on each case, they use broad-brush practices and techniques to process cases as fast as they can, often risking the possibility of missing important details in a case and, thus, undermining the goal of negotiating the best possible compensation for their clients.

Contrary to such mentality, we treat every case as if it was our only one. We investigate each case with a team of lawyers, paralegals, and leading experts in the field, all while being in constant communication with the clients, to ensure that we have done everything we could to reach the full potential of each individual case.

In many courts, mesothelioma cases are treated urgently and given high priority. This is particularly true if the claimant is alive. In some jurisdictions, the entire case can be resolved within four to five months; in others, it can take longer.

Here, at Levy Konigsberg, our mesothelioma cancer attorneys do everything possible to avoid delays and move our clients’ cases as quickly as we can. We accomplish this in large part due to the coordinated work of our team members and the fact that every mesothelioma case goes through a strict control and supervision, including regular follow-ups and reviews by the lead lawyers.

Our mesothelioma attorneys update clients on a regular basis, so that they always know of every important development on their case and that it is being taken care of. Our lawyers and support staff take every phone call with a high level of priority and try to answer them on the spot.

If unavailable at that very moment, we call clients back as promptly as possible. It is not uncommon that our mesothelioma attorneys provide clients with their personal cell phone numbers to address any urgent questions that the clients may have in the future.

Reach Out to Our Award-Winning Mesothelioma Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation

Our mesothelioma attorneys fight for justice on behalf of innocent people, including the victims of deadly asbestos exposure. Companies that knew the threat asbestos poses must be held accountable for the illnesses and harm that resulted from their negligence. If you were exposed to asbestos, the mesothelioma lawyers at Levy Konigsberg are ready to help.

Our partners have been honored with an AV® Preeminent™ rating, the highest given, from the nationwide Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™. Year after year, our partners are designated by their peers as Super Lawyers® and as the Best Lawyers® in America.

While we are proud of our awards and accolades, our clients remain the central and most important part of our practice. Their satisfaction is our top priority. We understand that every client’s case is their whole life. Our attorneys treat each client with the care they deserve, addressing their unique needs and doing our utmost to help them put their life back together as much as possible.

We offer a free initial consultation, and cover the expenses of building your case, so there is no cost to you unless we recover compensation for you.

We have offices located in New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, and Maryland. Many of our mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice law in a number of U.S. states and have the capability and extensive experience of representing mesothelioma clients throughout the United States. You are encouraged to contact us with any questions.

Cases of Asbestos Exposure

• Asbestos Exposure At Lilco
• Asbestos Exposure Bowline Powerhouse Haverstraw New York
• Asbestos Exposure Charles Pfizer Plant Brooklyn New York
• Asbestos Exposure Eastman Kodak Rochester New York
• Asbestos Exposure Kentile Floors Brooklyn New York
• Asbestos Exposure Roseton Generating Station Newburgh New York
• Asbestos Exposure Todd Shipyard Brooklyn Hoboken
• Asbestos Exposures Aes Hickling Generation Plant Corning New York
• Asbestos Exposures Aes Jennison Bainbridge New York
• Asbestos Exposures Albany Steam Station
• Asbestos Exposures Alcoa Massena New York
• Asbestos Exposures At Huntley Generating Station Tonawanda New York
• Asbestos Exposures Beesley Point Generating Station Cape May New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Consolidated Shipbuilding Bronx New York
• Asbestos Exposures Danskammer Generation Station Newburgh New York
• Asbestos Exposures Dunkirk Generating Station New York
• Asbestos Exposures Federal Shipbuilding Drydock Kearny New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Fitzpatrick Nuclear Plant Scriba New York
• Asbestos Exposures General Dynamics Plant Avenel New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures General Electric Schenectady New York
• Asbestos Exposures Ginna Nuclear Power Plant
• Asbestos Exposures Greenidge Generation Plant Dresden New York
• Asbestos Exposures Hudson Generating Station Jersey City New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Kintigh Generating Station Barker New York
• Asbestos Exposures Military Shipyard Terminal Bayonne New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Milliken Power Station Lansing New York
• Asbestos Exposures National Lead Company Sayreville New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Nine Mile Point Nuclear Generating Station Oswego New York
• Asbestos Exposures Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Forked River New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Orange and Rockland’s Lovett Power Plant – Tompkins Cove, New York
• Asbestos Exposures Proctor Gamble Staten Island New York
• Asbestos Exposures Pseg Linden Generating Station Linden New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Reynolds Metals Company Massena New York
• Asbestos Exposures Salem Nuclear Generating Station Hope Creek Generating Station Salem County New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Samuel Carlson Generating Station Jamestown New York
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Beebee Station Rochester New York
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered C R Huntley Generating Station Tonawanda New York
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Indian Point Nuclear Plant Buchanan New York
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Kearny Generating Station Kearny New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Mercer Generating Station Hamilton New Jersey
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Orange Rocklands Lovett Power Plant Tompkins Cove New York
• Asbestos Exposures Suffered Russell Station Rochester New York
• Asbestos Exposures Westover Power Station Johnson City New York

Mesothelioma News

• New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyer Helps Obtain Ruling on Equipment Liability
• Levy Konigsberg Teams With Mesothelioma Clients to Help Get Talc Out Of Baby Powder
• Levy Konigsberg Co-Counsel In $750 million Baby Powder Punitive Damages Verdict Against J&J
• Levy Konigsberg Co-Counsel In $37 million Baby Powder Verdict Against J&J
• LK Wins $325 Million Mesothelioma Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson for Asbestos in Baby Powder (This case is currently awaiting final review on appeal)
• Boston Jury Awards $43.1 Million Verdict in Cigarette Smoking-Asbestos Exposure Lung Cancer Trial
• LK's Historic $117 Million Verdict in Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder Mesothelioma Trial
• LK Wins Ruling Allowing Mesothelioma Ship Worker’s Case To Proceed in New York
• Levy Konigsberg Wins Ruling in Mesothelioma & Asbestos Brake Case
• LK Mesothelioma Department - Highlights and Lessons Learned in 2017
• A Letter of Gratitude To Our Dear Veterans
• LK Wins $16.5 Million Verdict In New York’s First Cosmetic Talc Trial Involving A Woman With Peritoneal Mesothelioma
• LK Wins Mesothelioma Ruling for Navy Serviceman and Family
• Mesothelioma Law Firm Collects $7.98 Million for Power Plant Worker
• Kayaking for Mesothelioma: Reflections on a Father-Son Trip
• Levy Konigsberg Wins Motion on Behalf of U.S.S. Roan Navy Veteran Who Developed Mesothelioma in New York
• New York City Judge Rules that Asbestos Lung Cancer Case Can Proceed to Trial – Levy Konigsberg, LLP Successfully Argues Defendant Waived their Right to Cross-Examine
• Levy Konigsberg Wins $7 Million Mesothelioma Verdict in NY’s First Ever Asbestos Contaminated Consumer Talcum Powder Trial

ATTENTION: Mesothelioma has no known cure and often causes severe pain, suffering, and other types of damage, such as loss of consortium, and loss of income. Additionally, due to the exceedingly high cost of mesothelioma treatments, many families exhaust savings and accumulate financial debt in order to pay for the medical expenses of their family member.

Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from mesothelioma may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually obtained with the help of experienced mesothelioma attorneys. In some states other types of damages may also be recovered.

Asbestos litigation affords mesothelioma victims the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold accountable the companies that caused their asbestos exposure.

IMPORTANT: If you or your family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer as early as possible to determine if you have a mesothelioma case and to:

• Preserve your rights to bring a legal action against the responsible parties within the limited time frame allowed by law, known as statute of limitations;
• Obtain maximum compensation in your case by being able to:
  • Preserve evidence and establish facts of the asbestos exposure while the claimant is still alive and able to provide information;
  • File and resolve a lawsuit against the responsible parties before they file for bankruptcy or, if they already have, to obtain compensation before their bankruptcy trust funds run out of money;
• Expedite your case, as courts tend to give higher priority to mesothelioma lawsuits where the claimant is still alive.

NOTE: We have offices located in New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, and Maryland. Many of our mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice law in a number of U.S. states and have the capability and extensive experience of representing mesothelioma clients throughout the United States. You are encouraged to contact us with any questions.

Since the 1970s, our founding partners were pioneers in championing the rights of asbestos and mesothelioma victims. In fact, Stan Levy was the first personal injury lawyer in the Northeast to pursue an asbestos case and one of the first mesothelioma attorneys in America.

Later, in 1985, he formed Levy Konigsberg with a mission to apply his extensive experience and legal knowledge to seek justice and financial compensation on behalf of asbestos and mesothelioma victims across the United States.

Find out whether you have a case by speaking to one of our experienced mesothelioma lawyers.