How Did Babcock & Wilcox Use Asbestos?
Founded in 1867 by George Babcock and Stephen Wilcox, Babcock & Wilcox soon became known for its water-tube steam boilers. While the company didn’t manufacture asbestos-based products, it used asbestos materials to assemble its boilers and other heat-resistant equipment.
Asbestos was cheap, durable, and able to withstand high temperatures, making it the perfect material for boilers and other equipment that generated heat. However, anyone who worked with or around asbestos-containing products is at risk of developing mesothelioma and other serious illnesses today.
B&W stopped using asbestos products in the 1970s, but by that time, many workers and their families had already been exposed. The company was hit with thousands of asbestos lawsuits, filed for bankruptcy to stay in business, and created the Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust to compensate victims.
Key Facts About Babcock & Wilcox and Asbestos
- Equipment sold: Boilers, furnaces, and other power-generating equipment
- Asbestos products used: Gaskets, insulation, heat seals, and more
- At-risk workers: Boiler tenders, Navy veterans, pipefitters, shipyard workers, and others
- Asbestos trust: Funded with $1.85 billion in 2006
Asbestos trust fund claims allow victims to seek mesothelioma compensation without going to court. See if you may be able to access Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust fund compensation right now.
Babcock & Wilcox Asbestos Trust Fund Information
In 2000, Babcock & Wilcox filed for bankruptcy due to the staggering costs associated with the asbestos lawsuits it was facing. By 1999, the company had been hit with more than 400,000 legal claims.
As a condition of the bankruptcy, the courts required B&W to create an asbestos trust fund to compensate current and future victims.
The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 and set aside $1.85 billion in the Babcock & Wilcox Personal Injury Settlement Trust to resolve asbestos-related claims.
Who’s Eligible to File a Claim with Babcock & Wilcox?
You may be able to file a trust fund claim if:
- You were diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another related illness after coming in contact with asbestos in B&W equipment.
- Someone in your family was diagnosed with or passed away from mesothelioma or another asbestos disease after being exposed.
The Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust allows for expedited and individual claim review. Expedited claims are quicker, and payments are fixed, while individual claims take longer but may award more compensation.
A mesothelioma lawyer can explain the type of claim best suited for your case and file a claim with the Babcock & Wilcox settlement trust and any other asbestos trusts you qualify for to increase your total payout.
How to File a Babcock & Wilcox Asbestos Trust Fund Claim
The Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust fund was established to ensure victims receive compensation based on various factors.
Here’s how the process works:
- Gathering documentation: Claimants must provide information about their diagnosis and asbestos exposure. An asbestos attorney can collect this evidence on your behalf so there’s no added stress on you or your family.
- Claim is filed: Tour lawyer will file a claim with the Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust and any other mesothelioma trusts you’re eligible for based on your exposure history.
- Claim is reviewed: The trust will conduct an expedited or individual review of your claim based on the option you selected.
- Accessing compensation: Many people receive trust fund compensation within 90 days of filing a claim without going to court.
Payouts are calculated based on a percentage system designed to preserve the trust’s assets over time so there’s money left for future claims.
As of August 2024, the Babcock & Wilcox Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust pays 6.3% of the total case value for asbestos-related personal injury claims. Claims are evaluated based on factors like diagnosis and asbestos exposure evidence, which determines the total payout.
Call (866) 608-8933 now to find out your eligibility and start the claims process.
Asbestos Products Used by Babcock & Wilcox Company
Babcock & Wilcox manufactured boilers, furnaces, coal pulverizers, and other types of heat-generating equipment throughout most of the 20th century. While the company itself didn’t make asbestos-containing products, it used these components in its equipment.
Asbestos products found in B&W equipment include:
- Asbestos block
- Gaskets
- Gauges
- Heat seals
- Insulation
- Rope packing
- Millboard
- Pumps
These and other products may have released tiny asbestos fibers when damaged or while being replaced or repaired. Anyone who breathed in or swallowed the fibers is at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases 10-50 years later.
Jobs at Risk of Babcock & Wilcox Asbestos Exposure
In addition to B&W employees, many other workers may have been exposed to asbestos in the company’s boilers. B&W boilers could be found on many job sites, including power plants, factories, and military vessels.
B&W has identified over 1,800 jobs that may have put workers in danger of asbestos exposure.
These high-risk jobs include:
- Boilermakers
- Electricians
- Machinists
- Maintenance workers
- Millwrights
- Pipefitters and plumbers
- Shipyard workers
- Steamfitters
- U.S. military veterans
- Welders
This is not a complete list — many other workers may have come in contact with asbestos when installing, repairing, or servicing B&W equipment.
During World War II, over 4,000 Navy ships and Merchant Marine vessels contained B&W boilers. Veterans who worked with or near marine boilers are at risk of mesothelioma and other life-threatening illnesses today.
Workers and military members aren’t the only ones who may have been exposed. Family members could have experienced secondary asbestos exposure from fibers that loved ones unknowingly brought home on their work clothes.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be able to pursue compensation from the Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust and other sources. Take the first step toward getting the money you deserve with a Free Case Review.
Get a Free Mesothelioma Case Review
Did Babcock & Wilcox Know Asbestos Was Dangerous?
Yes, there’s evidence that Babcock & Wilcox knew asbestos was dangerous before it stopped using asbestos products in its manufacturing processes.
The first asbestos lawsuits against the boilermaker were filed in the late 1970s. These lawsuits alleged that B&W knew about the health risks linked to asbestos, but like many other asbestos companies, minimized or hid the dangers to protect its operations and profitability.
Hundreds of asbestos product makers knew about the hazards of asbestos as early as the 1930s but kept quiet to keep making money.
It wasn’t until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory groups sounded the alarm on the dangers of asbestos that B&W stopped using asbestos to make boilers and other equipment.
Get Help for Mesothelioma Linked to Babcock & Wilcox
Our team has helped people who’ve developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease from Babcock & Wilcox equipment get the compensation they deserve.
We can help you:
- Figure out how, when, and where they may have been exposed
- File claims with Babcock & Wilcox and other asbestos trusts
- Pursue other types of mesothelioma compensation
- Connect with mesothelioma doctors and support resources
Get started by calling (866) 608-8933 right now to see if you can file asbestos trust fund claims.
Babcock and Wilcox FAQs
What percentage does the Babcock & Wilcox asbestos trust pay?
The Babcock & Wilcox Asbestos Trust currently pays out 6.3% of the total claim value. This means if your mesothelioma claim is valued at $139,800, you would receive about $12,302.40 from the trust.
The trustees of the Babcock & Wilcox Trust periodically review and adjust this percentage to balance the needs of current and future asbestos victims.
What went wrong at Babcock and Wilcox?
Babcock and Wilcox used asbestos-containing products to make its boilers and other power generation equipment up until the 1970s.
As a result, thousands of workers who assembled, serviced, or installed B&W’s boilers were exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious illnesses.
Is Babcock & Wilcox still in business?
Yes, Babcock & Wilcox is still in business as of August 2024. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2000 to protect itself against thousands of asbestos lawsuits.
After emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and establishing an asbestos trust fund for victims, the company now operates as an energy technology and service provider.
What happened to Babcock and Wilcox?
Babcock and Wilcox was hit with a flood of lawsuits after people became sick from asbestos exposure connected to its boilers and equipment. The company filed for bankruptcy and set up a trust fund to compensate victims.
Today, those affected can file asbestos claims to get compensation for mesothelioma and related illnesses. Contact our team now to see if you can access money from the Babcock Wilcox asbestos trust.
What are Babcock and Wilcox known for making?
Babcock and Wilcox are known for making steam boilers.
Babcock and Wilcox boilers could be found on U.S. Navy ships and in power plants, nuclear reactors, and manufacturing facilities for most of the 20th century.
Unfortunately, the company relied on asbestos-containing products to assemble these boilers, putting workers and their families at risk of mesothelioma and other serious diseases.
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