Denver is the “Mile-High City” known for its surrounding mountain ranges, outdoor recreation and population of well over 600,000 residents. The city today is a cultural hub for the United States, but its origins show a more modest beginning.

Denver was a mining outpost during the Gold Rush of the 1860s, eventually transforming into an important national manufacturing and industrial center. This historical development in the industrial, mining and energy sectors occurred at a time when asbestos was regularly used in these industries, exposing too many Denver workers and loved ones to the health risks of asbestos.

Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos is easily inhaled by workers once the mineral’s microscopic fibers release into the air after asbestos is abrased or otherwise disturbed. Once asbestos enters the body, it can enter the lining of the lungs and cause the following deadly diseases:

• Asbestosis
• Mesothelioma
• Asbestos-related lung cancer

Of these diseases, pleural mesothelioma is particularly deadly. The survival rate one-year after a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis is just one in three, and survival rates five years after a diagnosis hover around 10 percent. These figures only look worse for the more elderly population, which is a frequent victim of mesothelioma.

Asbestos exposure can take decades to gestate into mesothelioma, meaning a worker who was exposed to asbestos at 20 years old may receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in their twilight years. Since asbestos was widely used until it was banned in the 1970s, older generations of veterans and industrial workers are particularly vulnerable for being diagnosed with this awful disease.

Asbestos Exposure in Denver

Denver County has lost more lives to asbestos than any other Colorado county, based on CDC estimates. Nearly 300 residents have lost their life to an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma between 1999 and 2013.

Known jobsites that exposed Denver workers to the dangers of asbestos include:

• Cherokee Power Station
• Gary Williams Energy
• Denver Missile Sites
• Denver Municipal Airport
• Federal Reserve Building
• Hilton Hotel
• Lowry Air Force Base
• Zuni Power Plant

Since it is a known fact that military bases in Denver like Lowry Air Force Base exposed veterans to asbestos, it is imperative to mention that military veterans comprise nearly 1 in 3 mesothelioma deaths nationwide, despite making up less than 10 percent of the national population.

If you or a loved one worked on a military base, power plant or similar jobsite that often exposed workers to asbestos, talk to a Denver mesothelioma lawyer today.

Talk to a Denver Mesothelioma Lawyer

The Ledger Law Firm has seen firsthand the harms mesothelioma inflicts on families. Denver families and workers who have been impacted by mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness are entitled to compensation if the disease was caused by a legally responsible party.

Our team helps mesothelioma victims build a legal case that proves their disease was caused by a wrongful exposure to deadly asbestos. Contact us online today for a legal consultation to discuss how we can help you receive justice and compensation for a mesothelioma diagnosis in Denver.