Dupont Asbestos Lawsuit [2024 Update]

DuPont Asbestos Lawsuit Overview

The DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (“DuPont”) is one of the world’s largest chemical companies. Founded in Delaware in the 1800s, DuPont companies manufacture a large number of commonly used products, including styrofoam. For decades, the company used asbestos-containing products, exposing thousands of employees to the dangerous, cancer-causing substance for years. 

Asbestos exposure likely came from several sources at DuPont facilities, including pipes, turbines, ductwork, packing, protective clothing, and more. It is also believed that lab equipment used in DuPont facilities around the country may have contained asbestos. Both workers and their family members may have been exposed to the substance and be at risk for developing asbestos-related conditions such as mesothelioma.

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition, contact King Law to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. King Law attorneys have extensive experience helping mesothelioma victims and their families secure compensation.

DuPont Asbestos Lawsuit – 2024 Update

February 2024: DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva (DuPont subsidiaries) ordered to pay $1.185 billion in historic water contamination cases related to the use of PFAS. The case is currently on appeal.

March 2023: The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023 is introduced in the Senate. If passed, the bill would prohibit the “manufacture, process, use, and distribution of commercial asbestos or any mixture or article containing commercial asbestos.”

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About the DuPont Company

The DuPont company was founded in 1802 by E. I. du Pont. It was originally established under the name E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company as a gunpowder manufacturer but eventually transitioned to inventing materials like rayon, nylon, and Kevlar. The company is currently led by Edward D. Breen, Executive Chairman and CEO.

Over the last two centuries, the company has produced a number of industrial chemicals, synthetic fibers, petroleum-based products, pharmaceuticals, building materials, packing materials, cosmetic ingredients, and agricultural ingredients.

Famous DuPont brands include:

• Kevlar®
• Nomex®
• Corian®
• Tyvek®
• MOLYKOTE®
• GREAT STUFF™
• Styrofoam™

The company has also had several chemical innovations, including the manufacture of polymers such as Vespel, neoprene, Teflon, nylon, and Mylar. The company is further notable for producing Freon (chlorofluorocarbons). 

In 2015, the company merged with Dow Chemical Company, changing its name to DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and undergoing a substantial reorganization. In 2017, DowDuPont was formed with divisions such as Dow Chemical and Corteva. Prior to the creation of these spinoffs, DuPont was the world’s largest chemical company by sales.

Asbestos Exposure in DuPont Plants

It is believed that asbestos was utilized in DuPont plants throughout the United States for decades. It was likely used for its fire-resistant properties. Asbestos was present in construction materials, turbines, pumps, furnaces, ovens, gaskets, valves, and packing. It is also alleged that the protective clothing and lab equipment used in DuPont facilities contained asbestos. 

DuPont workers are believed to have suffered direct exposure to asbestos when working at the plant with or near asbestos-containing materials. Family members of DuPont workers may have sustained secondhand exposure from coming into contact with contaminated clothing. While the use of asbestos in nylon plants in the United States ceased in the early 1970s, it is alleged that it was still used in overseas plants until 2004.

Workers may have been exposed to asbestos when piping at the facilities was cut, manipulated, or rerouted. Additionally, workers renovating tanks and kettles likely had exposure to asbestos. Asbestos-related illnesses are frequently not diagnosed until decades after exposure. Most mesothelioma diagnoses are not made until a person is in their late 60s to 80s.

Types of DuPont Plants

DuPont is a global company that has a number of different types of facilities, from manufacturing plants to materials labs. The company is well-known for manufacturing chemicals, growing to become one of the largest chemical companies in the world.

Types of DuPont plants across the globe:

• Chemical Manufacturing Plants: Produce industrial chemicals, solvents, and various chemical compounds.
  
• Performance Materials Plants: Specialize in materials like nylon, Kevlar®, and Tyvek® for various applications.
• Electronics & Imaging Facilities: Manufacture materials and products for the electronics, photovoltaics, and printing industries.
• Nutrition & Biosciences Labs: Focus on food ingredients, dietary supplements, and biotechnology solutions.
• Safety & Construction Sites: Produce safety materials, construction products, and protective gear.
• Agriculture Research Centers and Seed Production Facilities: Develop and produce agricultural products, including genetically modified seeds.
• Pharmaceuticals and Health Care Product Facilities: Engage in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and healthcare materials.
• Advanced Material Systems Labs: Develop advanced materials for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications.

Asbestos-Containing Material and Equipment in DuPont Plants

It is alleged that asbestos-containing materials and equipment were used extensively at DuPont plants across the United States and abroad. Workers were likely unknowingly exposed to asbestos for decades at facilities nationwide.

Equipment and material that may have contained asbestos at DuPont:

Construction and Building Materials:

• Insulation (pipes, boilers, tanks)
• Roofing and siding materials
• Floor tiles and adhesives
• Cement sheets
• Plaster and wallboard

Equipment and Machinery:

• Gaskets and valves
• Pumps and turbines
• Furnaces and ovens
• Electrical panels and wiring insulation

Protective Gear and Lab Equipment:

• Fire-resistant clothing
• Gloves and aprons
• Lab benches and fume hoods
• Heat-resistant lab equipment

Manufacturing and Processing Materials:

• Pipe insulation
• Kettle and tank insulation
• Pedal insulation in machinery
• Special piping containing asbestos for chemical manufacturing

DuPont Plant Employees at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Most DuPont plant employees were likely put at risk of asbestos exposure during their employment. From construction workers to chemical processes, individuals working at the plants and their families may have been exposed directly or indirectly to asbestos-containing materials and equipment. 

The risk of asbestos exposure for DuPont plant employees:

Construction workers

• Insulators: Exposed through installing and maintaining asbestos insulation in pipes, boilers, and tanks.
• Roofers: Came into contact with asbestos in roofing materials.
• Flooring Installers: Encountered asbestos in floor tiles and adhesives.
• Drywall Installers: Exposed to asbestos in plaster and wallboard.

Maintenance Staff

• Maintenance Technicians: Dealt with asbestos during repairs of insulated pipes and ductwork.
• HVAC Technicians: Exposed to asbestos in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
• Pipefitters: Came into contact with asbestos in pipes and boilers.
• Boilermakers: Exposed to asbestos in boilers and tanks.

Mechanical Engineers and Technicians

• Mechanical Engineers/Techs: Handled asbestos-containing gaskets, valves, pumps, and turbines.
• Millwrights: Exposed to asbestos in machinery during installation and maintenance.

Electricians

• Industrial Electricians: Exposed to asbestos in electrical panels and wiring insulation.
• Electrical Technicians: Came into contact with asbestos-insulated wiring and electrical components.

Factory Workers

• Machine Operators: Exposed to asbestos in machinery and equipment.
• Assembly Line Workers: Potential exposure to asbestos in product components.
• Furnace Operators: Encountered asbestos in furnaces and ovens.

Laboratory Technicians

• Laboratory Technicians: Exposed to asbestos in lab benches, fume hoods, and equipment.
• Research Assistants: Came into contact with asbestos in various lab materials.
• Chemical Technicians: Exposed to asbestos in lab equipment and protective gear.

Firefighters and Safety Personnel

• Industrial Firefighters: Wore fire-resistant clothing made from asbestos fibers.
• Safety Officers: Utilized asbestos-containing protective gear.

Chemical Processors

• Chemical Plant Operators: Exposed to asbestos in insulated pipes, kettles, and tanks.
• Process Technicians: Encountered asbestos in special piping and insulation used in manufacturing.

DuPont Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations in place to protect employees from developing asbestos-related diseases. OSHA’s medical surveillance guidelines focus on monitoring employees for the development of chronic diseases related to asbestos exposure. It also emphasizes the importance of chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests.

Under the surveillance guidelines, employers must limit exposure for employees to 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). The guidelines also require that employers ensure examinations and procedures are conducted by a licensed physician. They must be provided free of charge and completed at a convenient time and place. The examinations must occur annually for all employees exposed to asbestos levels at or above the permissible exposure level.

List of US-based DuPont Plants with Known Asbestos Exposure

It is believed that asbestos may have been present in dozens of DuPont facilities throughout the United States and abroad. Exposure may have come from various sources, including piping that was insulated with the potentially deadly substance. 

DuPont Plant Locations:

• DuPont Mobile Manufacturing Center (MMC) – Mobile, Alabama
• DuPont EKC Technology – Hayward, California
• DuPont plant- Santa Barbara, California
• DuPont Performance Building Solutions – Torrance, California
• Corteva Agriscience – Woodland, California
• DuPont De Nemours, Inc. – Bridgeport, Connecticut
• DuPont Edge Moor plant (Chemours) – Edge Moor, Delaware
• DuPont Semiconductor Technologies – Newark, Delaware
• DuPont Experimental Station – Wilmington, Delaware
• Trail Ridge Plant – Starke, Florida
• DuPont Company Atomic Energy Division – Savannah River, Georgia
• Corteva Agriscience (DuPont El Paso Plant) – El Paso, Illinois
• DuPont Pioneer – Good Hope, Illinois
• DuPont Pioneer LeRoy Production Plant – Le Roy, Illinois
• DuPont Pioneer – Litchfield, Illinois
• DuPont Pioneer McLeansboro Production Facility – McLeansboro, Illinois
• Pioneer Hi-Bred International – Princeton, Illinois
• DuPont Pioneer – St. Joseph, Illinois
• Pioneer Hi-Bred at Woodhull – Woodhull, Illinois
• Pioneer seed corn production facility – Plymouth, Indiana
• DuPont Pioneer Heartland – Rushville, Indiana
• DuPont Pioneer Tipton Plant – Tipton, Indiana
• Worthington Site – Worthington, Indiana
• DuPont Pioneer Algona corn production facility – Algona, Iowa
• DuPont Pioneer, Cherokee – Cherokee, Iowa
• Cellulosic ethanol plant – Duvant, Iowa
• DuPont Artistri® – Fort Madison, Iowa
• Corteva Agriscience – Hedrick, Iowa
• DuPont Industrial Biosciences – Marengo, Iowa
• DuPont Pioneer production facility – Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
• DuPont Agricultural Services – Reinbeck, Iowa
• DuPont Pioneer Renwick – Renwick, Iowa
• Dupont Pioneer Toledo production plant – Toldeo, Iowa
• Chemours Louisville Works Plant – Louisville, Kentucky
• Wurtland, Kentucky plant – Wurtland, Kentucky
• DuPont Burnside – Burnside, Louisiana
• Pontchartrain Works – La Place, Louisiana
• Dow Plaquemine Complex – Plaquemine, Louisiana
• Constantine Production Plant – Constantine, Michigan
• DuPont Performance Coatings – Mount Clemens, Michigan
• DuPont Pioneer – Jackson, Minnesota
• DuPont Water Solutions – Minneapolis, Minnesota
• First Chemical plant- Pascagoula, Mississippi
• Chemours DeLisle Plant- Pass Christian, Mississippi
• Corteva Agriscience – Doniphan, Nebraska
• DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc – York, Nebraska
• Chambers Works – Deepwater, New Jersey
• DuPont Parlin Site – Parlin, New Jersey
• The Niagra Falls Plant – Niagara Falls, New York
• DuPont Probiotics – Rochester, New York
• DuPont Yerkes plant – Tonawanda, New York
• DuPont Electronics & Imaging – Durham, North Carolina
• Fayetteville Works Plant – Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Covation Biomaterials LLC – Kinston Plant- Kinston, North Carolina
• Laurel Hill Plant – Laurel Hill, North Carolina
• DuPont Pioneer Warehouse – Laurinburg, North Carolina
• Whiteville Plant – Whiteville, North Carolina
• DuPont Chemical Building – Circleville, Ohio
• Laird Technologies, Inc. – Cleveland, Ohio
• DuPont Polymer Electronics – Dayton, Ohio
• DuPont Fort Hill Plant – Fort Hill, Ohio
• DuPont Pioneer Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids, Ohio
• DuPont Nutrition and Health, Pryor Site – Pryor, Oklahoma
• DuPont Towanda Site- Towanda, Pennsylvania
• DuPont Electronics & Communications – Manati, Puerto Rico
• Charleston Plant – Charleston, South Carolina
• DuPont Teijin Film plant – Florence, South Carolina
• DuPont Nylon Plant- Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Memphis DuPont plant – Memphis, Tennessee
• Old Hickory Site – Nashville, Tennessee
• Chemours Johnsonville – New Johnsonville, Tennessee
• DuPont Bayport Plant – Bayport, Texas
• Aniline production facility – Baytown, Texas
• DuPont Beaumont – Beaumont, Texas
• Corpus Christi Plant – Corpus Christi, Texas
• Dow Freeport – Freeport, Texas
• DuPont Houston – Houston, Texas
• DuPont La Porte Facility – LaPorte, Texas
• DuPont Sabine Facility – Orange, Texas
• Plainview Facilities – Plainview, Texas
• Victoria Plant – Victoria, Texas
• DuPont Pioneer – Weslaco, Texas
• DuPont Holographics – Logan, Utah
•  DuPont Front Royal Facility – Front Royal, Virginia
• Guncotton plant – Hopewell, Virginia
• DuPont Spruance Manufacturing site – James River, Virginia
• Richmond Neon Building – Richmond, Virginia
• DuPont Plant – DuPont, Washington
• DuPont Hanford Site – Hanford, Washington
• DuPont Belle Works- Belle, West Virginia
• DuPont Potomac River Works – Martinsburg, West Virginia
• DuPont Washington Works – Parkersburg, West Virginia
• Barksdale Explosives Plant – Barksdale, Wisconsin

Types of Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawsuit Claims

There are several types of asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuit claims that you may be eligible to file. It is important to discuss your case with an experienced attorney to determine the best course of action. 

Types of mesothelioma lawsuits:

• Personal injury lawsuits: Personal injury lawsuits are filed by an individual who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition. They enable claimants to seek damages for medical expenses, lost wages, future income, and more.
• Wrongful death lawsuits: A wrongful death claim is only available when the alleged victim dies. Families of the loved one may then initiate a wrongful death lawsuit in order to get some closure.

Personal injury lawsuits tend to take a long time to prepare. There are three basic categories of personal injury lawsuits: individual lawsuits, which may result in larger payouts; class actions, which are usually unsuitable for asbestos cases; and multidistrict litigation (MDL), which centralizes pre-trial proceedings.

Eligibility for Mesothelioma Compensation for DuPont Workers

You must meet certain eligibility criteria to file a mesothelioma lawsuit against DuPont. The only way to ensure that you meet these criteria is to speak to an experienced attorney. 

You will need to provide proof of asbestos exposure through medical records. You will also need to show your employment history. In order to be successful in your case, you need to consult with a lawyer about your rights. All cases must be filed within the state-specific statute of limitations.

Statute of Limitations on Asbestos Claims for DuPont Employees

Statutes of limitations are state-specific legal deadlines. You must file a claim for mesothelioma or asbestos exposure. Working with a local attorney can help ensure you do not miss any deadlines. The statute of limitations does not start to run until the date of diagnosis, regardless of when the asbestos exposure occurred.

Asbestos Lawsuit Settlement Amounts for DuPont Plant Workers

DuPont asbestos lawsuits are expected to vary significantly based on the individual circumstances of the case. However, the typical settlement amounts could range between $1 million and $1.4 million. The severity of the injuries may also influence your case. Average jury awards are expected to be between $5 million and $11.4 million.

How to File a DuPont Asbestos Lawsuit

To file a DuPont asbestos lawsuit, you need to consult with an attorney as early in the process as possible. An attorney can help determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements and how to move forward with your case. Once you have retained an attorney, you will need to provide all necessary documentation, such as your medical records and employment history, to help prove your case.

Have a DuPont Asbestos and Mesothelioma Legal Question?

At King Law, we are here to help guide you and your family through this difficult time. Contact our office today if you need assistance with a legal question about DuPont asbestos.

Contact a DuPont Asbestos Attorney

Were you diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness after working at DuPont, you may be eligible to take legal action. The lawyers at King Law are well-versed in handling even the most complex cases. Contact our office now to discuss your case directly with an attorney.

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