Mesothelioma Lawyers in Maine

Maine's asbestos exposure history is closely tied to its shipbuilding heritage and paper industry. The Bath Iron Works in Bath, one of the premier shipyards in the United States, has built warships for the U.S. Navy since 1884 and exposed generations of workers to asbestos materials during ship construction and repair. Asbestos was used in boiler insulation, pipe lagging, gaskets, and fireproofing throughout the vessels built there. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, which builds and overhauls submarines, is another major exposure site where workers encountered asbestos in submarine construction and maintenance. Maine's paper and pulp industry, once the backbone of the state's economy, operated mills in Millinocket, Rumford, Jay, Bucksport, and Madawaska that used asbestos insulation in boilers, digesters, and steam piping. The Central Maine Power Company's generating stations also used asbestos materials. The former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone and the Brunswick Naval Air Station contained asbestos in their facilities. Older buildings throughout Portland, Bangor, Lewiston, and Augusta still contain asbestos materials from their original construction. Maine offers one of the longest statutes of limitations in the nation at six years from the date of discovery for personal injury claims, providing more time to pursue legal action. However, wrongful death claims must be filed within two years.