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| Vinyl Chloride Lawyers – Lake Charles, Louisiana |
A colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor, vinyl chloride is used in the manufacture of many products. Also known by the brand names chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride, vinyl chloride is most commonly used to produce polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC is often used in the building, construction, automobile, furniture, glass, and plastic industries. Plumbing pipe, pipe fittings and wire coatings are two specific examples of products made from PVC. Until mid-1974, vinyl chloride was used in many cosmetic products as an aerosol propellant. Vinyl Chloride Related Diseases There are many adverse health effects that can occur in persons who have been exposed to vinyl chloride, including angiosarcoma, liver cancer and disease, brain cancer, Raynaud's syndrome, and acro-osteolysis. The following list describes each of these ailments. Angiosarcoma - a malignant tumor that originates in the blood vessels of the body. Angiosarcoma of the liver, is the most readily recognized cancer associated with exposure to vinyl chloride. It has been found in persons who have had exposure to vinyl chloride and persons exposed to some aerosol products up until the early to mid 1970s. The medical literature contains the following synonyms for angiosarcoma of the liver: Liver Cancer - primary liver cancer is linked to vinyl chloride exposure. Workers in vinyl chloride, PVC, and fabrication facilities are at an increased risk of liver cancer. Liver Disease - a condition characterized by enlargement, surface changes, overproduction of collagen, and damage to liver tissue (these symptoms are collectively known as "hepatic toxicity"). This includes cirrhosis of the liver. Workers exposed to vinyl chloride are at an increased risk for liver disease. Brain Cancer - vinyl chloride is the only known chemical or environmental agent that causes brain tumors. Tumors can occur in the brain stem, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe. Brain cancer has occurred in workers occupationally exposed to vinyl chloride. Raynaud's Syndrome - also known as Raynaud's disease or Raynaud's phenomenon, Raynaud's syndrome is a condition characterized by numbness and discomfort in the fingers when exposed to cold temperatures. Patients with this condition have poor blood flow to the fingers and toes due to damage to the circulatory system. It has been found in workers at vinyl chloride and PVC manufacturing facilities. Acro-osteolysis - a condition characterized by the loss of bone in the fingers, it has also been known to affect the bones of the toes, feet, arms, legs, pelvis, and mandible. This condition has been reported in people who work with vinyl chloride. If you or a loved one has been exposed to vinyl chloride and suffer from one of the diseases listed above, please contact the vinyl chloride attorneys at Baggett, McCall, Burgess, Watson & Gaughan – located in Lake Charles, Louisiana – for a free consultation. Vinyl Chloride Related Occupations Most people who are exposed to vinyl chloride come into contact with the substance in a workplace environment. Below is a list of occupations at high risk for exposure to vinyl chloride. Occupations at Risk Plant workers, especially poly operators/cleaners and workers that load/unload vinyl chloride railcars. Many of these workers have complained of dizziness or in some cases having passed out due to excessive exposure to vinyl chloride. Fabricators who make PVC end-consumer products like shower curtains or automobile upholstery. As PVC plastic is heated or fabricated to make consumer products, it releases chemicals contained in it, including vinyl chloride, which can accumulate in harmful levels. Railroad and other transportation workers who transport vinyl chloride and PVC plastic by truck, railroad, barge or ship. Railroad workers can be exposed to vinyl chloride and PVC plastic because the railcars used to transport these materials can leak, rupture and off-gas their contents. But, the most frequent form of overexposure is in the loading and unloading of vinyl chloride into or out of railcars, trucks, or ships and barges. Even after unloading is complete, a heel of vinyl chloride tends to remain in the vessel because vinyl chloride is heavier than air. When the railcar, ship or barge is cleaned or reloaded, the heel of vinyl chloride becomes displaced and can cause overexposure. Beauticians who worked prior to 1974. Vinyl chloride was used to propel hairspray from cans. This resulted in enormous exposures for beauticians and hair stylists who worked in this industry before 1974. By some estimations, beauticians received vinyl chloride exposures that were hundreds of times the legal limit (1ppm). If you or a loved one worked in an environment where you were exposed to vinyl chloride, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the vinyl chloride attorneys at Baggett, McCall, Burgess, Watson & Gaughan – located in Lake Charles, Louisiana – for a free case evaluation. Consumer Exposure to Vinyl Chloride Consumers can become exposed to vinyl chloride through contaminated drinking water, new car vapors, and other various means. Small amounts of vinyl chloride can dissolve in water. In addition, the breakdown of other chemicals can result in the formation of vinyl chloride, which can then leach into groundwater. If more than one pound of vinyl chloride is accidentally spilled or released into the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that a report be filed. The EPA also requires that the maximum level of vinyl chloride found in drinking water be no more than 2 parts per billion (2 ppb). Risk to Neighboring Communities People living adjacent to, or very near, vinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride plants can be overexposed. Overexposure can occur from the loading and unloading of vinyl chloride at the plant as well as from the opening of the polymerization reactors used to make the PVC plastic. In addition, vinyl chloride can be vented to the atmosphere and discharged into the water. We have years of experience in helping both consumers and workers exposed to vinyl chloride. If you or a loved one have been exposed and/or diagnosed with any of the above listed diseases, please contact the vinyl chloride attorneys at Baggett, McCall, Burgess, Watson & Gaughan – located in Lake Charles, Louisiana – for assistance. |
