Norton Labs
You may be entitled to receive compensation. Mesothelioma and lung cancer victims & their families have been awarded over $1 million+ from easy access to funds. Call us today to apply.
Over the past 20 years, we've helped 1,000s of families claim the compensation they deserve with no upfront costs to them.
In 1916, Charles Norton and William Seigle established Norton Laboratories, Inc. in Lockport, New York. The Lockport plant had two warehouses, a machine shop, a front office, a factory office, a boiler room, and a factory. The company initially produced metallic magnesium during World War I, but later shifted their focus to produce circuit boards, automotive parts, molded plastic handles for pots and pans, and camera parts. Auburn Plastics acquired Norton Labs in 1958. In 1971, Norton Labs transferred to a single building across the street from its original Mill Street location. In 1981, Norton Labs ceased all operations.
Unfortunately, many of our clients who worked at Norton Labs are now being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. Before the 1970s, asbestos was frequently used in high heat plastic materials. Norton Labs used asbestos fibers to make pieces using phenolic resins that were made for companies including General Electric, Kodak, and Harrison Radiator. Asbestos was also present in the insulating materials that coated the boilers and pipes at Norton Labs’ plant.
Molders, finishers, and maintenance personnel who worked in the pre-form department were subject to inhaling asbestos fibers as drilling down pre-forms was a significant part of the manufacturing process. Laborers working in the pre-form department had to throw asbestos molding compounds into large hoppers. Molded compounds were then pressed, hardened, and sent to the finishing department. Laborers were also exposed to asbestos when cleaning out excess debris from the molds.
Asbestos is dangerous because its fibers are extremely fragile and break easily into tiny particles that your body’s air filtration system can’t trap and expel. When asbestos gets into your lungs and stays there, it can cause mesothelioma or lung cancer. Risk of diagnosis increases with the length of time that a person has been exposed although even short exposures can cause mesothelioma or lung cancer. The most common causes of asbestos exposure are in the workplace or from products in the home. Spouses and family members of workers can also be exposed to asbestos dust and fibers from the clothing the workers wore home from job sites like Norton Labs.
Mesothelioma is a rare disease that is diagnosed between 2,500 and 3,000 times each year. Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos is at risk for developing mesothelioma or lung cancer. Although most companies knew that asbestos was dangerous, they continued to allow their employees to work with and around asbestos without protective gear until the late 1970s.
At Belluck & Fox, our nationally recognized asbestos attorneys have extensive experience fighting for families and workers exposed to asbestos. We are proud to have secured more than $1 billion so far for asbestos victims and their families.
We are ready to help you. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, where we will review your claim and discuss all your legal options. Our law firm does not charge any legal fees upfront and we do not get paid unless and until we secure compensation for you.
