Hamilton Standard Asbestos Exposure & Compensation

Hamilton Standard, located in East Hartford and Windsor Locks, Connecticut, was a major manufacturer of aircraft propellers and aerospace components during the 20th century. Like many industrial companies of that era, Hamilton Standard used parts that contained asbestos in the construction of many of its products and throughout its facilities. Though the company did not manufacture asbestos materials itself, the asbestos-containing components it utilized put workers and others who handled these parts at risk of asbestos exposure.

Repeated exposure to asbestos can lead to the development of dangerous asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer. If you or someone you love was exposed to asbestos at Hamilton Standard, the asbestos lawyers at Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen (ELSM) can help you explore your legal options.

Hamilton Standard at a Glance

• Hamilton Standard, once also known as the Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, was originally established in 1929. Once a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, it is now a part of Collins Aerospace (now owned by RTX Corporation).
• Throughout the 20th Century, Hamilton Standard used components in its aerospace machinery that contained asbestos. The company has been named in multiple lawsuits involving asbestos exposure, generally related to legacy products from the mid-20th century.
• At least 7 asbestos trust funds, established to compensate mesothelioma victims, recognize Hamilton Standard Company as a known asbestos exposure jobsite.
• Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma connected to Hamilton Standard asbestos exposure should contact an experienced mesothelioma law firm to explore compensation options. ELSM Law has decades of expertise helping clients hold companies like Hamilton Standard accountable for asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Exposure at Hamilton Standard

Aeronautics and aerospace manufacturers often used asbestos-containing parts and equipment until the U.S. began banning the material in the 1980s. Hamilton Standard and other industrial companies favored asbestos in their components because of its ability to insulate machinery from high heat and friction.

Asbestos has been found in Hamilton Standard’s propeller components, including gaskets and sealants, as well as throughout its Connecticut facilities, where asbestos was used to insulate machinery, pipes, and boilers. Employees who worked closely with those items — whether by installing, maintaining or repairing aircraft machinery or by working to maintain plant facilities — were put at elevated risk of developing asbestos cancers, including mesothelioma.

Key Dates in Hamilton Standard History and Asbestos Exposure include:

• 1930s–1970s: During the peak years of asbestos use in the U.S., Hamilton Standard and other aeronautics manufacturers widely used asbestos-containing materials in industrial equipment and manufacturing settings.
• 1960s–1980s: Lawsuits allege that certain industrial parts linked to the company, especially those from businesses it later acquired, contained asbestos, including clutches and other heat-insulating materials.
• 1990s: Asbestos-related lawsuits begin to more frequently name aerospace and industrial companies, including Hamilton Standard, in connection with historical exposure claims.
• 1999: Hamilton Standard merges with Sundstrand Corporation, under the umbrella of United Technologies. The newly formed Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation takes on responsibility for certain historic asbestos claims.
• 2000s–present: Public records show the company continuing to manage asbestos-related claims, most of which are linked to older products and businesses acquired in the past, not current manufacturing.

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High-Risk Occupations at Hamilton Standard

The workers at the highest risk of asbestos exposure at Hamilton Standard were those in hands-on production and maintenance roles. Mechanics, machinists, and factory workers at Hamilton Standard were likely to have handled or worked near heat-resistant parts that contained asbestos.

Maintenance crews at the plant were also at risk. Whether they were repairing or replacing worn aeronautics components, or servicing other industrial aspects of the Hamilton Standard facility, these workers may have regularly come into contact with asbestos. Their work tasks often disturbed asbestos-containing materials, releasing microscopic asbestos fibers into the air that nearby workers could inhale.

High-risk occupations for asbestos exposure in aircraft product manufacturing include the following:

Secondary Asbestos Exposure

Hamilton Standard workers who were directly exposed to asbestos are not the only ones who risk developing asbestos-related cancers. Employees' clothes, hair, and shoes were often contaminated with asbestos fibers, which could be carried home with them and inhaled by loved ones. This is called “secondary asbestos exposure,” and carries serious medical risks for those who were in close contact with asbestos-exposed workers.

Victims of secondary asbestos exposure are also eligible for financial compensation. The asbestos lawyers at ELSM Law have decades of experience working with families who were sickened by workplace toxins. They can help you evaluate your legal options.

We were called into Hamilton Standard whenever they had a new job. We did hot water tanks, high-pressure steam lines, air conditioning ductwork and lines, hot and cold water plumbing lines. We worked with high-temperature cements, high-temperature pipe covering, asbestos. Insulator
Recalling work at Hamilton Standard, 1960s

Asbestos Products Used at Hamilton Standard

Because asbestos is highly resistant to heat, Hamilton Standard and other aeronautics companies relied on it heavily in the production of equipment that would be exposed to extreme temperatures and friction, as well as throughout their industrial facilities.

Common asbestos-containing products used at Hamilton Standard and other aeronautics manufacturers include:

Compensation for Hamilton Standard Workers With Mesothelioma

A mesothelioma diagnosis can be a huge financial burden to bear. If you or a loved one has developed mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos exposure at Hamilton Standard, you may have a right to financial compensation.

There are several ways to seek financial support if you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease. Depending on your situation, you may be able to file an asbestos lawsuit, pursue a workers’ compensation claim, apply for veterans’ benefits, or submit a claim to an asbestos trust fund. ELSM’s asbestos lawyers have more than 40 years of experience helping individuals and families determine the best path to compensation.

Call 800.336.0086 to schedule your free case evaluation now. We will come to visit you at your convenience. There are absolutely no costs to you unless we win!

Asbestos Trust Funds

Asbestos trust funds have been established by companies that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to compensate people who developed mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos exposure linked to the companies’ products or operations.

Though Hamilton Standard does not have its own asbestos trust fund, several bankrupt companies that manufactured asbestos-containing products used at Hamilton Standard have established asbestos trust funds to compensate workers. They include, but are not limited to:

Asbestos Lawsuits

Asbestos lawsuits are filed to hold companies accountable for exposingemployees and their families to asbestos. Personal injury claims, filed by individuals who have developed asbestos-related cancer as a result of exposure, and wrongful death claims, filed by the families of individuals who have died from asbestos-related disease, are two types of suits that can be brought against companies. These suits hold companies like Hamilton Standard financially accountable and force them to publicly acknowledge the harm caused to their employees and their families.

The first step to filing a lawsuit is to contact an experienced mesothelioma law firm like ELSM Law. Many states have strict statute of limitations guidelines for filing an asbestos suit, so it’s important not to wait. In Connecticut where Hamilton Standard was located, a suit generally must be filed within three years of date of diagnosis (for personal injury) or death (for a wrongful death suit). Acting quickly can help ensure you don’t miss this important deadline.

Workers’ Compensation

Workers compensation is an insurance program designed to support workers who have been injured or become ill on their jobs. Workers like those at Hamilton Standard who became ill from asbestos exposure may be eligible to file workers’ compensation claims to recover benefits. Family members of those who have died as a result of asbestos exposure on the job may also be able to file claims on their behalf.