Asbestos Exposure at Boise Cascade Papermills

Key Takeaways

Boise Cascade Corp. used asbestos in its products through the 1980s, such as building materials and paper products, and in its manufacturing facilities. 
The company’s asbestos use put many workers at risk for serious medical conditions such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Workers with asbestos-related medical conditions due to the use of Boise Cascade Corp. products may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Idaho-based Boise Cascade Corp. produced a host of asbestos-containing products at its manufacturing facility until the 1980s. Those who used its products were potentially exposed to asbestos, putting them at risk of developing serious illnesses such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.

If Boise Cascade Corp. was responsible for your or a loved one’s asbestos exposure, you may be eligible to pursue justice and seek compensation. Bergman Oslund Udo Little has over 25 years of experience helping victims of occupational asbestos exposure in the Pacific Northwest pursue the compensation they need and deserve.

Asbestos Exposure at Boise Cascade Corp.

In addition to manufacturing asbestos-containing products, Boise Cascade’s manufacturing plants were constructed with significant amounts of the substance. Thus, factory workers and others responsible for maintaining Boise Cascade’s manufacturing plants may have also been exposed to asbestos. For example, the plants likely contained asbestos pipe coverings that would deteriorate over time, allowing asbestos fibers to become airborne and inhaled. Workers often cleaned up fallen asbestos materials without proper face masks and protective equipment.

Workers in the following positions at Boise Cascade were likely exposed to asbestos at the company’s production facilities: 

Maintenance staff 
Demolition crews
Pipefitters
Contractors and construction workers
Plant & mill workers
Electricians
Boilermakers
Millwrights

Legal Action Against the Boise Cascade Corp.

Boise Cascade Corp. has been named a defendant in several cases involving its products and its responsibility for asbestos contamination at job sites. According to public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Boise Cascade Corp. has settled many of these asbestos exposure lawsuits out of court.  

Victims of asbestos-related illnesses and their families have filed personal injury and wrongful death claims to seek compensation for their losses. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are available to victims who were not Boise Cascade employees, such as construction workers who handled products containing asbestos.

In contrast, Boise Cascade employees with injuries from asbestos exposure must typically use available workers’ compensation to recover damages. However, depending on the circumstances of the exposure, there may be options to file a lawsuit against other potentially liable parties. These can include manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of the asbestos products used in workplace construction, maintenance, or operations.

Boise Cascade Corp. Does Not Have an Asbestos Trust Fund

Many companies facing mounting liability from asbestos-exposure victims have filed for bankruptcy and restructured their companies. As a part of that process, the courts have required the companies to establish trust funds to compensate asbestos victims. Victims can then file a claim for damages through the trust fund instead of filing a civil lawsuit. Boise Cascade does not currently have an asbestos trust fund.

Because Boise has not established a trust fund, non-employees who suffered occupational exposure to asbestos because of Boise Cascade or one of its related businesses must file claims in the applicable state or federal court to recover compensation for damages. The deadline to file these actions will depend on the state’s unique statute of limitations, which is often no more than a couple of years. The deadline to file a claim generally begins on the date you were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related medical condition.

Asbestos Products From Boise Cascade Corp.

Boise Cascade Corp. started as a lumber producer in the Pacific Northwest but expanded to manufacturing a range of wood and paper products and building materials. The company became well-known for producing and marketing various products containing asbestos. Some common examples of Boise Cascade’s asbestos products included the following building materials and paper products:

Insulite siding shingles
Latex-coated gaskets
Cement sheets
Ceiling tiles 
Insulating paper,
Laminate flooring
Raw Asbestos
Packing
Pipe insulation

Contractors and construction workers who cut, installed, and handled these products may have been exposed to asbestos. 

The History of Boise Cascade Corp.

Boise Cascade Corp. was formed from the 1957 merger of Idaho’s Boise Payette Lumber Co. with the Cascade Lumber Co. located in Yakima, Washington. The merger helped replenish the companies’ lumber supplies after World War II. 

Boise Cascade Corp. quickly expanded its offerings to include a line of pulp and paper products. In 1958, the company began producing these items from its new pulp and paper mill in Wallula, Washington. 

Boise Cascade grew throughout the 1960s, becoming one of the largest wood products companies in the nation. This success led to new ventures, such as manufacturing building materials for residential homes and purchasing new facilities nationwide. The company had a large presence in the Pacific Northwest with locations throughout Washington and Oregon, including the following: 

Colville, Washington
Kettle Falls, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Elgin, Oregon
La Grande, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Pilot Rock, Oregon
White City, Oregon
Willamina, Oregon

Over time, the Boise Cascade Corp. underwent a series of restructurings. For example, it acquired OfficeMax in 2003—assuming that name—and sold its non-office products business to a private equity firm a year later. The company sold the name “Boise Cascade” as part of this transaction and exists today as the Boise Cascade Co.

The company continues to sell a variety of wood products and building materials. It went public in 2013, and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Get Help From Our Experienced Asbestos Attorneys

Asbestos litigation can be difficult to navigate without the help of an experienced asbestos attorney familiar with the applicable legal rules and the evidentiary burdens you must satisfy to obtain compensation.

Our attorneys at Bergman Oslund Udo Little help the victims of occupational asbestos exposure bring claims against Boise Cascade and other liable parties. We handle your case from start to finish, including investigating the facts and advocating for your rights during settlement negotiations and in court.

Testimonials from our clients demonstrate our commitment to pursuing justice and getting results. Contact our Oregon or Washington mesothelioma lawyers today for a free case review.