Kerr-McGee / Tronox — Jackson, Mississippi

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at Kerr-McGee Corporation and successor Tronox chemical and petroleum operations in Jackson and central Mississippi sustained occupational asbestos exposure during industrial operations.

Facility Background

Kerr-McGee Corporation, an Oklahoma City-based oil and chemical company, operated facilities in Mississippi related to petroleum exploration, production, and chemical processing. Kerr-McGee’s operations in the Gulf South region involved industrial facilities where asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and protective materials were standard equipment through the 1970s.

Plaintiffs alleged that industrial facilities operated by Kerr-McGee and predecessor/successor entities in Mississippi used asbestos-containing materials in process systems, steam infrastructure, and maintenance operations throughout the decades when asbestos was the dominant industrial insulation and sealing material.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Process facility insulation: Plaintiffs alleged that workers maintaining process piping, vessels, and equipment at Kerr-McGee facilities encountered asbestos pipe covering, block insulation, and gaskets during operations and maintenance.
  • Steam and utility systems: Plaintiffs alleged that steam and process heating systems at industrial facilities used asbestos-containing insulation throughout.
  • Gaskets and seals on process equipment: Plaintiffs alleged that flanged connections and valve assemblies on process piping used asbestos compressed-fiber gaskets.
  • Construction and turnaround work: Plaintiffs alleged that outside contractor workers performing plant construction, expansion, and turnaround operations encountered asbestos materials throughout industrial facilities.

Mississippi has a three-year statute of limitations under Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49, running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis. Wrongful death claims also carry a three-year limit under Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13.

Workers who were employed at Kerr-McGee or successor company facilities in Mississippi and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.