Diamond State Telephone Company — Wilmington, Delaware

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at Diamond State Telephone Company — later Bell Atlantic and now Verizon — facilities and central office installations throughout Delaware sustained occupational asbestos exposure during telecommunications infrastructure installation and maintenance.

Facility Background

Diamond State Telephone Company was the Bell System operating company serving Delaware from the early twentieth century through the AT&T divestiture in 1984, when it became part of Bell Atlantic (now Verizon). The company operated telephone switching equipment and central offices throughout Delaware, including major facilities in Wilmington and throughout New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties.

Plaintiffs alleged that telephone central offices and equipment rooms built in the mid-twentieth century contained asbestos-containing building materials, fireproofing, floor tiles, and ceiling materials, and that installation and maintenance workers encountered asbestos during work in these facilities and in the buildings and premises of customers receiving telephone service.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

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

  • Central office building materials: Plaintiffs alleged that telephone central offices and equipment buildings constructed from the 1930s through the 1970s used asbestos-containing fireproofing, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, and pipe insulation throughout their construction.
  • Cable installation in buildings: Plaintiffs alleged that telephone cable splicers and installation workers working in the basements, walls, and mechanical spaces of older commercial and industrial buildings throughout Delaware encountered asbestos-containing materials during cable installation and maintenance.
  • Conduit and underground work: Plaintiffs alleged that workers installing and maintaining underground telephone conduit encountered asbestos-wrapped cables and asbestos-containing duct materials.
  • Building renovation and maintenance: Plaintiffs alleged that maintenance workers and renovation contractors performing work in telephone company buildings encountered asbestos-containing materials throughout older facilities.

Delaware has a two-year statute of limitations under 10 Del. C. § 8119, running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims carry a two-year limit under 10 Del. C. § 3724.

Workers who were employed by Diamond State Telephone / Bell Atlantic / Verizon in Delaware 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.