Asbestos is a mineral that has been heavily mined by the US and used in over 5000 known products. Because of heat and fire resistance and its lack of reaction to electricity, it was considered an optimal material for use in multiple industries. It occurs naturally in the environment and comes in various forms including Chrysotile (white asbestos), Crocidolite (blue asbestos), Amosite (made up of brown fibers) and Anthophyllite (made of gray fibers).
Asbestos was widely used in cement sheet and in piping products. sheetrock taping, vinyl floor tiles, sheeting, adhesives and ceiling tiles, plasters and stuccos, roofing tars, felts, and shingles, acoustical ceilings, stage curtains, fire blankets, fire proofing, brake pads and linings, insulation and textiles – to name a few. It was widely used in heavy machinery and industrial plants and in housing in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The dangers of asbestos were not clear to the public initially.
It became especially popular during the industrial boom of the 1940’s through the 1960’s but as health problems became more prominent, it has been phased out of workplaces and is now more carefully handled and rarely used in products.
As the mineral asbestos decomposes, it breaks down and can be inhaled into the lungs. These particles stay lodged in the lung tissue and the presence of the mineral in lung tissue can cause a number of serious health issues, sometimes leading to death. These conditions have affected many Americans who worked in industries like shipbuilding cement factories and the automotive industry. As a result, asbestos lung cancer and other asbestos illnesses are found mostly in men from the ages of 55 and 80 who were consistently exposed to asbestos because of their jobs, and in some cases lifelong careers. It is estimated that as many as 9 million people in various industrial jobs across the United States were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos
It is alleged that many companies who regularly used asbestos and depended upon it for the functionality of their products continued to use it and to leave their employees virtually unprotected despite their knowing of the asbestos health problems related to being exposed. Many of these companies are potentially culpable for the illness and premature death of many of their employees and for medical costs and other compensatory damages in an asbestos lawsuit.
Asbestos is responsible for a number of diseases including asbestosis, pleural or lung plaques, asbestos mesothelioma and fluid in the lungs (pleural effusion). Asbestosis specifically is characterized by a marked shortness of breath, a chronic cough and tightness and pain throughout the chest. Mesothelioma is a dangerous cancer that affects the lining of major organs. Mesothelial cells make up the mesothelium which is used in the outer lining of all the major organs of the body. Mesothelioma attacks these cells through three cancers; peritoneal, pleural and pericardial. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a disease of the lining of the abdomen, pleural mesothelioma is a disease of the lining of the lungs and pericardial mesothelioma is a disease of the lining of the heart. The onset and symptoms of the illness do not present themselves until years after exposure.
If you have been exposed to asbestos and have developed asbestos lung cancer, you should contact an asbestos attorney to learn about how you may be able to secure compensation.