Asbestos Finishing Cement
Finishing cement is a mixture of long fibers and material binders that are combined with water to form a smooth consistency that can be applied to irregular surfaces. Asbestos finishing cement was used as a tough, durable way of adding insulation to indoor and outdoor structures, and to provide protection for insulated structures. Asbestos cements typically contain at least 20% asbestos.
Prior to the 1980s, asbestos was widely used in finishing cement and a large number of other construction materials. In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most construction materials. However, as the ban applied only to the manufacture of new supplies of such materials, existing stocks of asbestos-containing construction products were used up until the mid-1980s.
The Dangers of Asbestos
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos because it had become known as a hazardous substance with the ability to cause serious and often fatal diseases in people who experienced long term exposure. Diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer are all known to be caused by asbestos exposure. In fact, asbestos exposure is the sole cause of mesothelioma, a particularly deadly form of cancer for which there is currently no cure, and no effective long-term treatments.
Mesothelioma is particularly deadly, partly because the disease has a latency period of two decades or more. This means that someone who is exposed to asbestos on a regular basis may not develop mesothelioma for twenty years or more, even after asbestos exposure has ceased. Together with the difficulty of accurately diagnosing mesothelioma, this long latency period contributes significantly to the very high mortality rate of the disease.
Products such as asbestos finishing cements typically contain asbestos that is trapped within a layer of cement, and as such are dangerous only under certain circumstances. As long as the cement remains intact, the asbestos trapped within cannot be released into the air, or breathed into the lungs. However, cracks, holes and other disturbances in the cement layer can potentially release asbestos fibers. This means that knowing whether or not finishing cements and other construction materials in your home contain asbestos - particularly if you plan to remodel - is very important.
Asbestos Exposure - what are your Rights?
Anyone who develops mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease can attempt to claim some financial compensation for loss of income and quality of life, medical expenses, and emotional suffering that they experience as a consequence of their condition.
The first step in this process is to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can provide legal advice. Note that most states have a statute of limitations of between two and three years for mesothelioma cases. This means that if you do not start legal proceedings within two or three years (depending on the state you live in) of your mesothelioma diagnosis, you lose the right to claim compensation. Therefore it's important to contact a mesothelioma lawyer without delay after you receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.
Once you've chosen a mesothelioma lawyer, they can help you pinpoint when and how asbestos exposure occurred, and determine who is ultimately responsible for your exposure. With this information uncovered, they can also help you pursue a settlement or lawsuit to claim compensation for medical expenses, loss of quality of life and income, and the physical and emotional pain caused by mesothelioma.
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