Asbestos Flatboard
Flatboards are cement-reinforced construction boards that provide a smooth finish. Prior to the late 19890s, asbestos flatboard was particularly popular due to its durable nature and insulating properties. Asbestos flatboards may contain anywhere between 20% and 80% asbestos depending on the location of the boards and the use they are put to.
The dangers of asbestos, a naturally-occurring fibrous substance, have been well known for several decades. Despite this asbestos was widely used in construction in the twentieth century, due to the substance's excellent insulating and fire-resistance properties. In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most construction products, but use of existing supplies of asbestos-containing materials, including asbestos flatboard, continued until the mid-1980s.
The Potential Dangers of Asbestos
Any home built in or before the 1980s may contain asbestos flatboards and other asbestos-containing construction materials. Often, the only way to determine if you home contains such materials is to have small samples of suspected asbestos-containing products professionally tested. If asbestos is found, the construction materials may need to be replaced, depending on their age and condition.
In many cases construction materials that contain asbestos are safe, as long as they are in good condition. Intact materials contain asbestos fibers that are trapped within the material layers, preventing the fibers from being released and potentially inhaled. The danger arises when the materials are cracked, broken or otherwise disturbed, allowing the release of fibers into the air.
Asbestos fibers are a health hazard because they can be breathed into the lungs, and the body can not excrete them. People who are exposed to asbestos fibers over several years can potentially develop diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, which are invariably fatal. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is particularly lethal due to its long latency period - two or more decades may elapse between asbestos exposure and the onset of the first symptoms - and the non-specificity of mesothelioma symptoms. Mesothelioma cancer is very difficult to diagnose in the early stages of the disease, and in most cases, by the time the disease has been diagnosed the patient has less than two years to live.
Asbestos and your Rights
If you are exposed to asbestos either at work or home via exposure to asbestos flatboard or other asbestos-containing materials and subsequently develop an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma as a consequence of that exposure, it's important to know that you have some legal rights in the matter. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you have two to three years (depending on the state in which you live) from the date of diagnosis to pursue legal action to claim compensation from the company responsible for the asbestos exposure.
Apart from obtaining medical advice and treatment, the first step that many people take after mesothelioma diagnosis is seeking legal advice from an experienced mesothelioma lawyer. A mesothelioma lawyer can help you understand your legal rights, assist you in determining how and when you were exposed to asbestos, and provide legal advice in pursuing compensation from a lawsuit or settlement. There is no cure for mesothelioma, but obtaining compensation from the company responsible for the asbestos exposure can help replace lost income, cover medical expenses, and provide some compensation for loss of quality of life.
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