Asbestos Products

Asbestos Micarta

Micarta is a laminate typically made from a composite of paper or linen fabric and a thermosetting plastic. The most common use of Micarta is as an electrical insulation material, and the substance is also used in a variety of other industrial settings including heavy equipment, automotive equipment, electronic and office equipment. Micarta is also used in a range of commercial products such as in knife and gun handles, guitar bridges and fingerboards, and in pool cues.

Until 1977, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most construction materials, asbestos was a commonly-used component of Micarta. Asbestos has excellent insulating properties and is fire and flame resistant, making it a very efficient and highly popular material in the manufacture of construction materials. However, asbestos is also a highly dangerous substance, and it is for this reason its use in most construction materials was banned. Unfortunately, many homes built up until the mid-1980s may have been built using some asbestos-containing materials as the ban did not apply to existing stocks of these products.

The Dangers of Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring substance that is made up of tiny fibers. These fibers are small enough that they become airborne easily, and can be inhaled by human lungs. Unlike other more harmless substances, once these asbestos fibers are inhaled by the lungs, they cannot be excreted. Inhalation of asbestos particles over time is known to cause several serious diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that is only caused by asbestos exposure. Two thousand Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year, and there is no cure for the disease.

Asbestos micarta and other asbestos containing-materials are not always hazardous. If your home contains such materials, you are not necessarily in any danger - however you should be aware of the potential hazards of living in a home constructed with asbestos-containing building materials.

Any construction product that contains asbestos remains safe as long as the product is intact, because the asbestos fibers are trapped within the material and are unable to become airborne. If the material is broken or otherwise disturbed, however, fibers may be released and can potentially be inhaled. Anyone who is concerned about the possibility of their home containing asbestos can have samples of construction materials tested for a small fee, and you can then choose to have materials removed and replaced if any are found to contain asbestos.

Asbestos and your Legal Rights

People working in the construction industry - either in manufacturing or in construction - may have been exposed to asbestos in the 1980s or earlier, when asbestos was widely used in construction materials. Anyone living in a home containing such materials may potentially be exposed, depending on the age and condition of the asbestos-containing materials. Exposure to asbestos-containing materials does not always lead to the development of mesothelioma or asbestosis, but the chances increase greatly with longer periods of exposure.

Because the use of asbestos continued after the dangers were known, people who develop diseases such as mesothelioma have legal recourse to pursue a lawsuit or settlement to obtain financial compensation from the company responsible for the exposure. If you or a loved one has developed an asbestos-related disease, contacting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer should be done without delay, due to the two to three year statute of limitations that exists in all states. Compensation can pay for medical expenses, replace lost income, and provide some reparation for the emotional and physical suffering that mesothelioma causes.

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