Asbestos Products

Caulking

The physical properties of asbestos made it a very popular component in a large range of construction materials in the twentieth century. Asbestos is tough and durable, extremely heat and fire resistant, and is also an excellent insulator. This naturally-occurring substance was used in more than 5,000 different varieties of construction and manufacturing products commercially produced over the last one hundred years.

The widespread use of asbestos continued for many decades despite the fact that the dangers of this substance had been known since the 1930s, if not earlier. The use of asbestos was unrestricted world-wide until the 1970s. In America, it was not until 1977 that the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most building and construction products. Even after this ban was enacted, existing supplies of asbestos-containing products were used in construction well into the 1980s.

Asbestos caulking was widely used in the construction industry as a sealant for window and door frames, as an adhesive, and as a patching material for cracks, seams and gaps in construction. Caulk as a construction material is widely used in all types of construction and as such asbestos-containing caulk was itself a highly ubiquitous substance. Caulk typically contained approximately 25% asbestos.

Asbestos is a highly dangerous substance to anyone who works or lives in conditions in which asbestos fibers can become airborne. This may apply to anyone who worked in asbestos-related industries, such as in the manufacture of caulk and other construction materials, or in the case of construction workers who worked with building supplies containing asbestos. Many thousands of workers were exposed to asbestos over several decades, and the effects of this long-term exposure are now seen in the increasing numbers of people affected by diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, is a particularly lethal disease for which there is currently no cure. The difficulty of diagnosis mesothelioma cases correctly, and the long latency period that elapses between asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma, contribute to the very high mortality rate for this cancer. Fifty percent of diagnosed individuals die within two years after diagnosis.

The greatest tragedy surrounding the use of asbestos is that almost all cases of exposure and disease could have been avoided. Despite the fact that the dangers of asbestos were well-known in the early decades of the twentieth centuries, many companies that produced or worked with asbestos-containing products did not provide adequate protection for workers, and many more did not provide any safety equipment at all.

Over the last two decades, an increasing amount of legal action has been brought against the companies that were responsible for the exposure of so many workers to asbestos and lethal disease. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have the right to pursue legal action and obtain some justice and ensure that the negligent company is held accountable for their actions.

Winning a lawsuit or settlement cannot cure your disease, but it can help you obtain some peace of mind, with the satisfaction of knowing that the company responsible is held accountable, and that the financial compensation you receive can pay for your medical expenses, replace lost income, and provide some financial stability for your loved ones.

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