Expansion Joint
In the past, and even now into this time, asbestos was a commonly used product. Asbestos is known for its durability and its cost effectiveness. Expansion joints are just one of the products that were commonly made with asbestos. An expansion joint is an expansion belt that is an under layer that has a heat resistant or insulation fabric such as asbestos fabrics, which is carried by an elastomer that is vulcanized to shield heat. This heat shield doubles the resistance of the asbestos used in the expansion joint and creates a very durable and long lasting product.
However, even though asbestos expansion joints are long lasting and cost effective, they are also dangerous. Asbestos has been found to cause mesothelioma - a specific type of cancer that can only be attributed to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is cancer of the lining of the heart, lungs or abdomen and is not treatable with chemo therapy or radiation therapy. Most people who contract mesothelioma do not have long to live once diagnosed. The bottom line is that mesothelioma is caused by exposure to expansion joints containing asbestos, as well as a variety of other products and there is no treatment.
For many workers who made expansion joints with asbestos, their exposure to asbestos was high. However, there is no correlation to the amount of exposure to heightened risk of mesothelioma - there are people who regularly had contact with asbestos expansion joints that have not gotten mesothelioma, where others who had very little contact with expansion joints containing asbestos have been diagnosed.
The biggest issue with expansion joints made with asbestos is that diseases related to exposure take between 15 and 40 years to appear with the first signs and symptoms. Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, there is very little that doctors can do, and most people perish shortly after diagnosis. With this grave diagnosis in hand, many families and victims of expansion joint asbestos exposure are turning to mesothelioma lawyers to help with the costs associated with having cancer.
Money from a lawsuit will not return health or a life; however it can improve the quality of life by paying for medical bills, funeral costs and replacing lost wages for expansion joint victims' families.
Expansion joints are used in many different arenas, their primary job is to allow for movement. They are everywhere, and many of them used to be made using asbestos. These expansion joints that are out there still contain asbestos for some of them and there's been a massive effort to educate people about the ramifications of asbestos expansion joint products and to remove asbestos expansion joints from use.
The asbestos that was used in the expansion joints and other similar products is nearly indestructible. It is easily inhaled and once lodged in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart, the body is powerless to rid itself of the asbestos fibers. It is not only the workers who made expansion joints that are at risk for mesothelioma - asbestos fibers are very thin and are easily carried home on clothing, skin, hair and shoes and once again can be dislodged once at home, making the families of expansion joint manufacturers also at risk for mesothelioma cancer. Any level of exposure to asbestos, even small amounts tracked home from workers who made expansion joints can increase your risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses.
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