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Permaboard

Asbestos is an excellent insulator, and is both fire-resistant and flame-retardant. For these reasons, this naturally-occurring but highly toxic substance was used widely in the twentieth century. Most commonly used in manufacturing and the instruction and ship-building industries, asbestos was used in more than five thousand different products over the last several decades. Asbestos-containing permaboard was used in the construction of ceilings and walls, both indoors and outdoors. Asbestos permaboard was also widely used in areas where both insulation and protection from heat were required, such as around furnaces, boilers, and wood burning stoves. Asbestos permaboard often contained up to 80% asbestos.

For most of the twentieth century the use of asbestos was unregulated and unrestricted, even though the substance was known to be dangerous as early as the 1930s. In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most construction materials.

The Dangers of Asbestos

Asbestos is a dangerous substance because it is made up of tiny fibers that, when airborne, can be inhaled into the lungs or otherwise ingested. When these fibers reach the lungs they can, over a period of several years and repeated exposure, cause serious lung diseases.

Asbestos exposure is a known cause of lung cancer, and is also the only cause of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most often affects the lining of the lungs. These diseases have long latency periods, meaning that a person who is exposed will typically not develop any disease symptoms for two or more decades.

Mesothelioma is particularly lethal, because there is no cure and treatments are often ineffective at slowing the progress of the cancer. Mesothelioma is also difficult to diagnose, because in the early stages it has non-specific symptoms that resemble viral diseases such as influenza and pneumonia. In America, more than two thousand people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, and less than 50% of these will live more than two years post-diagnosis.

Even if asbestos permaboard is present in your home or work place, you may not necessarily be at risk of exposure. These materials are safe as long as they are in good condition and are left undisturbed, as asbestos is dangerous only if fibers are airborne and able to be inhaled.

The presence of asbestos in the home or work place is not always dangerous. The greatest risk comes when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or in poor condition, as it is only then that the fibers can become airborne.

The highest level of risk is for people who have worked in industrial settings where asbestos was used in manufacturing products such as permaboard, and in industries such as construction and ship-building, where asbestos-containing products were widely used.

Asbestos and your Legal Rights

The increasing incidence of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases is a tragedy that could have largely been avoided. The dangers of this substance were known long before its used was banned, and many companies did not provide their workers with protective clothing that would have prevented asbestos exposure.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, don't delay in contacting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can help you build a case against the company responsible for the asbestos exposure. A mesothelioma lawyer can assist you in gathering information and building a case that will allow you to claim compensation for payment of medical expenses, and loss of quality of life and income.

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