Related Topics ► Other TopicsAsbestos Packing
Asbestos packing had a variety of uses, most of which were industrial. The material was used as packing for boiler doors, valves and pumps, and was widely used in the ship-building industry. Ship-yard workers, manufacturers and even men in the Navy were exposed to asbestos via asbestos packing and other materials used in ship-building. Working with materials such as asbestos packing caused a very high degree of asbestos exposure, not only to these workers, but also in some cases to their families as well, as the fibers were often present on the clothes of workers. As late as the 1970s, the safety precautions taken to prevent exposure were extremely inadequate, and in some cases were even non-existent.
The Dangers of Asbestos
The dangers of asbestos were known as early as the 1930s, making the continued use of the substance an even greater tragedy. It was not until the 1970s that any efforts were made to protect people who worked with asbestos. Asbestos is now widely known to cause a number of serious and fatal diseases, including lung cancer, a lung disease known as asbestosis, and mesothelioma, a rare and lethal form of cancer that most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs. While long-term asbestos exposure is most likely to cause such diseases, short-term or low-level exposure is equally dangerous.
Asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma are particularly deadly, partly because of the long latency period of these diseases. The number of cases diagnosed every year is steadily increasing, as people who worked with asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s are still being diagnosed with asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Currently around two thousand people are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year in America. Mesothelioma itself is highly lethal, partly because the symptoms of this cancer often resemble much less serious viral infections such as flu and pneumonia. Mesothelioma is so difficult to diagnose that many people are diagnosed so late that by the time diagnosis occurs, they have just two years or less left to live.
Asbestos Exposure and your Legal Rights
Anyone who worked with or around asbestos is at risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer, and the families of such people may also be at risk. This tragic situation could have been avoided in the majority of cases by replacing asbestos packing and other materials with safer products, or by providing protective equipment for people working with asbestos. Many companies ignored the risks, and put their workers in great danger.
Over the past two decades, many thousands of people have pursued legal action against the companies they worked for that were responsible for their asbestos exposure and subsequent development of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Financial compensation obtained via legal action can pay for medical expenses, replace lost income, and compensate for loss of quality of life, as well as physical and emotional suffering.
In America, there is a statute of limitations on such cases of two or three years, depending on the state in which you live. This means you must start legal proceedings within two or three years from your date of diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer. If you or a loved one has received such a diagnosis, don't hesitate in contacting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can help you understand your legal rights, and pursue a settlement or law suit that will help you obtain justice and compensation from the company responsible for your exposure to asbestos.
- Former Railroad Worker Sues Employer for Toxin Exposure
2008-07-15 15:24:59
Asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma, one of the deadliest cancers around. In the late 70's asbestos was largely banned but unfortunately products already being produced were not recalled and asbestos still lingers in many peoples homes walls and office buildings. The following is a brief recap o ...Read More
- KDHE Issues Post-Storm Asbestos Warning
2008-07-08 15:54:55
After recent storms the Kansas Department of Health and Environments has issued a general warning to remind residents of storm-damaged areas that asbestos exposure is a possibility which should be guarded against while cleaning up debris. Asbestos was a common component of construction materials up until the 1980s due to its high fire resistance ...Read More - Jury Sides with Defendant after Three-Week Asbestos Trial
2008-07-08 15:53:46
The family of a former Illinois man were disappointed this week after an sbestos lawsuit failed to provide them with the compensation they had hoped for. After a three-week trial, the jury decided in favor of the defendants. The family of Robert C. Scott sued Honeywell International and Pneumo Abex, claiming that Scott had come into contact with ...Read More
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