Articles Posted in Asbestos Exposure

Statistics indicate that members of the military are among the most-often affected by asbestos exposure and diagnosed in mesothelioma cases. Veterans have an exceptionally high rate of disease and some experts suggest that 30% of all mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in veteran cases. Historically, many of these veterans were exposed during the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s; however; veterans who have served abroad in more recent decades may also have suffered from asbestos exposure.

The U.S. Navy has some of the highest rates of asbestos exposure and development of mesothelioma. Tragically, for these veterans and their loved ones, mesothelioma survival rates are grim. Our maritime mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of mesothelioma patients and their families.

Asbestos was commonly used in ship production and an insulation solution until its dangers were revealed decades later. Veterans may have been exposed to asbestos in boiler or engine rooms, in the material wrapping pipes, or lining breaks. U.S. Navy veterans may also have been exposed through the walls, floors, and ceilings of the ship. Any number of jobs could have exposed a veteran or civilian to asbestos on a ship, including insulation, electrical work, plumbing, or welding.
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Despite workplace safety standards that have been in place for decades, on-the-job exposure to toxins remains a leading cause of injury. In fact, on a recent list of the Five Jobs Most Likely to Make You Sick, exposure to toxins and chemicals were the cause of illness for both the number one and number two jobs.

While the job found most likely to make you sick was agriculture (because of exposure to fertilizer), the number two job on the list was construction work. Construction workers have such a high rate of job-related illness as a result of asbestos that can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Victims who suffer from these conditions because of their jobs need to talk to a mesothelioma law firm in Massachusetts as soon as possible for information on how to pursue a damage claim.
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Many people are inspired to do home repairs and home remodeling themselves, especially with network shows like HGTV and This Old House making it look so simple to fix up a house. Unfortunately, many homes built before 1980 have asbestos in them, and doing home improvement tasks could cause serious illnesses.

Victims exposed to asbestos can develop a condition called asbestosis as well as other serious issues, including lung cancer or a rare type of cancer called mesothelioma that usually only develops from asbestos exposure. The illnesses may not show up for decades after the exposure, but mesothelioma and other asbestos-related health problems can be difficult or impossible to treat. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer should be consulted by victims for help in pursuing a claim for compensation if they are ill as a result of asbestos exposure.
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With the dangers of asbestos so well-known, it’s hard to believe that companies continue to put employees and the public at risk of exposure. Unfortunately, an incident of careless asbestos handling by an Essex demolition company has endangered countless people recently as a result of the company’s complete failure to follow best practices when handling asbestos. The company has been fined and faces further potential liability.

Workers and other individuals harmed by exposure to asbestos can pursue a claim for compensation against companies like this careless demolition business. A mesothelioma lawyer in New England can assist those who have been exposed.
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The majority of those filing asbestos lawsuits in Massachusetts are people who worked in industries where they were exposed to the dangerous fibers in the course of carrying out their daily duties.

These individuals suffered from what we call occupational exposure. There are other forms of exposure of course, including second-hand, usually stemming from relatives who returned home each day with the material on their clothing.

Yet even for those diagnosed with mesothelioma, in which the only known cause is exposure to asbestos, these cases can be complex. It requires delving back many years into a person’s work history and daily routines. It requires testimony from colleagues and supervisors from decades ago. It requires an extensive analysis of medical records and evaluations. To top it off, most of these cases are fast-tracked, due to the rapid deterioration of patients’ health following diagnosis.
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An ongoing mesothelioma lawsuit raises questions about an employer’s responsibility in cases of asbestos exposure and whether workers’ compensation laws bar plaintiffs from taking action against former employers.

In the case of Walston v. Boeing Co., the plaintiff is attempting to sue his former employer on the grounds that the company “deliberately intended” to cause him harm, as it knew of the dangers involved with asbestos work and failed to properly protect or warn him.

However, the company argues that the lawsuit is barred under Washington state’s Industrial Insurance Act, the state’s workers’ compensation law, which offers employer immunity under the exclusivity provisions.
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Many people each year file lawsuits in the United States because they develop cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos. The thousands of lawsuits largely go unnoticed amidst the other legal news, especially as asbestos litigation has been going on for a long time and there is no question that asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma as well as the cause of many cases of lung cancer.

One recent case, however, is bringing issues of asbestos exposure back to the headlines because the plaintiff is a politician. According to The Hill, the lawsuit was brought by a 69-year-old U.S. Congresswoman named Carolyn McCarthy. The congresswoman announced back in June that she had been treated for lung cancer and she has now filed a lawsuit against multiple manufacturers of asbestos because she alleges that exposure to toxic asbestos fibers when she was younger was a significant contributing factor to the development of her lung cancer.
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The link between exposure to asbestos and the development of cancer has been long-established and it is clear that when asbestos fibers are breathed, they can cause mesothelioma. Unfortunately, new research shows that even very low levels of exposure to asbestos can trigger the damage to the lining of the lungs that causes mesothelioma.

The study was published in the Journal of Occupation and Environmental Medicine and it involved reviewing data from more than 60,000 men that was collected as part of the Netherlands Cohort Study. The men whose data was reviewed were Norwegian men between the ages of 55 and 69. The researchers took a careful look at the job history of each of the 58,279 men who were involved in the study and compared the work background of the men to the different occupations where workers were routinely exposed to asbestos. The researchers also compared the levels of asbestos exposure among the men surveyed to the rate at which the men developed mesothelioma and other cancers such as lung cancer.
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Mesothelioma is a worldwide problem as asbestos was widely used in building material both in the United States and throughout Europe for decades until the risks associated with exposure became known. Recently, the death of a school teacher in the United Kingdom brought the issue of asbestos-exposure in schools back into the headlines. The teacher, a 63-year-old from South Hampton, was believed to be the first case of mesothelioma in the local area. However, there is concern that many schools both in the UK and in the United States are older buildings were children, teachers and administrators could all be exposed to asbestos fibers.

Our mesothelioma plaintiff lawyers know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has passed strict requirements to prevent exposure to asbestos among school children. Schools are required to comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and all public and private schools, including charters and religious schools, have to inspect their schools regularly for materials with asbestos and take action to reduce asbestos hazards. Unfortunately, the average age of schools in the U.S. is around 42 years old and about half of all schools in the country were built between 1950 and 1969, which were peak years for the use of asbestos. Even with federal regulations, schools may still have unresolved asbestos issues and kids, teachers and administrators could be in danger of exposure.
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In the United States every year, an estimated 2,500 people die because they were exposed to asbestos at some point in their life. Many of these victims die from mesothelioma, lung cancer or other illnesses that are caused by asbestos fibers that become lodged in their lungs.

Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that the United States government has imposed very strict limitations on the use of asbestos since the dangers of this silicate product were first identified. However, the U.S. remains one of the few industrialized countries throughout the world that has not instituted a comprehensive asbestos ban. In other locations, such as in Spain, a complete ban on asbestos means that there is a projected end-date for mesothelioma deaths.
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