Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was once highly prized for its insulation and flame resistant qualities, is a known human carcinogen (meaning it causes cancer). Its use has been banned from construction for several decades; however, buildings that were constructed using asbestos laden materials are still around even today. Many people were subjected to daily asbestos exposure 20, 30, or 40 years ago. The result is that today they have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer. If you have been diagnosed with one of these diseases, check to see if you worked in one of these industries and see if you can file an asbestos lawsuit.
Industries That Used Asbestos
The mineral asbestos was incorporated into a lot of construction materials. These materials were then used whenever insulation and flame resistance was needed. Since the mineral is so versatile, it can be incorporated into a wide variety of materials including flooring, countertops, and even safety clothing. This means that many industries that used asbestos were those subjected to high heat exposure. That list includes:
Chemical Plants Some forms of asbestos are also very resistant to chemical spills.
Oil Refineries Much of the refining process includes extreme heat. To keep the employees safe from burns, companies used asbestos to insulate.
Metal Factories It goes without saying that melting and shaping metal includes processes of intense heat.
Auto Manufacturing Some parts of automobiles, such as brake pads, used a lot of asbestos.
Electricians Many aspects of the electric industry used asbestos to prevent fires.
Plumbers When soldering pipes, you need to prevent the structure from catching fire.
Shipyard Workers There are two parties to blame here, those that provided the goods and the shipyards that used products containing asbestos.
Many More The list goes on and on and isnt limited to specific industries.
The bottom line is that during the latter half of the twentieth century, the dangers of working around asbestos were well known. However, many corporations failed to properly update their facilities and their equipment. The result was that employees were constantly being exposed to dangerous asbestos. And they are just now finding that they are diagnosed with a fatal disease because of it.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you have recently been diagnosed with asbestosis, mesothelioma, or lung cancer, and you feel that you may have been exposed to asbestos on the job, you should contact a personal injury attorney right away to find out if you could take part in an asbestos lawsuit. You were injured on the job decades ago, only now are the consequences showing themselves.
