How was I Exposed?
Knowing the facts about asbestos exposure will help you protect yourself and your loved ones. Many governments, including the U.S., have compiled fact sheets and created guidelines and laws for handling and reporting asbestos exposure, as well as strict guidelines for asbestos removal and abatement. Being informed about asbestos and the dangers of asbestos exposure can help save your life.
Asbestos exposure can happen in a variety of ways through working with or around asbestos, your house being built decades ago, older buildings, or an asbestos plant being nearby.
The Problem of Asbestos Exposure
The danger of asbestos exposure arises from inhaling and swallowing tiny dust particles and fibers. Those particles are released when asbestos is broken up or disturbed in any way. Once the asbestos fibers have been inhaled or swallowed, they may lodge in the lining around the lungs, heart, or abdominal cavity and go unnoticed for decades. Eventually, they cause scarring and cell changes that can become a malignant cancer known as mesothelioma. Even when mesothelioma does not develop, asbestosis and other asbestos related conditions can cause pain, restricted breathing, and other difficulties.
How Asbestos Exposure Can Occur
There are many ways to be exposed to asbestos, but the most common type of asbestos exposure is work related. Asbestos was used in the construction industry, the auto industry, the shipyards, on the railroads, and in many factories that made items coated with or woven with asbestos. When the asbestos was broken, moved, sanded, poured, or otherwise manipulated, fine particles and dust were released into the air, where it was inhaled and swallowed. Family members of people who worked with asbestos were also often exposed to the dust when it was carried home in clothing and hair.
People who lived in the vicinity of asbestos plants may have been exposed to asbestos in the environment. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, residents who lived near asbestos plants may have been exposed to asbestos by breathing the air within a few blocks of the plant, moving or handling waste rock from processing plants, or playing in waste piles of rock near the factories.
In addition, there is a significant risk of exposure to asbestos in some older buildings, including houses built before 1978, where asbestos laced materials were used in construction. These materials are safe as long as they are covered and/or in good condition. However, asbestos may be disturbed during renovations, demolition, a fire, or when flooring, so people must be careful.
If you aren’t certain about materials in your house that may contain asbestos, it is best to contact your local town offices or health department to find out about having your home evaluated for asbestos and what sort of asbestos abatement regulations apply in your area.
What Can I do if I was Exposed to Asbestos?
The earliest effects of mesothelioma are often mistaken for the symptoms of a cold, virus, or flu, which means it’s often not diagnosed until it has progressed beyond the treatable stage. Because of this, anyone who worked or currently works in a job with a high risk of asbestos exposure should have regular medical checkups that include lung x-rays, and be especially watchful for respiratory ailments which may be the earliest symptoms of mesothelioma.
Everyone knows smoking increases your chance of lung cancer, but the combination of asbestos and smoking can cause the risk of lung cancer to increase even more. If you were ever exposed to asbestos and are currently smoking, you can significantly decrease the risk of developing a form of lung cancer by quitting now.
Asbestos was one of the most widely used industrial minerals through the early to mid 1970s. The companies that mined, distributed, and used asbestos were aware of the danger to their workers. Instead of warning them and providing for safer handling, the industry deliberately hid those dangers from the public, their workers, and the government. By doing so, they exposed hundreds of thousands of workers and their families to a deadly carcinogen.
Because these companies were aware of the dangers of asbestos and did nothing to warn or protect their workers intentionally, they may be legally liable for compensating workers and their families who became ill because of asbestos. If you believe that you or a family member became ill because of asbestos exposure, a law firm experienced in handling asbestos-related cases can evaluate your claim and help you get the compensation you deserve for your loss.
Have you been exposed to Asbestos? We can help!
Email us at njohnson@johnsonlawgroup.com
Or for a Free Case Evaluation, Click here
Jobs that can Lead to Asbestos Exposure
| Automotive mechanics | Iron workers | ||
| Brake repair workers | Maintenance workers | ||
| Bricklayers | Miners | ||
| Building inspectors | Painters | ||
| Carpenters | Plasterers | ||
| Construction workers | Plumbers | ||
| Demolition workers | Railroad workers | ||
| Drywall removers | Roofers | ||
| Electricians | Sheet metal workers | ||
| Factory workers | Shipbuilders | ||
| Firefighters | Tile workers | ||
| Insulators | Family members of these workers | ||