Products Liability
Asbestos is a mineral that naturally forms in the earth and is composed of individual fibers that are flexible and strong. During the 20th century, asbestos became widely used as a material in building, manufacturing and other industrial and commercial products. Between the 1950s and the 1970s millions of American workers were regularly exposed to asbestos on the job.
Asbestos is highly toxic and exposure to asbestos fibers causes a very rare and extremely deadly type of cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is only caused by asbestos exposure.
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma (or died from mesothelioma) you may be entitled to bring an asbestos lawsuit and get compensation. Contact the asbestos lawyers at Miller & Zois today for a free consultation.
Asbestos Exposure Information
Before the later 1970s asbestos and asbestos-based products were literally everywhere in American industry. Asbestos had a number of very unique properties that made it extremely useful for a variety of different commercial and industrial applications.
For starters, asbestos does not conduct heat and it is highly resistant to damage from heat exposure, even at extremely high temperatures. Asbestos also does not conduct electricity like metal and other heat-resistant materials. Finally, asbestos was not vulnerable to any type of corrosion from air or moisture exposure.
This combination of characteristics (and the fact that it could be easily mined out of the earth) made asbestos the material of choice for thousands of applications and products. The industrial use of asbestos first began in the late 1800s and rapidly expanded in the early 20th century as U.S. industry grew. The use of asbestos reached its peak in the 1960s and early 70s, when it could be found in literally thousands of products and applications.
Unfortunately, the characteristics that made asbestos so useful also made it toxic. When asbestos was broken apart the fibers easily broke down into millions of microscopic dust particles. These asbestos dust particles would become airborne and linger in the air for hours or even days. Anyone in the vicinity would end up inhaling large volumes of asbestos particles just through normal breathing. The asbestos dust would also attach to clothing where it would be brought home and inhaled by the entire family.
Where was asbestos used?
Asbestos was once called the “miracle mineral” because of its strength and resistance to electricity, heat and corrosion. By the 1950s asbestos was commonly used in all types of industries including steel mills, factories, oil refineries, foundries, shipyards, railroads, and construction.
In addition to direct application use, asbestos was also used to make various products including:
| Floor tiles | Gloves | Roofing |
| Blankets | Furnaces | Siding |
| Boilers | Gaskets | Talcum powder |
| Brakes | Insulation | Tape |
| Fireproofing | Electrical parts | Plaster |
| Pipe insulation | Valves | Packing |
| Automotive parts | Ceiling Tiles | Joint compound |
| Turbine engines |
Growth of Asbestos Exposure Lawsuits
Beginning around the late 1960s, it started to become clear that asbestos was a health hazard. Various reports and articles began to make some of the earliest connections between occupational exposure to asbestos and diseases involving the lungs and respiratory system.
The companies that manufactured asbestos and asbestos products deliberately chose to ignore all of new evidence regarding the potential health hazards of asbestos exposure. These companies continued to make and sell asbestos products without providing any warnings about the dangers of exposure.
The widespread use of asbestos eventually went into sharp decline beginning in the 1970s and by the end of that decade it had ceased almost entirely. There were two primary reasons for this. First, Congress passed the Occupational Health and Safety Act in 1970 which forced employers to ensure workplace safety. Second, and more significantly, victims began filing asbestos lawsuits based on new scientific evidence that asbestos exposure was the cause of mesothelioma.
Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare and unique type of cancer that occurs when cancer cells form in the tissue that surrounds organs inside the body. There are 3 different types of mesothelioma, depending on where is originates. Pleural mesothelioma (lungs) is by far the most common, accounting for over 80% of all cases. When the cancer originates in the tissue around the abdominal cavity it is classified as peritoneal mesothelioma. This is the second most common subtype of mesothelioma, accounting for just under 10% of cases.
Mesothelioma is an exceedingly rare form of a cancer, with only 3,000 cases diagnosed each year. It is also the deadliest of all cancer types. The overall 5-year survival rate for mesothelioma is only 12%.
Mesothelioma is also unique in the world of cancer because it is only caused by asbestos exposure. Exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. This means that if someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, it means that they must have been exposed to asbestos at some point.
Direct Asbestos Exposure
The primary source of asbestos exposure was direct exposure to airborne particles in the workplace. The exposure could occur if the individual was working with asbestos products themselves, or was simply in the vicinity when others were working with asbestos or asbestos products.
It has been estimated that around 30 million U.S. workers were exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979. Asbestos was so ubiquitous that almost anyone who worked in a blue-collar industry prior to 1980 may have been regularly exposed to asbestos, even if they didn’t realize it. Occupations and trades with the highest risk of asbestos exposure were:
| Shipbuilding | Mining |
| Steamfitters / Pipefitters | Electricians |
| Construction | Manufacturing |
| Railroad |
Secondary Asbestos Exposure
Aside from direct occupational exposure on the job, millions of people were subject to secondary asbestos exposure as children. Airborne asbestos dust particles had a tendency to cling to clothing, tools, and any other materials in the area. As a result, people who worked around asbestos would inadvertently bring the toxic fibers home on their clothing. The asbestos fibers would then become airborne again and be inhaled by children, spouses, and other family members in the house.
If one of your parents or someone who lived in your house when you were a child worked around asbestos, you were likely subject to second-hand asbestos exposure. Many of the mesothelioma lawsuits brought today involve cases of second-hand exposure during childhood.
Contact Us About Your Mesothelioma Lawsuit
If you (or a family member) have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and want to get compensation, contact our national asbestos lawyers today for a free consultation at 800-553-8082.