Due to its causal link to mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer, industrial use and removal of asbestos is now highly regulated by state and federal organizations to prevent workers from being exposed to the substance. However, there are still many ways for ordinary people to be exposed to asbestos and contract serious health conditions that they might not be aware of.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is extracted from the earth and processed for use in industrial products. For many decades, asbestos was used in all sorts of industrial applications including automotive parts, insulation in buildings, naval vessels, and other situations requiring the heat resistant qualities of the product.
One of the most common ways for individuals to be exposed to asbestos, and possibly contract mesothelioma, is having a family member working with the product come home wearing clothing covered in the mineral. By nature, asbestos is a fibrous material which makes it prone to becoming airborne and entering the respiratory system of nearby people, unaware they are breathing in a deadly substance.
Can I File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit Even if I Did Not Work Directly With Asbestos?
Victims of asbestos exposure have successfully brought lawsuits against defendants alleging they developed mesothelioma due to second hand asbestos exposure by a family member working with or around the product. In 2013, a jury awarded a New Jersey woman $2 million for her claim alleging she developed mesothelioma from breathing asbestos from her father’s work clothes.
Mesothelioma claims often center around the defendant’s knowledge their asbestos contaminated products or work environments could lead to serious health problems but failed to warn those who could be exposed. Other claims allege defective design or manufacture of products which contain asbestos, again because the defendant more likely than not knew of the dangers.
One study by the National Institute of Health concluded there is no safe level of asbestos exposure and even small amounts of the product contained peak-concentrations of asbestos which can lead to serious health problems. It is an unfortunately reality which many asbestos-exposure victims and our society as a whole must grapple with.
While many defendants in mesothelioma lawsuits contend victims could not possibly have developed mesothelioma due to low levels of exposure, scientific studies looking into the query find that not to be the case. As so often happens in mesothelioma lawsuits, defendants will go to great lengths to skirt responsibility for their negligence and careless behavior and deny duly owed compensation to ordinary people harmed by asbestos.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Asbestos Lawyer
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, it may be possible for you to hold those responsible for your exposure to asbestos accountable. Mesothelioma victims can recover compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering by filing asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits. For more information, contact our office. The Throneberry Law Group understands the difficulty of dealing with asbestos-related diseases and look forward to discussing how we can help