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Frequently Asked Questions: Asbestos
Frequently Asked Questions: Personal Injury
Article: Asbestos
Between 1940 and 1979, asbestos was commonly used in insulation and other building materials. » More …
October 22, 2008 |
Between 1940 and 1979, asbestos was commonly used in insulation and other building materials -- anyone working in the construction industry in particular during those years was likely exposed to asbestos on a regular, prolonged basis. But most companies stopped using asbestos in the mid-1970’s, when it was discovered that the inhalation of asbestos fibers caused serious and potentially fatal diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer and Mesothelioma.
But the risk was not limited to those working in the pre-1979 construction industry. Often those workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, exposing their families to the risk of asbestos injury as well. Plus, many asbestos-based products remain in buildings, boats and industrial facilities to this day -- if those fibers become airborne, there is a continuing risk of asbestos injury.
Of the asbestos-related injuries, the most aggressive and serious is Mesothelioma, an often cancerous and deadly disease caused by asbestos exposure that can remain dormant for decades. By the time symptoms develop and a correct diagnosis is made, the individual may have less than a year to live. About 3,000 new cases of Mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, primarily in men over the age of 40 – it is estimated that there will be about 250,000 known cases of Mesothelioma by the year 2020.
According to a study by the RAND Corporation, by the end of 2002, more than 730,000 people had filed compensation claims for asbestos-related injuries in the United States. Victims of asbestos injuries can file claims against numerous parties -- from employers to asbestos manufacturers, sellers and installers. Victims (or their families, if the victim is deceased as the result of his asbestos exposure) can claim a wide range of compensation, depending on the scope and severity of their injury and the circumstances of their asbestos exposure – from the cost of medical bills and lost wages, to punitive damages against particularly egregious behavior by the defendants.
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos injury, contact a personal injury lawyer at LA Personal Injury Law Group immediately. We've obtained millions of dollars for our clients, and we work on a contingency fee basis - if you don't settle or win, we don't get paid. And if we take on your case, we'll advance you all costs of the litigation.
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