Personal Injury Lawsuits – Asbestos Exposure

For many years, before the health risks became well known, asbestos was widely used in a variety of industries.

If you have experienced asbestos exposure, and as a result have developed mesothelioma, a cancer caused by this toxic exposure, you have a good chance of being awarded compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. If you have a spouse who has died from the disease, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

What Are the Risks of Asbestos Exposure?

Asbestos is a fibrous material that is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals. For many years, before the health risks became well known, asbestos was widely used in a variety of industries. As a result of these decades of exposure, large amounts of workers have developed serious health problems that have resulted in death in many cases. Even short term exposure can cause breathing problems like shortness of breath and coughing. But asbestos is also a cancer causing substance which makes those who worked with the fiber for many years at a very high risk of developing the cancer, mesothelioma, or lung cancer. Now that the effects of asbestos are known, there are actions taken to protect workers from exposure, but before these protections were in place, there was nothing protecting workers from this toxic exposure.

Who is At Risk?

There are some occupations that are still high risk. Some occupations that have in the past and present seen large amounts of asbestos exposure are some of the following:

• Asbestos manufacturers
• Mining
• Auto repair
• Construction
• Paper mills
• Shipbuilding
• Janitorial work – especially in old buildings that have asbestos
• Roofing
• Heating and cooling equipment repair

Workplaces that do expose workers to asbestos need to have measures in place to protect employees and to minimize exposure risks. Anyone who works with asbestos should talk to their supervisors or union to make sure these protections are in place. Some of these protections should include warning signs, respirators, proper ventilation, protective clothing, training, and showers following exposure.

Legal Remedies

For some people the exposure is in the past but the health damage is current. If you have been exposed to asbestos in the state of Missouri or Illinois, you should discuss your case with a personal injury attorney. In some cases where the exposure has happened as the result of your employment you may have to file a workers’ compensation lawsuit. In some instances there are trust funds for victims of asbestos exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with a disease related to asbestos exposure, you should contact a Missouri personal injury attorney. There are statutes of limitation so you should move as quickly as possible. If a loved one has died as a result of asbestos exposure, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit, for which statutes of limitation apply.

St. Louis Asbestos Lawyers

Personal injury lawsuits encompass a wide variety of conduct by individuals, manufacturers and property owners. If you or a loved one have been adversely affected by asbestos exposure, contact the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm today by calling (314) 588-7200 or fill out our online contact form.

photo credit: daryl_mitchell