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Asbestos & Asbestosis Lawsuit

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Victims of asbestos exposure may be able to file an asbestosis lawsuit if they were diagnosed with this debilitating lung disease. Asbestosis occurs when the delicate tissue in the lungs becomes scarred, inhibiting their ability to function.

Asbestos Lawsuit Reviews

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is offering free legal reviews to individuals who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses, including asbestosis. To learn more, please call (888) 994-5118 to get in touch with our legal staff today.

What is Asbestos?

The name asbestos applies to a group of minerals that were once commonly used in a wide array of industries due to their resistance to corrosion and heat. The most frequently-used types of asbestos include chrysotile (white), amosite (brown/off-white) and crocidolite (blue). The three remaining forms include tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite.

Most asbestos use was phased out starting in the 1970s, after the mineral was linked to asbestosis and other health hazard. However, asbestos was once a major component of hundreds of products, including:

• Pipe insulation and lagging
• Insulation on boilers, turbines and other heat-generating industrial equipment
• Fireproofing and acoustical sprays
• Brake pads, clutch pressure plates and other friction products
• Fireproof cloth and other textiles
• Wallboard, joint compound and wall texture
• Cement and cement piping
• Electrical wiring
• Floor tile and linoleum

Health Hazards Associated With Asbestos

Asbestos tends to break down into tiny fibers when asbestos-containing products are cut, sawed, crumble or are otherwise disturbed. The fibers then become airborne, and will remain in the air for days. People living and working around airborne asbestos fibers will inhale the particles, causing them to become trapped in the lungs. Prolonged exposure to inhaled asbestos fibers is known to cause a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma, as well as asbestosis.

Symptoms of asbestosis generally take 20 to 30 years to develop from the time someone is initially exposed. They may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in the chest
• Persistent dry cough
• Chest pain
• Loss of appetite
• Finger clubbing (enlarged fingertips)
• Nail deformities

By the 1920s, concerns had already been raised regarding the health risks of asbestos exposure, yet the material continued to be used for decades.  Many asbestos lawsuits cite a memo written in 1958 by an executive at the National Gypsum Co.: “We know that you will never lose sight of the fact that perhaps the greatest hazard in your plant is with men handling asbestos. Because just as certain as death and taxes is the fact that if you inhale asbestos dust you get asbestosis.”

The first personal injury claims related to asbestos exposure were filed in the 1960s. Yet, it wasn’t until the 1970s, amid mounting litigation and scientific evidence of its health hazards, that government and industry finally took steps to protect workers and the public from this dangerous mineral.

Diagnosed with Asbestosis? Contact an Attorney Today

Anyone diagnosed with this serious lung disease, as well as their surviving loved ones, may be eligible to file an asbestosis lawsuit. If you would like to obtain a free, no-obligation review of your potential case, please call (888) 994-5118 today.