Asbestos Liability
The companies that manufactured or distributed asbestos-containing products during the twentieth century may have what is known in the legal world as asbestos liability.
Asbestos is a proven carcinogen that causes mesothelioma, an incurable cancer, and other serious diseases. For decades, countless people were unknowingly exposed to asbestos by working for the companies making or selling asbestos-containing products, by using such products at home or at work, or through contact with other people already exposed to asbestos. Tragically, nearly all exposure to asbestos could have been prevented. Many manufacturers incurred asbestos liability because they knew the health risks of asbestos and failed to take any safety measures to protect their workers and/or failed to warn the public of the dangers associated with their products.
The laws regarding asbestos liability are complicated, but many manufacturers of asbestos-containing products have been held accountable for the injuries they caused. Asbestos lawsuits have helped thousands of injured people achieve the compensation and reparation they deserve.
Asbestos Use and Regulation
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially in North America since the late 1800s. The mineral’s low cost, durability, and excellent fireproofing and insulating abilities made its use widespread in many industries and products, particularly during World War II and the post-war industrial boom.
Yet there was a darker side to this versatile mineral. Reports of lung issues in asbestos workers began to emerge in the late 1890s. Still, these reports did not prove a link between asbestos exposure and the development of disease. It wasn’t until the early twentieth century that doctors began documenting cases of lung problems in patients who worked around asbestos.
However, the use of asbestos continued to grow even as research began to uncover a link between the mineral and serious lung diseases. By the 1970s, evidence proving the dangers of asbestos became so well-known that U.S. regulatory agencies began taking action to limit and control uses of asbestos.
The history of U.S. laws regarding asbestos is complex, but currently asbestos regulations fall under one of two federal laws: the Clean Air Act of 1970 (revised in 1990) and the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempted to ban asbestos completely, but the ban was overturned two years later. Today, the use of asbestos in certain products is legal in the U.S.
Mesothelioma Risk Factors
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. However, known factors contribute to whether asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. These factors include:
- The amount of asbestos inhaled
- The length of time a person was exposed to asbestos
- The type of asbestos that was inhaled
- The source of the exposure
- Individual health
Asbestos Liability and Legal Rights
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s important that you understand your legal rights. If manufacturers of asbestos-containing products or past employers caused your exposure to asbestos, those companies have a potential asbestos liability and can be held accountable.
By filling out the form or calling the phone number on this page, you can request a free mesothelioma information packet that includes details about your legal rights, as well as information about treatments and treatment centers. Start getting answers today.
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