In the late 1800s, asbestos, which had been in use for thousands of years, began to be touted in the U.S. as a miracle substance to an unsuspecting public. Its widespread use as insulation expanded by the mid-20th century to include a broader mix of uses. It was used in fire-retardant coatings, brakes, clutches, fireproofing, aerospace component parts, stucco/gun plastic cement, water and sewer pipe and furnace cement, heat- fire- and acid-resistant gaskets, pipe and block insulation, acoustical ceiling textures (popcorn ceilings), fireproof drywall, flooring, roofing, lawn fertilizer, drywall joint compound, dental and jewelry making accessories and many other types of products.
Asbestos has been used in thousands of products and in numerous workplaces. By the early 1900s, scientists and medical professionals began noticing a large number of early deaths and lung problems in asbestos mining towns and asbestos cloth factories. Great Britain made asbestosis a compensable work-related disease by the 1930s; the U.S. followed about 10 years later.
By 1928, it was well established in medicine, science and industry that asbestos dust released from any asbestos-containing product caused asbestosis; by 1944 lung cancer; by 1960 mesothelioma; and by 1965 various other cancers. Yet, asbestos was not removed from most products until the 1970s and 1980s, and remains in some products even today.
Asbestos Exposure And Its Link To Cancer
Asbestos exposure can lead to serious, debilitating and often fatal diseases. These include mesothelioma, lung cancer, various other cancers, asbestosis and pleural disease.
There is no "safe" level of asbestos exposure, and there usually is a period of 10 to 50 years before an asbestos victim exhibits the first clinical asbestos disease symptoms.
Dangerously high levels of asbestos exposure have been found in various occupational settings, including construction sites, shipyards, refineries, factories, steel mills, paper mills, railroads, auto repair shops and mines. Potential asbestos exposure can also occur at schools, public buildings and even in your own home if asbestos products are disturbed or become damaged. Experts agree that families who have a loved one who works with asbestos outside the family home are at a heightened risk of developing an asbestos related disease if they assisted with laundry or even greeted that individual each day as they arrived home from work.
Learning About Asbestos Health Issues And Your Legal Options
This website is designed for educational purposes and as an aid to asbestos victims. It provides tools and resources, explains how to identify different types of asbestos and asbestos-containing products, and discusses asbestos exposure risks and asbestos disease.
If a person develops an asbestos disease because of direct exposure to asbestos or because of indirect contact with asbestos through a family member's embedded clothing, the parties responsible for the exposure can be held financially liable for the victim's medical bills, income loss, suffering and other losses.
The attorneys at Brayton Purcell, L.L.P., have advocated on behalf of asbestos victims since 1984. Individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer or other asbestos-related diseases are understandably shaken and eager to find out what medical and legal options are available to them. Our lawyers provide support and understanding as well as legal advocacy.
For more than 30 years, the AV-rated* law office of Brayton Purcell, L.L.P., has proven to be a premiermesothelioma andasbestos exposure injury law firm. While we have offices based in California, Utah and Oregon, our legal practice spans the entire nation. Our law offices are staffed with trial attorneys pursuing complex litigation in court, bringing a foundation of knowledge and hands-on experience. Because of our comprehensive knowledge of the complex medical and legal issues that arise in asbestos cases and our dedication to personally pursue your case expeditiously through trial, we have been able to secure compensation that allows our clients and their families to explore medical treatments not otherwise available to them and obtain peace of mind. There is no law firm in the country that takes more complex cases to trial each year and obtains the results we do for our clients.
Our record of tangible success includes numerous multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients nationwide. Our verdicts upheld on appeal in California, Washington and Utah were the largest in the respective states for asbestosis and mesothelioma victims.
For both legal and medical reasons, as soon as you become aware that you may have developed an asbestos-related disease or injury, you should contact an experienced mesothelioma and asbestos lawyer to determine what your legal rights are and how they can best be protected.
*AV Preeminent is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.
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