Asbestos And Mesothelioma Attorneys Law Firms - Lawyer Links - 1/1/2003 - Health Asbestos Asbestosis Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Asbestos And Mesothelioma Attorneys Law Firms

Our law firm has successfully represented more than 800 people with asbestos disease, many of whom worked in power plants in North and South Carolina. Our lawyers have more than 15 years’ experience getting compensation for people with asbestos diseases. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos at work or at home, call us at 1-800-531-9191 for a free consultation.

Asbestos, a strong and heat-resistant mineral, once widely used, is now know to cause injury, even death, to many who are exposed to it. The most common way for asbestos to enter the body is through breathing. Once small asbestos fibers get into the lungs, they can do harm in a number of ways.

Exposure to invisible asbestos dust can cause:

• Mesothelioma, a deadly cancer of the lining of the chest cavity.
• Cancers of the lung, colon, larynx, esophagus or pharynx.
• Asbestosis, a scarring of delicate lung tissue. This scarring can spread through the lungs and can cause breathing problems.
• Pleural disease, which causes scarring of the lung lining and difficulty breathing.
• Asbestos-related diseases may not manifest themselves for 10 to 20 years after exposure.

THREE WAVES
Experts have seen three waves of people at risk of disease:

1st wave – mining and manufacturing workers who had chronic asbestos contact.
2nd wave – workers who used asbestos products in construction and other industries.
3rd wave – spouses and family members who had secondary asbestos contact with worker’s clothing, home insulation products, and other less direct ways.

BACKGROUND
Asbestos was made into products such as insulation, gaskets, cement, auto brakes and floor tiles. It was widely used by the steel, glass, and chemical industries, as well as for insulation in construction, oil refineries, power plants, shipyards and railroads. Asbestos fibers are virtually indestructible. They do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water. They do not deteriorate over time. Corporations that manufactured asbestos products have poisoned millions of men and women.

ASBESTOS USES

• Block insulation
• Building materials
• Cements
• Cloth and paper
• Floor and ceiling tiles
• Insulating blankets
• Insulating gloves
• Packing
• Paints
• Pipe insulation
• Roofing products
• Wires and cables

THE COVERUP
Although manufacturers knew asbestos products were hazardous in the 1920s, they hid the health dangers from workers and the public. The federal government began to limit use of asbestos in the 1970s. Manufacturers continue to wage legal and public relations battles to avoid accepting responsibility. Some have lobbied Congress to enact special-interest laws to protect asbestos companies from claims by the people they have injured.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED…
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been injured by asbestos, contact our office. The law limits the time within which you must act. We may be able to help with workers’ compensation benefits and actions against responsible parties, including compensation for lost wages and medical care.

Our law firm has successfully represented more than 800 people with asbestos disease, many of whom worked in power plants in North and South Carolina. Our lawyers have more than 15 years’ experience getting compensation for people with asbestos disease. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos at work or at home, call us at 1-800-531-9191 for a free consultation. You may also contact us by e-mail at postmaster@donaldsonandblack.com.