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Asbestos: What is asbestos? Why are asbestos fibers harmful?
Asbestos: What is asbestos? Why are asbestos fibers harmful?
More than 100 years ago, asbestos was seen as the ideal building material. Asbestos was fireproof, cheap, and easy to use. During the last century, it is estimated that more than 25 million tons of asbestos were used to construct factories, offices, schools, shipyards, and homes. It was used for fireproofing and insulation on industrial equipment and to insulate millions of miles of piping. Even the most common household items contained asbestos.
Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the medical field began to recognize that a large number of people were dying from pulmonary and lung diseases in areas where asbestos mines and asbestos fabrication plants were located. By 1940, studies were showing a suggested link between asbestos exposure and cancer.
By 1955, scientists confirmed a distinctive correlation between ingestion of asbestos fibers and Mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer. It has now been well-documented that the asbestos industry was well aware of these problems, and acted overtly to prevent the public, and victims, from learning of the dangers of asbestos.
Do You Have a Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Lawsuit? »
Have you been diagnosed? Are you eligible for an asbestos cancer lawsuit?
An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition. Employees are also likely to be exposed during the manufacture of asbestos products (such as textiles, friction products, insulation, and other building materials) and during automotive brake and clutch repair work.
Asbestos workers have increased chances of getting two principal types of cancer:
- Cancer of the lung tissue
- Mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin membrane that surrounds the lung and other internal organs
Contact Our Asbestos Lawyers Today »
Asbestos-related diseases do not develop immediately following exposure to asbestos, but appear only after a number of years.
Anapol Schwartz has represented thousands of workers who have developed lung disease and cancer from asbestos exposure at job sites throughout the DelawareValley in Pennsylvania. Contact them for your free legal consultation today.
