|
Asbestos refers to naturally occurring fibrous mineral silicates -- which means it's a soft rock. The asbestos rock is mined and then crushed to produce the material we know as asbestos. Asbestos fibers are categorized as serpentines (curly fibers) or amphiboles (straight fibers). Chrysotile asbestos is classified as serpentine. Amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, tremolite, and actinolite are classified as amphiboles.
Use of asbestos became popular near the end of the 19th century due to its resistance to heat, electricity, and chemicals and its use continued through the 1970s. All types of asbestos fibers are associated with asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, and when the health hazards became known, the use of asbestos declined.
Documents reveal that asbestos manufacturers were aware of the health risks related to exposure to asbestos from the 1940s and 1950s, but concealed this information from their employees. In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began to regulate asbestos. Today workers are protected from exposure to asbestos as a result of very strict regulations and enforcement.
- Rates of Asbestos Diseases Expected to Rise Over Next Decade
- According to a study commissioned by the American Insurance Association, analysts believe that the number of people afflicted with asbestos diseases will rise over the next decade because asbestos use peaked in the 1970's and the latency period for disease after asbestos exposure ranges from 15-40 years.
- Judge Determined to Settle 95,000 Asbestos Lawsuits in Federal Court Multidistrict Litigation
- In early 2007, U.S. District Judge James Giles brought together representatives of the plaintiffs and defendants in the asbestos multidistrict litigation to discuss expediting settlement negotiations. There are 95,000 asbestos cases pending in Philadelphia's federal court and the litigation is 16 years old.
- What Diseases Are Associated With Asbestos Exposure?
- Diseases which can result from asbestos exposure range in severity, from malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer to asbestosis and pleural plaque.
- A Closer Look At Different Types of Asbestos Fibers
- Read about the different kinds of asbestos fibers, how they are grouped, and why asbestos fibers are
so dangerous.
- Who Was Exposed To Asbestos?
- Trades likely to have had direct exposure to asbestos and which put family members at risk for secondary asbestos exposure from clothing.
- Health Risks of Asbestos Exposure
- Asbestos exposure is a direct cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related disease, but other factors affect propensity to develop an asbestos disease such as length of time, concentration, and frequency of asbestos exposure.
- Mesothelioma and Asbestos Lawsuit Filing Deadlines
- State Courts impose statute of limitations deadlines for filing an asbestos or mesothelioma lawsuit, which vary from state to state and can be different for personal injury and wrongful death cases.
- Asbestos Lung Cancer
- Lung cancer occurs inside the lungs, and is different from malignant pleural mesothelioma, which affects the covering outside the lungs.
- Mesothelioma Information
- Legal Claims Information
- About Our Law Firm
|
