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In What Industries Did Asbestos Commonly Occur?

Our firm recently published a SlideShare discussing industries where asbestos exposure may have occurred. Learn more about these jobs and industries by viewing our SlideShare:

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Asbestos and Its Link to Mesothelioma and Other Cancers

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that most commonly affects the outer lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma can also affect the lining of the abdomen, the lining of the heart, and the testicles.

While Mesothelioma is rare, it is highly linked to asbestos exposure. The American Cancer Society writes that people are most often exposed to asbestos at work or through living with someone exposed regularly to asbestos.

Types of asbestos

There are two types of asbestos linked to cancer.

  • Chrysotile – Also called white asbestos, it is commonly used in industrial applications and is spiral in shape.
  • Amphibole – Fibers of this type of asbestos are straight and needle like. The fibers include brown and blue asbestos with various sub-varieties available.

Other types of cancer linked to asbestos exposure

Most people are aware of mesothelioma. However, there are other types of cancers that are caused by asbestos exposure.

Studies have shown a connection between asbestos exposure and the following types of cancer:

  • Cancers of the throat, pharynx (voice box) and hypopharynx
  • Ovaries
  • Stomach and intestinal lining
  • Colon and rectum

Exposure to asbestos can also cause the lung disease asbestosis – a scarring of the lining of the lung which creates difficulty breathing and a chronic cough.

Other lung cancers with a link to asbestos are small and non-small cell carcinomas.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer caused by asbestos exposure at work, you deserve to learn about your legal options. Talk to an attorney in a free consultation by calling 866-773-1041.

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Town Has Plans to Overcome Asbestos Exposure Problems

South Carolina contains many old buildings, from libraries to schools, churches and even some homes. A continuing problem that often arises in such structures has to do with risks associated with possible asbestos exposure. A town in another state is facing current issues and has developed a potential plan to resolve the problem.

The town recently conducted an asbestos abatement experiment on an 800 square foot home in the area. This particular residence had been condemned. It also was known to contain asbestos. When officials estimated how much it would cost to eliminate asbestos danger in the home, the total estimated price exceeded $50,000.

This apparently prompted a plan to develop a specialized asbestos abatement team. The plan would include training various employees of the town in proper asbestos removal skills. Due to the known health-related dangers regarding exposure to the microscopic particles in asbestos products, the regulations and laws that pertain to removal of asbestos from homes or buildings are very stringent.

If a worker does not receive proper training or is not fully informed regarding existing asbestos and possible health risks due to asbestos exposure, there may be lasting repercussions. Anyone in South Carolina suffering asbestos-related illness may wish to discuss the issue with an experienced attorney if he or she is thinking about filing a legal claim. Asbestos litigation is often a means to obtain compensation for damages suffered after being exposed to asbestos on the job. It’s a complicated process that is best undertaken with the help of an experienced litigator.

Source: theheraldtimes.com, “Town, county consider implementing asbestos abatement program“, Jennifer Hill, Nov. 3, 2017

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School in Another State at Risk For Asbestos Exposure

One of the factors that suggests possible health-related hazards for South Carolina school students and faculties is how old their school buildings happen to be. In another state, the answer seems to be, “very old” in general, with the average public school building standing 50 years or longer. This places everyone who enters such buildings at great risk for asbestos exposure.

When the Baby Boomer generation “boomed,” various consequences occurred, one being that it prompted a need for more school buildings to house the ever-growing population at the time. The problem is that many states still operate such schools, which have been standing for decades and often contain dangerous microscopic particles that can make people extremely ill. Back then, it was quite common for floor tiles, insulation and other building products to be heavily laden with asbestos.

Since then, laws have changed as awareness of asbestos-related dangers has risen. Even though regulations regarding use or removal of asbestos are very strict, it doesn’t negate the fact that the older buildings containing asbestos are not only still standing but still being used, thus posing health hazards to all who enter them. In New Jersey, in fact, classes had to be canceled recently due to grave concerns regarding possible asbestos danger.

The fallout from asbestos exposure is well known nowadays. Many people who worked in steel mills, coal mines, shipyards and other factories and buildings in the 1960s and 1970s now suffer debilitating illnesses related to their work because they ingested microscopic asbestos particles into their lungs without knowing. If a South Carolina employer was (or is) negligent in his or her duties to provide appropriate information, training and safety equipment to avoid asbestos danger, an injured worker may seek legal accountability and compensation for damages in court.

Source: courierpostonline.com, “Legacy of asbestos in NJ’s aging schools“, Marie Blistan, Dan Fatton, Oct. 27, 2017

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Where to Seek Support for Legal Issues Re Asbestos Exposure

The dangers involved in working with or being near asbestos are well known in South Carolina and throughout the nation. This is one of the reasons asbestos exposure regulations are so strict. Employers are obligated to keep their workers informed and aware of any potential hazards in their workplaces, and to provide proper training and safety equipment to prevent exposure to the microscopic particles that can cause permanent, often fatal, harm.

The symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are not often immediately apparent. Many do not present themselves until a decade or more after an initial exposure took place. In fact, some asbestos exposure victims are no longer employed at the same job by the time they are diagnosed with asbestosis, mesothelioma or other illness. This can make the process of seeking recovery for their losses extremely complicated.

There is no cure for these diseases. At best, treatments are often procured to try to help alleviate symptoms so that injured victims can maintain as high quality of life as possible for as long as they are able. Long-term medical care is quite costly, and many people are not prepared to meet such expenses.

Even if you were the only member of your family to work at the site where asbestos was present, your loved ones may also be at risk for asbestos-related illness. Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC is fully prepared to assist South Carolina families who are facing economic loss and other financial losses due to asbestos exposure. By requesting a meeting with one of our experienced attorneys, you can explore all options available to seek justice and compensation for the damages you have sustained.

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Library Renovation Uncovers Asbestos

A major renovation project has been temporarily been put on hold due to results of an environmental assessment that was conducted in the building. Construction was set to take place in a library building outside South Carolina, but all monies issued in a federal grant for the purpose are now going to be used for something else, namely, asbestos removal. It seems that inspectors uncovered a high asbestos exposure risk when they found the material in the textured ceiling tiles of the library.

This particular library has two levels, and the tiles were used to construct the ceiling on both floors. The dangers of asbestos are well known, as a library director speaking about the problem attested. The director assured the public that library officials are greatly concerned with worker and patron safety.

He also stated that the air in the main parts of the library was recently checked and deemed safe to breathe. Given the extreme risk for incurable lung disease associated with exposure to asbestos products, it is easy to wonder whether a simple air test will be enough to assuage people’s fears regarding the presence of asbestos in the library. Employers are obligated to provide proper training and safety equipment for any workers who will be exposed to asbestos, as well as to make sure workers are aware of the risk at hand.

For now, construction to remodel the library will wait, while asbestos exposure risks are (hopefully) lowered by removing the old, textured ceiling tiles from the building. Many South Carolina residents already suffer lung diseases from exposures to asbestos that occurred years ago. Some have only recently discovered that their health problems are due to these exposures. An experienced attorney can help an injured asbestos victim pursue justice by filing a claim against any party deemed negligent in a particular situation.

Source: thealpenanews.com, “Asbestos discovered in library ceilings“, Diane Speer, Oct. 18, 2017

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Addressing asbestos exposure issues in court

There are currently many South Carolina residents, and others throughout the nation, who are dealing with adverse health conditions. Some have suffered from acute illnesses that came upon them suddenly, while others face chronic issues that have impeded their quality of life. In many situations, asbestos exposure is a causal factor of injury or illness.

There are various types of illness, several of which are life-threatening, associated with exposure to asbestos. This material contains microscopic fibers that may enter the lungs if ingested, resulting in serious infections or cancer. There are strict regulations regarding use of asbestos-containing materials, which are often found in old school buildings, airports, factories or homes.

Employer who hire workers to remove asbestos materials from existing structures are obligated to inform employees that they are at risk. They must also provide appropriate training and safety options to reduce that risk as much as possible. If they fail to do so and a worker suffers illness from asbestos exposure on the job, the employer may be deemed negligent.

Asbestos exposure has been greatly reduced through the years due to raised awareness of the risks associated with it, as well as stricter protocol regarding use of asbestos products and removal of materials containing asbestos from existing structures. Anyone in South Carolina who believes his or her illness was caused by asbestos on the job may research options for seeking restitution in court. Experienced personal injury attorneys, such as those at Rogers, Patrick Westbrook & Brickman, LLC know best how to proceed to gather evidence and enlist third party testimonies that may help substantiate a particular claim.

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Controversy Rises Regarding Asbestos Exposure and Halted Project

Affluent neighborhoods exist in South Carolina just as they do in other parts of the nation. Those who live in or frequent such locations typically understand the emphasis placed on visual presentation. No one wants to go shopping in one of the most highly rated ends of a particular town only to find a half-constructed/half-demolished building that many believe will never be completed. That somewhat describes the scene in one state where possible asbestos exposure has thwarted builders’ plans to finish a construction project.

The building in question houses a Safeway and a Chase Bank. There were plans to develop the building and area further; however, when asbestos was discovered in the roof tiles, all systems were no longer go. City officials have assured everyone in the vicinity that no asbestos leached into the air.

Of course, a potential hazardous risk still exists wherever asbestos is present. Breathing in the microscopic particles can cause cancer and other lung deficiencies. Products containing asbestos were greatly popular in the 1950s.

No one knows yet what will become of the half-torn down building on a busy corner. In similar past situations, such incidents often lead to litigation. If someone suffers asbestos exposure illnesses, he or she may inquire as to how to go about filing a legal claim by speaking with an experienced South Carolina attorney. There’s typically a statute of limitations regarding the time span between injury onset and the filing of a legal claim, so anyone considering filing a claim will want to act as swiftly as possible to avoid complications.

Source: Fox, ““It’s unacceptable:” Asbestos discovery leads to indefinite halt of Oakland mall construction“, Lisa Fernandez, Sept. 14, 2017

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Teachers May Be Concerned With This Asbestos Exposure Situation

When South Carolina schools reopen to students and faculty each year, it’s typically assumed that school administrators have checked to make sure school buildings and surrounding premises are safe. Officials in another state have issued an urgent statement that has many teachers and families gravely concerned regarding an apparent asbestos exposure incident that occurred while maintenance was going on at the school. School administrators say they’re doing all they can to be forthright and quick-acting to keep their staff and student-body as safe as possible.

The accident happened when a maintenance worker was using a sanding machine in one of the school’s classrooms. It was reportedly already known that the tile flooring in the room contained asbestos. The worker’s intent was to sand a wax coating that was covering the asbestos-laden tiles; however, in the process of carrying out his duties, the sander allegedly bore through the wax coating into the asbestos layers of tile thus releasing the potentially dangerous microscopic particles of asbestos into the air.

To make matters worse, several faculty members are said to have entered the room after the hazardous incident took place. The school district is aware of the situation and has launched immediate efforts to properly clean the room and seal the floor. Since symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses often do not appear for many years after exposure, it is difficult to tell whether any of the teachers who entered the room will suffer adverse health conditions due to the incident.

Asbestos exposure is a problem in many aging South Carolina buildings. Anyone working in such areas should make sure to receive proper training regarding the potential hazards associated with asbestos. Someone wishing to discuss a particular asbestos-related situation may request a meeting with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation.

Source: theworldlink.com, “Asbestos exposure puts six Coos Bay School District staff members at risk“, Jillian Ward, Sept. 1, 2017

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School Teachers Reportedly in Danger of Asbestos Exposure

Throughout South Carolina and the rest of the nation, parents and teachers are scrambling to gather supplies for a new school year. Children are enjoying their last hurrahs of summer vacation and soon classrooms will once again be bustling with academic activity; in fact, those that have start dates early in August are already in full swing. At this time of year, many parents have to send to the kids to school with allergy medications; however, many are unaware that their children are at risk for more than just seasonal allergies as some schools are high risk zones for asbestos exposure.

Teachers in the United States are apparently two times likelier to die of asbestos-related diseases than others in their communities. There are more than 100,000 primary and secondary schools in the nation, and most of them are thought to contain asbestos-laden items. The older school buildings are at greatest risk for the dangers of asbestos exposure.

All school employees and students are protected under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, which states that public and some private schools owe a duty to teachers, students and other workers to keep them safe from asbestos exposure. School administrators are obligated to provide parents all known information concerning asbestos risks to which their children may be exposed during school hours. Parents are also cautioned to pay close attention to the items children use at school and in their free time, such as toys, cosmetics and many art supplies that contain asbestos.

Asbestos exposure often leads to very serious illnesses, including many that adversely affect the heart and lungs. Any parent concerned with a particular situation in South Carolina may request a meeting with an attorney in the area experienced in such matters. This is a good means for seeking clarification of the asbestos laws and regulations and for obtaining assistance to file a claim if warranted.

Source: The Huffington Post, “3 Key Steps to Protecting Your Kids from Asbestos at School“, Linda Reinstein, Aug. 11, 2017

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