Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit

The ongoing epidemic of Asbestos related disease diagnosis in the United States is expected to continue well into the 21st century.

Currently, there are approximately 3,000 new cases of Asbestos related diseases diagnosed per year. According to the National Cancer Institute, the development of Asbestos cancer can occur 20 or sometimes even 40 years after the initial exposure to the dangerous Asbestos fibers.

What are the diseases associated with exposure to Asbestos?

There are several different kinds of diseases that are related to exposure to asbestos fibers. They can be categorized in the following ways:

• Cancerous: Some diseases are malignant (or cancerous), such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. 
• Non-Cancerous: Others are benign (non-malignant or non-cancerous), such as asbestosis, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural fibrosis, and benign pleural effusions.

Our Experience – Asbestos Litigation & Exposure Lawsuits

Why You Should Choose Schmidt & Clark, LLP

“Our law firm has substantial expertise in the highly specialized field of occupational Asbestos exposure litigation.”

There are many law firms in the United States that advertise their legal services for Asbestos lawsuits, however most of these law firms do not actually litigate them. You can contact our law firm with confidence in knowing that we have earned the nationwide respect and recognition from our peers for the successful representation of Asbestos exposure clients and their families.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to Asbestos and developed a form of Asbestos related cancer or other related disease, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a number of naturally occurring minerals that have been used as ingredients in manufacturing products since the late 1800’s. Asbestos deposits have been mined extensively in Canada, South Africa, Australia, Russia and the United States. Once the asbestos is mined and/or used in the manufacturing process, tiny fibers are created. The fibers cause disease when breathed into the lungs.

There are several different types of asbestos. The following is a list of the different types of asbestos:

• Amosite
• Chrysotile
• Tremolite
• Actinolite
• Anthophyllite
• Crocidolite

Of these six, the three most commonly used are chrysotile (white), amosite (brown/off-white) and crocidolite (blue).

All types of asbestos tend to break into very tiny fibers. These individual fibers are so small that many must be identified using a microscope. Because asbestos fibers are so small, once released into the air, they may stay suspended there for days.

Asbestos fibers are also virtually indestructible. They are highly resistant to chemicals and heat. Asbestos fibers are durable, flexible, strong and resistant to wear. Because asbestos has so many useful properties, it has been used in over 3,000 different products.

Usually the asbestos fibers are mixed with other materials to form a product. The asbestos fibers often served as a binder to keep the other materials in the product intact. Depending on the product, the amount of asbestos in asbestos-containing materials varied from 1%-100% by weight.

What was Asbestos used for?

Asbestos was widely used for many reasons. It resists fire and has good thermal, electrical and acoustical insulation properties. Its fibers are strong, but flexible, and resist corrosion. Asbestos has been used in a multitude of products, including:

• Pipe insulation and lagging
• Insulation on boilers, turbines and other heat-generating industrial equipment
• Fireproofing and acoustical sprays
• Brake pads, clutch pressure plates and other friction products
• Fireproof cloth and other textiles
• Wallboard, joint compound and wall texture
• Cement and cement piping
• Electrical wiring
• Floor tile and linoleum

How does Asbestos exposure occur?

Asbestos exposure occurs when asbestos fibers are inhaled. If an asbestos-containing product is left intact, then exposure to the asbestos fiber is less likely. However, if that asbestos-containing product is cut, sawed, mixed, drilled, buffed, vibrated, sanded or otherwise disturbed, this causes asbestos fibers to be released into the air. Because individual asbestos fibers are so tiny that they can only be seen with a microscope, they are very lightweight and stay in the air for a long time.

Friable asbestos is especially dangerous. The term friable means that the asbestos crumbles easily, releasing asbestos fibers into the breathable air. An example of friable asbestos is acoustical ceiling and wall spray.

Once inhaled, the asbestos fibers can cause many respiratory problems, including the development of mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are very strong – too strong for the human body to break down.

Asbestos fibers can also be swallowed, lodging themselves in the digestive tract. This may also lead to disease.

Usually it takes at least 15 years from the time a person is exposed to asbestos until they develop mesothelioma. This is called the latent period.

Do I have an Asbestos Lawsuit?

The Toxic Tort Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus exclusively on the representation of plaintiffs in Asbestos lawsuits. We are handling individual and group litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to Asbestos and developed a form of Asbestos related cancer or other related disease, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.