Who is at risk for mesothelioma or other asbestos diseases?
Most people with malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestos in a household environment, often without knowing it. The Environmental Protection Agency asserts that there is no known level of safe exposure, but the following groups are thought have the highest exposure to ACM:
•Workers at a shipyard
•Janitors
•Plumbers
•Electricians
•Firefighters
•Telephone repair workers
•Mechanics
•Maintenance personnel
•Insulation installers
•Workers at an asbestos mine and mill
•Producers of asbestos products
•Workers in the heating and construction industries
•Trades people
•Friends and family of the above-listed workers and
•People who live or work near a facility that uses asbestos.
Even consumers have innocently exposed themselves and family members to asbestos through products like hair dryers, electric blankets, attic insulation, home siding and ceiling and floor tiles and other many products still being sold today.
An exposure of as little as one or two months can result in asbestos related diseases many years later, sometimes as long as 20 to 40 years later. People exposed in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma because of the latency period of this deadly asbestos disease.
Other Asbestos Litigation FAQs
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Q:
Is asbestos hazardous to your health?
A: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the EPA have determined that asbestos is in fact a human carcinogen, and that breathing high levels of … More -
Q:
Has the federal government established laws or regulations to decrease asbestos exposure?
A: Yes. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos; however, uses established prior to 1989 are still permitted. … More -
Q:
Who can file an asbestos-related lawsuit?
A: Although the EPA has made regulations to promote protection from asbestos, and organizations such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) … More -
Q:
What is mesothelioma and how do you get it?
A: The National Cancer Institute states that: "Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac … More -
Q:
Are products continaing asbestos illegal?
A: Many , but not all, asbestos products have been banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission, including: … More -
Q:
What should I do if I've been exposed to asbestos? What if I don't feel sick?
A: If you've been exposed to asbestos it is important to tell your doctor ! Even if you don’t feel sick, the fact is that people usually don’t show … More -
Q:
Are victims of mesothelioma entitled to social security disability benefits?
A: Individuals with impairments caused by certain exposures to asbestos may qualify for disability claims under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act. … More
