Well over a century ago, asbestos was seen as an ideal building material, it was an excellent insulator, fireproof, and relatively inexpensive. During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of asbestos was used in the construction of industrial sites, shipyards, office buildings, schools, homes, and everyday items such as ironing boards, dryers, toasters, and low-density insulation products. Beginning at the turn of the 20th century, researchers began to see a correlation between the unusually large numbers of deaths and lung problems in asbestos mining towns.

In the 1930's, numerous and well-known medical journals published scientific studies that linked asbestos to cancer. In 1935, the American Journal of Cancer published "Pulmonary Asbestosis: Carcinoma of the Lung in Asbesto-Silicosis." In 1955, scientists confirmed what they had long suspected; there was a unmistakable connection between the ingestion of asbestos fibers and the development of certain forms of lung cancer (what later came to be known as mesothelioma).

Despite the growing evidence of asbestos health risks, manufacturers and companies continued its use for many of their projects. In all likelihood, these manufacturers were aware of the potential health risks but choose to ignore them. These same companies also ignored using safer alternative materials like fiberglass that were then being developed. Unfortunately, the victims were, for the most part, men of working families who had no knowledge of the potential health risks they faced.

The first lawsuits against the manufacturers and companies responsible for asbestos related cancer were brought to suit in 1929. Since then, numerous lawsuits have been filed against those responsible for asbestos use and proliferation. Many if these cases have resulted in large settlements for victims and the families of victims of mesothelioma.

If you or someone you know has a health risk associated with asbestos exposure, contact us to speak with an asbestos lawyer.