Throughout the 20th century, tons of asbestos were mined in our country and put in thousands of everyday products. Asbestos was very inexpensive and was used as filler in many different products throughout many different industries. For example, asbestos was widely used in brake pads, hood liners, clutches, engine components and insulation.
There are a number of different jobs where workers were exposed to a large amount of asbestos on a very frequent basis. People who have worked on auto maintenance may have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma cancer due to asbestos exposure on the jobsite.
Asbestos was commonly used in automotive parts because of its resistance to the friction and heat that is generated by vehicles. Asbestos was often found in hood liners, brake pads, clutches, sealing tapes, valve rings, gaskets, and insulation among other components. Today, asbestos is not generally used in the production of new parts, but many automotive parts may still contain high levels of asbestos.
For those performing auto and other vehicle maintenance, procedures such as oil changes, rotating and balancing tires, and working on engines are routine job tasks. These car maintenance jobs often require auto maintenance workers to work in and around brake and clutch surfaces to replace, fit, maintain or repair parts, releasing trapped asbestos fibers. When these tasks are performed, asbestos dust may be inhaled or ingested and lodged in the lungs and other internal tissues. The prolonged irritation caused by the small asbestos fibers can lead to problems including the development of mesothelioma cancer.
Unfortunately, millions of people have been exposed to asbestos over the years. Only now are we able to see the disastrous effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Generally, it takes 10 to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until symptoms appear or mesothelioma is diagnosed.
Many of the companies have established trust funds to pay compensation to persons injured by asbestos.
If you have mesothelioma, or another asbestos-related injury, and wish to consult an attorney about your legal rights to compensation, CLICK HERE for a free consultation.
