With on-the-job asbestos exposure being the most common, do it yourself enthusiasts face the same dangers at more or less the same proportions when working with asbestos based products. If you have been exposed to asbestos while working with asbestos based products, an Asbestos Lawyer will help you in seeking compensatory damages from the manufacturer of such product. As obvious, asbestos is a cancer causing substance and there is a definite connection between the exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma. In general, Commercial Product Exposure occurs when you handle any asbestos based product.
Asbestos was commonly used in cement products; these include Blaze Shield, Refractory Cement, Insulating Cement and Textured Coatings. Asbestos made these products fireproof. If you have worked with any of these products, you should consider speaking to an Asbestos Lawyer. The use of Asbestos was not limited to cement products. It was also used in Automotive Products for to its high heat resistance properties. Some of these automotive products include Brakes, Clutches, Heat Seals, Hood Liners, Valve Rings as well as Pads and Brake Linings; an Asbestos Lawyer will advise you of your legal options if you handled any of these products for long periods of time. Note, there have been instances where 1 to 3 months of exposure have caused mesothelioma. Medically, asbestos related cancer occurs when asbestos inhabit the outer lung tissue, the mesothelium. The mesothelium allows for the lubricating of the chest cavity, when asbestos invade these cells, the scar tissue is destroyed, cancerous cells manifest as a result.
For an Asbestos Lawyer, a Commercial Product Exposure case is clear cut, that is, the manufacturer sold the public a product that contains a well known carcinogen. In construction products, asbestos was used in hundreds of applications, some of these include Tiles, Air Cell Insulation, Bonding Cement, Duct Tape, Fire Blanket; among others. Though regulations and bans have been set in place to control some of these products, they still remain in our immediate environment as such. When you speak with an Asbestos Lawyer, you will learn what your legal rights are. Your Asbestos Lawyer will also inform you of the procedures involved in pursing an asbestos settlement.
Generally, asbestos particles become airborne when such products are cut, sawed, filed or sanded. If you performed any of these, you have more than likely been exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma affects the health in ways that are detrimental. If diagnosed, you will spend a significant amount of time in treatment. Overall, your Asbestos Lawyer will attempt to establish a connection between your asbestos exposure and the resulting mesothelioma. As the court emphasized in Rutherford v. Owens-Illinois, Inc.,
In the context of a cause of action for asbestos-related latent injuries, the plaintiff must first establish some threshold exposure to the defendant’s defective asbestos-containing products, and must further establish in reasonable medical probability that a particular exposure or series of exposures was a “legal cause” of his injury, i.e., a substantial factor in bringing about the injury.
Rutherford v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., 941 P.2d 1203 (Cal. 1997).
To paraphrase, if you developed mesothelioma from handling asbestos-based products, your Asbestos Lawyer may on these grounds push for an asbestos settlement. The underlying dispute may be stated as follows: Manufacturers of asbestos-based products knew “precisely” how dangerous asbestos was. It is apparent that mesothelioma will not manifest unless you have been exposed to the carcinogen.
Equipped with the knowledge in asbestos-based cases, your Asbestos Lawyer will combine all applicable facts so as to maximize your asbestos settlement. Generally, the outcome of an asbestos case is limited. Your Asbestos Lawyer will advise you that settlement may occur before or after trial. Furthermore, you Asbestos Lawyer will also advise you on the possibility of appealing to a higher court if your case turns out otherwise. Keep in mind, many mesothelioma patients have ended up with greater settlements upon having their cases sent back to the lower court. The point here is simple, you need an Asbestos Lawyer to push for the settlement you deserve.
