Asbestos has become a catchword for a hidden danger in the last few decades after the mineral’s fine fibers and crystals were proven harmful to people and animals. Years of work finding and removing these hazardous materials has given rise to a whole new industry within construction, with hundreds of Lousiana workers putting efforts into asbestos remediation.
A large number of asbestos cases affect office workers, construction workers, members of the military and other people with trades that bought them near the obsolete construction material. Particles of asbestos have been shown to causes asbestosis, which may inflame or scar the lungs, or mesothelioma, a cancer that may form in the walls of affected organs.
Parents of students at a New Orleans charter school was recently concerned that the children were exposed to asbestos in the 2016-2017 school year. The building is closed this year after the material was discovered in the infrastructure. Construction workers failed to cleanly remove all of the asbestos, although no students were present at the time.
A doctor with a regional children’s hospital reassured parents that the danger to their children was negligible. “It normally takes sometimes decades of exposure, significant exposure, prolonged exposure, very high concentrations,” he said. This is why most cases affect professionals of higher ages who have spent more time exposes to asbestos.
Workers and retirees suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses may seek an attorney to help them recover financial damages. Legal representation may help build a case for reimbursement of medical expenses and compensation for suffering and other possible claims.