Working as a mechanic can be a rewarding and potentially lucrative career. Those with specialized skills who have been in the industry for decades may be able to charge a premium if they service classic cars or help people maintain their luxury vehicles.
Regardless of whether you have always done standard repairs and maintenance or have tried to specialize in foreign or vintage vehicles, if you have worked as a mechanic for many years, you might have had some exposure to asbestos as part of your job.
How are mechanics exposed to asbestos?
Asbestos is both flame resistant and insulating, so businesses have used this naturally occurring mineral substance in all kinds of products. Mechanics may have encountered asbestos in brakes and clutch systems in older vehicles.
Unfortunately, removing or replacing vehicle components manufactured with asbestos might have exposed you to an inhaled particulate asbestos. Inhaling asbestos could eventually lead to severe medical issues.
You probably wouldn’t notice asbestos-related health issues right away
You might feel confident that you don’t have asbestos-related health issues because it has been years since you worked on a vehicle with brakes or a clutch system that included asbestos. What you may not know is that asbestos-related health conditions like mesothelioma often take decades to fully develop.
Even if you have been retired for a long time, you might eventually develop debilitating symptoms that require expensive care. The good news is that even if your former employer is out of business, you may have options available to you for compensation. Discussing your health condition and your previous employment with an attorney experienced in this field can be a first step toward getting the compensation you need.