MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Fighting For Asbestos Victims In Louisiana

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Is asbestos truly as bad as people make it seem?

On Behalf of | May 26, 2022 | asbestos

Asbestos is a mineral-based fiber that was introduced in the late 1800s as home insulation. The asbestos insulation was used to reduce house fires. Asbestos was so convenient to use against fires that it was put in anything from homes, vehicles, kitchenware, clothes to even children’s toys. 

So why was everyone suddenly against using it after it was used in so many products?

Asbestos is a high-risk, low-reward material

It was only after its constant use that it was discovered asbestos was extremely unhealthy. The thin particles of asbestos can fill the air if torn, broken or pulled from walls, floors or roofs. Exposure to asbestos can cause serious health issues, respiratory diseases and cancer

Consumers hadn’t yet realized the dangers of asbestos in the late 1800s, only seeing it for the heat resistance it provided. The benefits of asbestos had, at the time, outweighed any dangers and so it was used in many of the consumer products available at the time.

Today, asbestos is so well known for its health issues that by the late 1970s the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the use of asbestos in-home products. This set about a new wave of home insulation and the purging of asbestos-made products.

People are still at risk of asbestos exposure 

Asbestos isn’t used in newer homes and most consumer products as it once was, however, nearly half of all homes across the nation still have the asbestos insulation it was originally built with. 

Older homes, construction and buildings that were originally built with asbestos can put homeowners and workers in danger of the effects of asbestos. Demolition, reconstruction or simple home repairs can prove dangerous for anyone that might come in contact with asbestos. 

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with asbestos exposure then you may need to know your legal options to recover from medical expenses. A home seller or employer may have exposed you or a loved one to asbestos while knowing the risk of asbestos.