Find an Asbestos Lawyer Continued…

What is asbestos used for? Asbestos is used for many things, over 5,000 products since it began being used. For example, building and construction industry uses it to strengthen cement and plastics, as well as for insulation, fire proofing, absorbing sound. The shipbuilding industry however, uses it to insulate boilers and hot water pipes. Asbestos if also used by the automotive industry in brake and clutch pads. Those are only a few examples; asbestos could be in so many more products that you would need to do further research to determine if any of the products you or your family uses contain asbestos. Some of the health hazards associated with Asbestos Asbestos exposure can be extremely harmful to human health. Asbestos related diseases is the term used within the medical community to refer to the damage, pain and suffering caused by inhaling these hazardous and generally microscopic fibers of mineral. Exposure can cause both malignant diseases (cancers in organs which have come into contact with ingested asbestos); and non-malignant diseases (scarring processes of organs which have come into contact with ingested asbestos). It can also cause Asbestosis, a chronic lung ailment that can produce shortness of breath, coughing, and permanent lung damage. Making Progress, But Still a Problem Although some progress has been made to prevent any further damage caused by asbestos, it is still an issue mostly because although in 1989 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses for asbestos, all uses establish prior to 1989 are still allowed. If you or a family member have been exposed to asbestos the first thing to do is see a physician, and then if you wish to consult a lawyer it is very important to make sure you find a firm or attorney that has had prior experience with asbestos lawsuits. By Elysse Kimberlin