The Ongoing Risks of Asbestos Exposure for Construction Workers
If you work or have worked in construction, particularly in roles involving demolition, renovation, or insulation of older buildings, your risk of asbestos exposure is much higher than the rest of the population. Many construction materials used before the 1980s contained asbestos, a carcinogen linked to roughly fifteen thousand American deaths per year, primarily from mesothelioma and lung cancer.
If you or a family member are dealing with the aftermath of asbestos exposure due to work in the construction industry, Madeksho Law wants to help. Call us today at 888-910-6376 or contact us through our website for a free consultation, where our team will outline what legal options are available.
Construction Jobs At Risk
If someone built a house fifty years ago using asbestos, that asbestos is still there unless intentionally removed. Every construction worker taking on a project in these houses must receive proper warning of the risks to prepare and protect themselves completely. Unfortunately, many workers today fail to receive this warning and are still exposed to asbestos. Plus, despite the widespread use of asbestos being banned many decades ago, small amounts of the carcinogen can still be found in certain products.
Construction jobs often disturb asbestos-containing materials and release harmful fibers into the air. Once workers breathe them in, the fibers irritate and damage lung tissue, sometimes remaining in the body for years. Here are some of the most at-risk construction roles:
· Demolition Workers: Demolition workers are at high risk of asbestos exposure when tearing down older buildings, especially those constructed before the 1980s. Asbestos, commonly used in insulation, roofing, and flooring, can release large amounts of toxic fibers into the air during demolition. Without proper protective gear, these workers can inhale asbestos, putting them at risk for mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory diseases.
· Renovation Specialists: Renovation specialists who work on older homes or commercial buildings often disturb materials containing asbestos, such as insulation, drywall, tiles, and flooring. These materials, once common in construction, pose significant health risks when disrupted, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Prolonged exposure to these fibers can lead to chronic illnesses like asbestosis and deadly cancers, including mesothelioma.
· Insulators: Before the 1980s, asbestos was heavily used in insulation products due to its heat-resistant properties, making modern-day insulators particularly vulnerable when removing or replacing old insulation. The process of handling or disturbing asbestos-laden insulation releases harmful fibers into the air, which, if inhaled, can cause serious long-term health conditions, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The Major Health Concerns of Exposure to Asbestos
Exposure to asbestos doesn't guarantee that you will develop health conditions, but it is the primary direct cause of one distinct type of cancer. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer primarily affecting the lining of the lungs, though other forms can damage the internal lining of the abdomen and heart.
Mesothelioma, almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure, has a long latency period, meaning symptoms may not appear until decades after the initial exposure. However, since this cancer is almost always caused by asbestos, it is sometimes possible to look back in time to determine when and where the exposure occurred.
The other significant risk of asbestos exposure is lung cancer, particularly for construction workers with other conditions that may weaken or damage the lungs. And even though mesothelioma has a strong association with asbestos, lung cancer kills nearly twice as many Americans each year.
Asbestos inside the body is never a good thing. In addition to these two primary concerns, asbestos is also linked to other cancers, like stomach cancer and esophageal cancer. Asbestosis, a chronic lung condition caused by asbestos exposure, is another concern to be on the lookout for. Wherever asbestos goes, disastrous health conditions are left in its wake.
Madeksho Law Can Help Construction Workers Exposed to Asbestos
If you have concerns about being exposed to asbestos or are currently dealing with health conditions related to previous exposure, Madeksho Law wants to hear from you. Even for exposures occurring decades ago, legal avenues for compensation exist, including personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death claims on behalf of a deceased family member. Asbestos manufacturers have also set up trust funds to compensate affected individuals, offering a more straightforward way for victims to receive compensation.
After years of hard work in the construction industry, you deserve compensation for health conditions you developed through no fault of your own. Whether your exposure is decades old or recent, Madeksho Law will fight for what is right and help get you much-needed help for your conditions.
Contact us to learn the specific legal options available for construction workers, how to determine if you have been exposed to asbestos, what steps to take if you suspect exposure, the potential long-term health effects, and how to seek compensation for related health conditions. We've been helping victims of asbestos exposure since 1972.
For a free consultation, call today at 888-910-MESO (6376) or contact us online.
