Asbestos Exposure and Shipyard Workers

Shipyard workers contribute significantly to manufacturing, tourism, and the military. Without ships, trade with other countries would be next to impossible, and our defense would be seriously hampered. Sadly, these workers are among those who suffer diseases associated with exposure to asbestos. If you have become ill as a result of asbestos, it is important that you work with a New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney to gain compensation.

A New Jersey Asbestos Exposure Lawyer on the History of Asbestos in Shipbuilding

As was true with many other industries, shipbuilding relied upon the use of asbestos in the past. Asbestos was key in helping prevent fires that could severely damage precious cargo, and corrosion that could endanger the ship, itself. As a New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney will tell you, though, this same product which ostensibly offered such great protection placed painters, electrical workers, welders, plumbers, and others who worked on ships in grave danger.

Over 300 asbestos-related products were used onboard ships until the 1970s, when the danger of exposure to this toxic material became more widely known. Shipbuilding in this country diminished somewhat after the Second World War; nonetheless, thousands of individuals eventually fell ill, and even died from exposure. In fact, they still do.

A New Jersey Asbestos Exposure Lawyer Discusses the Continued Danger

Though asbestos has been prohibited in manufacture in this country for several decades, some workers in the shipbuilding industry are still at risk. Anyone who works at repair of old ships or assists in dismantling them is likely to be exposed, as a New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney will tell you.

Because of its widespread use throughout the ship, asbestos will still be found on these old ships in boiler rooms, engine rooms, sleeping quarters, etc. A New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney will provide a fuller explanation of the many ways asbestos was utilized  on board ships, but the material was virtually omnipresent—contained in the paint on the hull, in gaskets and insulations materials, and in adhesives.

Exposure and Illness

As a New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney can attest, the damage to a person’s health from exposure can be severe. A victim can suffer respiratory problems, and even contract a rare form of cancer, mesothelioma. What is particularly disturbing is that a person who is exposed may not become ill until decades later—as many as 50 years. Given the slow onset, a New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney faces a challenge in trying to draw a link between a job from the past and the illness contracted many years later. Still, victims should not be dissuaded from seeking legal assistance. Many individuals have received significant settlements for exposure to this very dangerous material.

Call a New Jersey Asbestos Exposure Lawyer for Legal Representation

If you have worked on ships and have fallen ill, you may be a victim of exposure to asbestos. As such, you may be able to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost work time, pain, suffering, loss of consortium, and more. Call New Jersey asbestos exposure attorney Gerald H. Clark today to arrange a consultation: (877) 841-8855.