Mesothelioma and Automobile Mechanics
Automobile and truck mechanics face many hazards on their jobs daily. Electric shock; eye damage from flying debris while pounding or sanding; burns from acids and other corrosive materials; falling objects—the list of dangers for these hard working individuals who keep our vehicles on the road is extensive. While auto mechanics are well aware of most of these hazards, for decades they were exposed to a particularly deadly hazard without knowing it—asbestos. If you have suffered mesothelioma or another ailment from asbestos exposure, you need to work with a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer.
A New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorney on Asbestos in Auto Shops
Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that was considered ideal for use in motor parts due to its ability to resist heat and fire. The heat produced within engines and in brakes is tremendous; as a cheap and readily available material, asbestos became the answer to engine parts such as gaskets and brake pads. As such, this dangerous material came to be used in many different components, including clutches, transmission parts, brake linings and pads, gaskets, and may others. As a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer will tell you, the virtues of this material with its many uses in cars came at a steep price.
The routine tasks of automotive workers involve grinding, punching, and cutting materials that contained asbestos until the 1970s. Gaskets often need to be trimmed and brake pads filed. Such work caused asbestos fibers to become airborne; as a result, even if a worker knew he was in danger, he would have had a difficult time, indeed, managing not to breathe the asbestos-laden air in the work area. As a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer can attest, even those employees who were not directly involved in repair work faced exposure—and even customers.
In fact, the families of auto mechanics were often exposed to asbestos as a worker returned home after a hard day, his clothes dirty with grease—but also asbestos dust and fibers. Any shaking out of these clothes before washing would cause particles to become airborne.
A New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorney on the Continuing Danger of Exposure
Once strict laws were enacted in the 1970s prohibiting asbestos use other materials came into use, but the risk of exposure still exists in the auto mechanic trade. Older cars and trucks often still have brake pads, gaskets, and other components containing asbestos.
And while auto mechanics have increasingly been made to use safety equipment when repairing vehicles, such as eye protection, a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer will tell you that they likely aren’t expecting to be exposed to asbestos. Indeed, even if they are aware of the dangers, these workers may be reluctant to use safety masks and breathing apparatus that they feel simply gets in the way of doing their job.
Another issue, as a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer will attest, is that even were no danger of exposure still present, workers would still be falling ill with mesothelioma and other diseases related to asbestos exposure. This is because symptoms very often take decades to become apparent—sometimes as many as 50 years after exposure.
A New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyer Discusses the Disease
Mesothelioma is only one of the risks related to asbestos, but it is among the deadliest. Mesothelioma is a cancer which attacks the lining of the lungs, abdominal tract, and other organs. The suffering victims experience as the disease progresses is difficult for loved ones to bear, and quite often leads to death. Mesothelioma is a tragic consequence of asbestos exposure, especially when one considers that it is almost exclusively found in relation to this toxic material.
Call a New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorney for Legal Representation
If you are an automotive worker and have fallen ill with mesothelioma, 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 a New Jersey mesothelioma attorney at Clark Law Firm, PC today to arrange a consultation: (877) 841-8855.