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Mesothelioma develops after exposure to asbestos. People with occupation asbestos exposure have higher risks of developing mesothelioma. Any amount of asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma.
Workers in asbestos industries generally experience higher rates of exposure. Workers can bring home small fibers on clothing, hair and skin. This can also expose loved ones secondarily.
High-Risk Occupation – Mining
Miners and residents of mining communities are at great risk for asbestos related diseases. There is typically a latency period of 20-60+ years between exposure and developing an asbestos-caused disease. Mining for asbestos in the U.S. ended in 2002, but many miners have been exposed since then because certain minerals contaminated with asbestos. Historically, many components of mining equipment contains asbestos insulation and asbestos gaskets.
According to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, asbestos levels in coal mines were 20 times higher than what is now considered to be “safe.”
The most notorious incident occurred in W.R. Grace and Co.’s vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana. Beginning in the 1900s, hundreds of vermiculite miners and their families died of asbestosis and mesothelioma because the mine was contaminated with asbestos. The R.T. Vanderbilt talc mines in upstate New York are another example. These mines had dangerous levels of tremolite asbestos interlaced with the extracted minerals.
Help for Coal Miners & Their Families
If you or a loved one has developed an illness such as mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos, you have legal rights and options.
Bringing a claim for an illness caused by asbestos could result in financial compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost quality of life, pain and suffering, and more. Most of these cases reach settlements, meaning they do not have to go to trial. You may also be eligible to file a claim with an asbestos trust fund. This is a fund set up by a company that has gone bankrupt to ensure that victims of asbestos exposure can still receive financial compensation.
Occupational Exposure To Asbestos, The Numbers
- 1.3 million U.S. workers are potentially at risk due to exposure
- 27 million workers were exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979
- Coal miners are at increased risk of lung cancer as well as mesothelioma. 19% of coal miners born after 1940 have died from lung cancer.
- Over 39,000 American lives are lost due to asbestos-related diseases every year
- Asbestos exposure is the #1 cause of work-related deaths worldwide
Why Choose Bailey Glasser?
- At Bailey Glasser, we have extensive experience representing those who have developed mesothelioma due to exposure.
- Our attorneys have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.
- We understand these cases are often complex and technical. We bring intelligent aggression and substantial experience working product liability cases to verdict and settlement.
- There are no upfront costs. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we take all the financial risk and only charge a fee if we successfully resolve your claim.
