Asbestos in Insulation Jacketing
Concerned that exposure to insulation jacketing made with asbestos could lead to asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer? Learn more below.
What is insulation jacketing?
Insulation jacketing systems are custom built tailored jackets meant to form fit over duct work and pipes for insulation. It can be attached with snaps, Velcro and other methods. While insulation jackets are no doubt essential for preventing heat loss and even preventing fire, older ones made from asbestos carried more insidious risks. Asbestos exposure has been linked to a number of asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural plaques, and mesothelioma.
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How asbestos exposure can lead to malignant mesothelioma
When a product contains asbestos, any damage or wear releases the asbestos fibers into the air where they behave like microscopic knives when inhaled. Once inside the lungs or stomach, asbestos fibers become embedded in the tissue, where they remain to wreak havoc on the organ lining. Eventually the tissue becomes irritated and scarred, leading to shortness of breath in the victim. In rare cases, asbestos exposure can result in mesothelioma many years or decades after the initial contact with asbestos.
Many people think that asbestos has been banned in the United States. This is not true. Although the EPA was successful in banning asbestos in 1989, the ruling was challenged on a technacality and the ban overturned in 1991. Although most asbestos has been phased out of use in the United States, it is still widely used in countries with lax manufacturing standards such as India and China, who export asbestos products to the United States.
Individuals who manufactured or used insulation jacketing that contained asbestos may have unknowingly inhaled microscopic asbestos fibers, the precursor to developing mesothelioma. If you suspect you may have been exposed to asbestos, contact your doctor immediately. You may also have legal rights. Mesothelioma law has developed to help victims receive compensation from the companies that exposed them to asbestos.
Exposed to asbestos? Contact a mesothelioma lawyer today
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer immediately. Mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of mesothelioma patients win compensation for lost wages and medical costs.