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Asbestos Roadboard - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

Asbestos roadboard was used up until the mid-1980s for a variety of construction purposes, and may contain between 20% and 80% asbestos depending on its function. Asbestos is highly durable and provides excellent insulation, and is both flame-retardant and fire-resistant, making it ideal for use in construction, particularly in areas where heat protection is necessary. Unfortunately, asbestos is also a highly dangerous substance that can cause a variety of lethal diseases, and the use of the substance in manufacturing and construction was continued long after it was known to be dangerous.

The dangers of asbestos have been known by companies that used it in manufacturing as early as the 1930s. Despite this knowledge, the useful properties of asbestos, coupled with its low cost, made it highly desirable for use in construction, and it was not until the 1970s that restrictions were placed on its use. In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned asbestos use in most construction materials. However, the ban was not enforced on existing stocks of asbestos-containing materials, and these stocks were used in construction up until the mid-1980s.

The Dangers of Asbestos

Any residential or commercial building constructed in or before the 1980s may potentially contain asbestos roadboard and other asbestos-containing construction materials. If you suspect that your home may contain such materials, it is best to have a small sample of the suspect material professionally tested. Depending on the age and condition of the asbestos material it may need to be professionally removed and replaced. In most cases it is not safe to remove such materials without professional assistance.

Asbestos-containing construction materials that are fairly new and in good condition may be safe, as long as they are not disturbed in any way. Intact construction materials trap asbestos fibers within the matrix of the material, meaning that they cannot become airborne and cannot be inhaled into the lungs. However, any disturbance, or even a crack or hole in asbestos roadboard or other construction products, can potentially release dangerous asbestos fibers into the air.

Asbestos fibers that are inhaled or otherwise ingested can cause disease if the body is unable to excrete them. Long-term exposure over several years is particularly dangerous, as this greatly increases the likelihood of disease developing. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma to develop. Mesothelioma is a rare but particularly deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, and this cancer is invariably fatal for nearly 100% of victims within five years after diagnosis. These diseases may take several decades to develop from the time of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos and your Legal Rights

The particular tragedy of asbestos-related diseases is that they are entirely avoidable. The dangers of the substance were known many decades before its use was banned or even restricted in any way. Many companies that used asbestos in manufacturing or construction simply did not provide their workers with the safety equipment that could have protected them from asbestos exposure, and because of this, they are held accountable for the development of asbestos-related diseases.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, contact a mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you determine how your asbestos exposure occurred, who is responsible for it, and can advise you on how to claim compensation for coverage of medical expenses, replacement of lost income, and reparation for loss of quality of life.

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