About Asbestos
If you or a loved one has an asbestos-related illness, seek justice with a trusted law firm that knows everything about asbestos. Bergman Oslund Udo Little has specialized in asbestos exposure lawsuits since 1995. The firm’s compassionate attorneys and staff can advise you about asbestos exposure, determine your eligibility for filing an asbestos lawsuit, and fight for your rights. We have offices in Oregon and Washington.
Asbestos is a durable, heat-resistant mineral widely used in shipyards, power plants, paper mills, nuclear facilities, and oil refineries. Over 60 countries have banned the import or use of asbestos, but it remains legal in the U.S. in limited quantities.
Asbestos exposure can cause life-altering medical conditions. Microscopic asbestos fibers can be released into the air when asbestos is disturbed or damaged. Once inhaled or ingested, these fibers may get stuck in the mesothelium, the membrane protecting most of their internal organs. Over time, these fibers scar and inflame the mesothelium, scarring and thickening, sometimes referred to as plagues. Cancerous tumors may also develop, leading to mesothelioma.
Bergman Oslund Udo Little can advise you about asbestos exposure, determine the validity of your asbestos case, and fight tooth and nail to secure maximum compensation.
Where Does Asbestos Exposure Happen?
Asbestos exposure happens when people disturb asbestos by interacting with products containing asbestos. Job sites with asbestos exposure include:
- Shipyards used asbestos in vessels and shipyard buildings. Asbestos lined engine spaces, steam pipes, boiler rooms, and other high-temperature areas.
- Power plants often used asbestos insulation for boilers, pipes, and turbines.
- Nuclear facilities frequently used asbestos in steam equipment, fireproofing, machinery, and buildings.
- Oil refineries used asbestos in pipes and equipment to prevent combustion risks and insulate against high temperatures in refinery processes. Asbestos was also found in building materials, machinery, and safety gear.
- Paper mills used asbestos in and around boilers, pipes, turbines, and machinery. Asbestos was used in felts used to dry pulp during papermaking. Paper mill workers were also exposed to asbestos when creating asbestos paper products.
Common Products That Lead to Asbestos Exposure
Shipyards, power plants, and other workplaces frequently used asbestos-containing products before the 1980s. Common products that lead to asbestos exposure included the following:
- Gaskets and packing: Asbestos was used to make gaskets fit between pieces and pipes. Over time, these gaskets broke down and exposed workers to asbestos. Pumps and valves used asbestos packing to create a heat and corrosion-resistant seal.
- Brakes: Asbestos was used in brake linings. When asbestos-containing brakes degrade over time, they release asbestos fibers into the air and onto people’s skin, clothes, and hair.
- Insulation for pipes and boilers: Pipe and boiler insulation often contained asbestos. As they deteriorate over time, these products can become friable, causing asbestos exposure.
- Asbestos cement pipe: Asbestos cement pipes, often called transite or “AC” pipe was widely used in water supply and wastewater systems. Asbestos fibers were mixed into the concrete mixture to increase strength and pressure resistance. Plumbers and contractors cutting, sanding, or beveling asbestos cement pipes could be exposed to high levels of asbestos dust.
- Talc: Talc products may contain asbestos since talc and asbestos deposits naturally form together. Talc is often found in baby and body powders, paint, ceramics, crayons, and industrial products.
- Drywall: Old drywall compound often contained asbestos. People may be exposed to asbestos during a remodeling project or construction.
At-Risk Jobs
Some professions are at a higher risk of asbestos exposure, such as the following:
- Boiler workers may have come into contact with asbestos while installing, manufacturing, and repairing boilers.
- Construction workers who work inside older homes and buildings may experience asbestos exposure, especially if they interact with siding, plaster, and floor and ceiling tiles.
- Firefighters may come into contact with asbestos fibers when fighting fires in buildings built before 1980.
- Industrial workers may come into contact with asbestos when handling gaskets, refractory products, and valves. They may also have worn asbestos-containing protective clothing to resist high temperatures.
- Insulators were exposed to asbestos-containing products until the 1980s. Insulators still experience asbestos exposure when working in older buildings, homes, schools, and ships.
- Machine operators who operate heavy equipment, such as cranes and bulldozers, often come into contact with asbestos in brake linings.
- Pipefitters are exposed to asbestos from boilers and pipes built before the 1980s.
- Sheet metal workers were exposed to asbestos when sawing, cutting, and distributing asbestos-treated metal products. They were also exposed to asbestos through insulated walls and asbestos pipes.
- Electricians are exposed to asbestos from insulation products and electrical components.
- Aircraft and auto mechanics may have come into contact with asbestos while replacing high-friction materials, such as heat shields, clutches, and brakes.
If you may have been exposed, contact an asbestos lawyer in Washington or an asbestos lawyer in Oregon.
Asbestos Exposure and Veterans
Although the military largely stopped using asbestos in the late 1970s, ships, living quarters, and vehicles still contain the material. Veterans may have also been exposed while serving in another country.
Here are the top sources of military asbestos exposure:
- Navy ships: The Navy used asbestos in amphibious assault ships, cruisers, carriers, destroyers, and tugboats.
- Navy shipyards: According to Occupational Environmental Medicine, the Navy began removing asbestos in the 1970s, but the process is incomplete. Navy shipyard personnel remain at risk of asbestos exposure at home and abroad. There is asbestos at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Guam Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and several other active shipyards.
- Land vehicles: Trucks and jeeps often had asbestos-containing brake linings, clutches, brake pads, industrial adhesives, and engine gaskets.
- Coast Guard vessels: Cutters contain a small amount of asbestos. However, there is no safe level of asbestos, especially in enclosed areas aboard ships. Asbestos-containing materials can wear down, leading to asbestos exposure.
- Heavy machinery: The Army uses heavy machinery for demolition, construction, and moving artillery. These machines often contain asbestos friction materials, such as clutches, brake linings, and brake pads. Lubricants, engine gaskets, and electrical wiring may also contain asbestos.
- Tanks: The Army used asbestos materials in tanks for heat protection. Because tanks are prone to severe vibration, asbestos-containing products can easily become damaged, releasing asbestos.
- Communication centers: From the 1930s to the late 1970s, asbestos was used in construction materials, spray-on and wrapped insulation, cable ducts, and many other telecommunication products.
Veterans exposed to asbestos may be eligible for VA compensation.
Asbestos Lawyers Who Care
Discovering you have an asbestos-related condition can be daunting, even if insurance covers most medical expenses associated with your treatment plan.
Fortunately, Bergman Oslund Udo Little is here to help. Our asbestos exposure attorneys fight for asbestos victims and their families. Our compassionate asbestos lawyers can analyze your case to determine whether you can file a compensation claim. If you are eligible, we can help you gather and preserve evidence, build your case, negotiate with defendants, and represent you in court if necessary.
Contact us at 206-984-3565 to learn more about your options. Besides providing free information about asbestos illnesses, including a guide to mesothelioma, we provide free case reviews.
FAQs About Asbestos
What if You Are Exposed to Asbestos?
High levels of asbestos exposure can cause asbestosis. The risks of developing asbestos lung cancer or mesothelioma are relatively low—less than 10 percent—even for heavily exposed workers but the risk is lifelong and increases with age. People who experience long-term asbestos exposure have a higher chance of developing asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related disease.
Where Is Asbestos Naturally Found?
Asbestos is naturally found in certain rock types, such as serpentine and ultramafic rocks. These are commonly found near fault zones and can be found in and around talc deposits.
What Products Still Contain Asbestos?
In the 1980s, the government attempted to eliminate certain asbestos materials from production and circulation. After years of litigation, very few new products contain asbestos. Notably, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is still working to ban additional asbestos products. Even so, some products still contain asbestos as recently as a few years ago. Examples include:
- Adhesives
- Plastics
- Gaskets
- Electrical components
- Talc
Is Asbestos Illegal?
Asbestos is not banned in the United States. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attempted to ban many asbestos products in the 1980s, that ban was significantly restricted following litigation. Thus, importing and using asbestos in small amounts is still legal. Many foreign countries still mine and sell asbestos products.
Representing asbestos and mesothelioma clients throughout the Northwest.
