The outrageous misconduct of the asbestos industry over the last century has killed thousands, with many more yet to be diagnosed or exposed through secondary asbestos exposure. Men and women who worked their entire lives for the benefit of companies that put their lives and those of their families at risk. Perhaps a if it was just a few ignored asbestos studies, a few misleading statements, or if the cover up just lasted a few years. But it was never just a few.
Originally a four-part series written for the The New Yorker, Paul Brodeur's book Outrageous Misconduct: The Asbestos Industry on Trial details a decade of callous behavior by the industry. From the book: "punitive damages... are assessed for outrageous and reckless misconduct."
The asbestos industry ignored, mislead, and lied about asbestos' dangers for decades.
Knowledge about the risks of asbestos has been piling up since the 19th century. In 1964, the New York Academy of Sciences held a conference on the "Biological Effects of Asbestos," and any lingering doubts that asbestos was a carcinogen (which were already weak thanks to innumerable medical studies) were silenced.
However, even after 1964, companies continued to mine, produce, and sell asbestos and asbestos-containing products. Were it not for pioneering asbestos lawyers, use of the "miracle mineral" would likely have continued to rise in the US.
The first asbestos lawsuit against asbestos product manufacturers, which concluded in 1969, was actually successfully defended by the industry. Asbestos manufacturers argued what would come to be known as the "state-of-the-art" defense. In short, the asbestos companies argued that they didn't know and couldn't have known the risks associated with asbestos until the 1960s.
However, despite supposedly learning of these risksin the 60s, asbestos use and importation in the United States continued to rise through the mid seventies. Asbestos use in the United States did not stop decreasing until after 1973. Interestingly, 1973 is the same year the first asbestos lawsuit verdict against manufacturers was upheld on appeal.
Despite protests to the contrary, the asbestos industry was never going to listen to the facts about asbestos cancer, only to their pocketbooks. And despite their protestations, the asbestos industry had known for decades about the risks. As more people injured by asbestos came forward and more asbestos lawsuits were researched, the evidence of companies' long-standing prior knowledge was revealed in shocking detail.
As it turned out, asbestos lawyers would uncover more and more evidence revealing the prior knowledge of asbestos manufacturers. Not only were manufacturers aware of asbestos cancer prior to 1970, they had been aware of asbestos risks since the beginning of the century.
Asbestos cancer has a long latency period. It was a factor the asbestos industry has relied on.
At its peak, 1.7 million workers were employed by U.S. Naval shipyards. Asbestos cladding and insulation was so widely used on ships that every one of these workers was likely exposed to asbestos. [High risk asbestos jobs.]
Since 1900, enough asbestos cement pipe has been manufactured to circle the earth more than 17 times. Asbestos has been used in everything from cigarette filters to mattresses, although the most common uses for asbestos over the last century been in materials for industrial and construction purposes. [Products that contain asbestos.]
Mesothelioma cancer is a tumor affecting the thin membranes lining some of the body's internal cavities and organs. An aggressive and deadly cancer, mesothelioma's only known cause is asbestos exposure, making it exceedingly preventable, had asbestos companies cared to try. [Mesothelioma asbestos cancer.]
Interested in learning about new and novel treatments for asbestos cancer? Reading up on the latest clinical trials can be a good way to learn about the cutting edge in medical research. You may even find a program you and your physician think you could benefit from participating in. [Asbestos Cancer: Clinical Trials]
With a century of medical evidence, secret memos, and long-winded depositions, asbestos attorneys have their work cut out for them. Couple this with the task of finding specific job sites and products for each client, and it's clear to see why asbestos lawsuits are complex.
Asbestos lawyers who have been involved since the beginning have the experience and knowledge to aggressively try your case. [Asbestos Cancer Lawyers.]