Asbestos has killed many millions in the past couple of centuries since its heat resistant properties were discovered and asbestos was mined in many countries. It was very late when the health departments in all the countries found that their miracle mineral was actually a killer mineral that had claimed the lives of millions of people. Many cases have been filed over the decades against those responsible for causing countless number of people to have lost their lives and health by working in asbestos mines and mills. The estimated total cost of the asbestos litigations in the United States of America alone is over 250 billion dollars.
Asbestos was widely used in the construction industry all over the world as it was heat resistant, flexible, durable, and even chemical resistant. But to decide whether the use of a certain material should be made legal or illegal depends on weighing its pros and cons. In this case, the cons far outweigh the pros. Inhalation of asbestos fibers has sparked the birth of a cancer called mesothelioma in humans which according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) had claimed the lives of almost 100,000 Americans in 1999 alone. They recommended considering it as an epidemic of the worst kind. Don't hesitate to contact an asbestos attorney.
The federal courthouses in the United States have been dealing with asbestos lawsuit claims by asbestos victims and their families for decades. The courthouses are stunned by the number of asbestos related claims which range in the hundreds of thousands. What does bother the courthouses in the United States is the number of asbestos related cases that they will be seeing in the future as asbestos related problems surface only after 20-50 years of exposure. The Fairness of Asbestos Compensation Act, which was enacted in 1999 was used to determine if the numerous plaintiffs who were filing asbestos lawsuits were indeed suffering from asbestos related illness.
The asbestos litigation is the most expensive and longest mass tort in the history of US courthouses. The numbers of defendants are almost 10,400 but the numbers of claimants are almost a million with the number growing with each passing day. With the number of such asbestos lawsuits piling up in courthouses all over the United States, the country issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule in 1989. Many countries followed this path in banning its import and use to safeguard their people. Though developed countries have banned its use, many developing countries are still using it.
Marc Dean is a free lance writer with interests in consumer topics. He has done significant research on Asbestos Law and the direct link to Mesothelioma Lawsuits, and recommends seeking out an asbestos lawyer immediately if you feel you have been exposed.
