Mesothelioma and the Automotive Industry: Asbestos-related illness, including mesothelioma and asbestosis, have caused serious health problems for individuals who worked in the automotive industry in the 20th century. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness or are experiencing symptoms and work or worked in the auto industry, contact an experienced mesothelioma and asbestos attorney. The suffering you and your loved ones are being forced to endure may be connected to your work in the automotive industry.
Asbestos Once Commonly Used in Automobile Parts
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos or are experiencing symptoms consistent with those illnesses and worked in the auto industry, you have surely asked three questions:
- What is asbestos?
- How was exposed to asbestos?
- Why does asbestos cause health problems?
With regard to the first question, asbestos is mineral comprised of many fine fibers. Because asbestos possesses certain beneficial properties, such as heat resistance and the capacity to insulate, it was used widely in a number of commercial and industrial products. The automotive industry, especially prior to the late-1970’s, was one the industries to utilize asbestos – especially in the manufacturing of brake pads, brake shoes, gaskets, internal combustion parts, clutches, heat seals, hood lines, insulation and an array of other components. Asbestos was mixed into paint, threaded into fiberglass, and used in other applications.
Tragically, while asbestos may be beneficial to machines, it poses very serious health risks to human beings when its thin fibers are inhaled or swallowed during the process of manufacturing process. The reason for this is that when asbestos is inhaled, the human body is unable to expel it from the inner tissues of the chest and abdominal cavities. These inner tissues comprise the thin layer of cells known as the mesothelium. This layer of cells is also where the name for the illness “mesothelioma” comes from because it is these tissues that are gravely harmed by asbestos exposure.
Both mesothelioma and asbestosis cause immense pain, feature symptoms like those of lung cancer, and are fatal in their malignant cancerous forms. Unfortunately, because of the similarity of the symptoms of asbestos-related illness to those of lung cancer, the illness is difficult to diagnose until it has become cancerous and metastasized. Finally, both asbestosis and mesothelioma typically do not manifest until between 20 and 50 years after the initial exposure period
What to Do if You Have Mesothelioma or Asbestosis
Mesothelioma and the Automotive Industry: Did you work in the automotive industry either before the late 1970’s or on cars and trucks that were originally manufactured before this time period? Did you work on brakes and/or clutches while in the industry? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, your health problems may be linked to exposure to asbestos in the auto industry. To discuss your legal and medical options, contact a compassionate and experienced mesothelioma and asbestos attorney today.