Asbestos in Brake Liners
There is a common misconception that asbestos brake linings have been banned and off the market for decades. Unfortunately this is not the case. Asbestos is still a legal substance in the US and does still find its way into many products including brake liners and other automotive parts. Although the asbestos content of newer brake linings is far less than it was in the past, aftermarket parts continue to flood the market and pose a major risk for mechanics, hobbyists, and anyone else who works with older cars.
Asbestos was once used in virtually all brake liners manufactured until the 1980s for good reason: it brings strength and heat resistance to friction-generating parts, and impervious to corrosion, rust, and flame. Asbestos is also lethal. Exposure to asbestos contained in brake linings and other products has been proven to cause serious respiratory illnesses, including
mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that attacks the lungs, abdomen and heart.
Despite the original safety benefits of asbestos brake linings, these products are now known to be extremely hazardous and should be avoided at all costs.
Airborne asbestos is extremely hazardous. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can become lodged in the mesothelium, the protective layer of cells that line many of the body’s internal organs. Microscopic asbestos fibers are long and sharp, making them very difficult to for the body to break down or remove. Over many years, the embedded fibers can cause irritation and scarring. And over many decades, the scarring can lead to a wide range of serious illnesses, including
asbestosis,
lung cancer, and even malignant mesothelioma, a rare but deadly form of cancer that affects the lungs, heart, and stomach.
The three major diseases caused by
asbestos exposure:
Asbestosis is a chronic but non-cancerous respiratory disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos. Asbestosis usually results from intense, long term exposure to asbestos, usually by workers producing or working closely with asbestos products, such as building demolition. Because it is so often associated with occupational exposure to asbestos, asbestosis is considered an occupational lung disease. The primary symptom of asbestosis is severe shortness of breath (dyspnea), and put the individual at high risk for malignant illnesses such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, and the number one cause of death related to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma, or malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops in the mesothelium, the thin lining that protects many of the body cavities and internal organs such as the lungs, heart, and stomach. It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma can develop up to 40 years after exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma lawyers may be able to help you
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced
mesothelioma lawyer immediately.
Asbestos companies knew of the risks of asbestos exposure for decades before the public knew. There are avenues to compensation for their criminal actions.
Asbestos attorneys can help.