DANGEROUS OCCUPATION
Baby boom carpenters at risk for developing asbestos diseases like mesothelioma

March 11, 2009 -- Carpenters born in the so-called baby boom generation after WWII are at a greater risk of developing asbestos-related mesothelioma than many other blue-collar workers, new research indicates.

Men who were born during the first decade after the war and who worked as carpenters for more than 10 years before they reached the age of 30 have a one in 17 lifetime risk of developing mesothelioma, according to research funded by Cancer Research UK and the Health and Safety Executive.

This compares to one in 50 for plumbers and electricians born in the same decade, and one in 125 for construction workers.

While most people associate carpenters with wood products, carpenters also work with other materials, as well. They may, for example, be called upon to install or remove drywall and insulation. Historically, asbestos was most often used on naval vessels and in the building construction industry.

Carpenters who do renovation or remodeling work in older building still face the possibility that their work will disturb asbestos fibers. They may also be exposed to asbestos dust created by the activities of other people at the job site, if proper safety precautions aren't taken.

Carpenters suffer in the U.S. and U.K.

In 2003, a San Francisco court awarded $5.5 million in the case of carpenter who developed mesothelioma after working with asbestos-containing building products. The wrongful death suit claimed that the plaintiff had been exposed to asbestos in his carpentry work from 1950 to 2002, when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.

In the United Kingdom, the widow of a carpenter who died after being exposed to asbestos at his work was awarded a large out-of-court settlement in 2005; and a court awarded 400,000 pounds to a carpenter dying of mesothelioma in 2006.

Thus, it is clear that asbestos exposure is a serious danger to carpenters, both in the United States and abroad.

Time to seek justice . . .

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of workers for 25 years – longer than most law firms in the nation. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients.

If you are a carpenter that has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and seek FREE legal guidance and answers to your concerns, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance to help you pay for medical bills, future and past lost wages, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.