ASBESTOS ABOARD SHIPS
In asbestos, ships trust!

January 14, 2009 - Ships below deck tend to be very poorly ventilated and enclosed environments. This makes for dangerous work conditions. When asbestos is present, airborne fibers become trapped below deck and can easily be inhaled by unwary crewmen.

Asbestos has been part of the maritime industry for nearly a century. Primal fear of fires at sea led to a universal demand for greater precautions, especially during WWII when combat conditions exacerbated the danger of fire.

As a result, asbestos was used in nearly every part of virtually every ship built during the war. Indeed, nearly every sea-going vessel built between 1940 and 1980 was laden with asbestos.

After the war, there were few calls to stop using asbestos aboard boats. Corporations, such as W.R. Grace, Johns-Manville and Raysbestos, presented a great deal of evidence to Congress, promoting to lawmakers its wonderful fireproof characteristics.

Unfortunately for thousands of well-intentioned seamen, asbestos companies were far less forthcoming about the health hazards they knew about. Asbestos companies chose to pursue steady profits rather than protect and educate workers, most of whom were left unaware of the cancerous threat they faced everyday below deck.

Asbestos and ships

Despite the potentially fatal health consequences associated with asbestos exposure, asbestos is still imported and used in the United States for its insulation properties. The United States imported and used an estimated 1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Government sources estimate that in the next decade more than 35,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. This disease is most often the result of industrial workplace exposure to asbestos – and usually contracted through employers’ blatant disregard for the health and safety of their workers.

Time to seek justice!

That’s why people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their family members have strong cases in court. 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 have 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 for your family, and damages. There is no cost to you until we win a settlement or a verdict.

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ASBESTOS ABOARD SHIPSIn asbestos, ships trust!

ASBESTOS ABOARD SHIPS
In asbestos, ships trust!