"My husband, who was a plumber, never knew asbestos could cause mesothelioma cancer."

Recently, the wife of a plumber contacted us to say her husband had worked with asbestos. She said he had no idea it would ultimately cause him to contract mesothelioma cancer and lead to his death.

She said he was just 66 when he died, a year after he had been diagnosed with the asbestos cancer.

She pointed out that they simply did not know that asbestos was dangerous--that it could cause cancers and serious lung ailments--while her husband was working as a plumber.

Had they know, she said, there is no way that he husband would have taken risks with it.

Had her husband been aware of the hazards, he would have been able to take the necessary precautions when he worked as a plumber, such as wearing a mask and making sure that he did not bring home his work clothes.

Anyone coming in to contact with loose asbestos fibers is at risk for exposure or "secondary exposure", for example, while washing the clothes of someone who worked with it.

As a plumber, her husband mixed asbestos cement and used it as part of his job installing domestic heating and lagging boilers and pipes.

Every week, tradesmen such as plumbers are diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and other asbestos-linked cancers, as well as lung diseases such as asbestosis, pleural thickening, pulmonary fibrosis and non-malignant lung nodules, and this number is set to increase.

Even today, asbestos is a risk to plumbers, joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers as it is still present in many older buildings.

These buildings all need repair and maintenance work from time to time and when the asbestos fibers are disturbed, they are likely to be inhaled as a deadly cancer-causing dust.

Many plumbers have come forward to say their work environment led to a diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer from asbestos.

If this has been your experience, we may be able to help.

For over two decades, Weitz & Luxenberg P.C. has handled some of the most legally complicated and groundbreaking asbestos litigation in the country. Men and women diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure or secondary exposure may be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for their disease.

If you would like a free consultation or more information about your legal options, please complete the form on this page, and a representative of our law firm will contact you as soon as possible.