The first successful workers' compensation claim is processed and settled by the Massachusetts Industrial Accidents board before going to trial.
Asbestos became increasingly popular during the early 1900s and was used in a variety of applications, including pipe and ceiling insulation, concrete, bricks, pipes, gaskets, fireproof drywall, and lawn furniture. The companies that manufactured these and other products knew about the harmful nature of asbestos, but failed to warn those working with the mineral or the general public. Decades later, thousands of people who were diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses have taken legal action, holding the companies that made and sold asbestos-containing products accountable for their actions.
Mesothelioma attorneys have historically worked to help mesothelioma victims recover compensation. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a mesothelioma attorney may be able to help you hold the asbestos industry accountable for the harm it has caused you. For a free, no-obligation case evaluation, complete our case review form today.
In the 1920s and 1930s, medical researchers began to observe a large number of early deaths from lung problems in asbestos-mining towns. For example, in 1930, Dr. A. J. Lanza of MetLife undertook a four-year study on behalf of the Johns Manville Corporation titled “Effects of Inhalation of Asbestos Dust upon the Lungs of Asbestos Workers” and concluded that asbestos was, in fact, extremely dangerous. Dr. Lanza recommended that the Johns Manville Corporation—at the time one of the country’s largest manufacturers of asbestos-containing insulation products—take measures to protect its workers from the dangers of asbestos.
Instead of implementing Dr. Lanza’s recommendations, a Johns Manville executive requested that he change the report to downplay the dangers of asbestos. The executive also wrote a memo stating that it would be in the company’s best interest if the dangers of asbestos did not receive any public attention. Dozens of other asbestos companies followed suit, hiding the mineral’s risks from their employees and the public at large.
In 1973, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) banned spray-applied asbestos containing material used for fireproofing and insulation purposes. Over the next several years, the EPA banned asbestos for many other uses, and in 1989, issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule banning asbestos use in most products. A federal appellate court, however, overturned this regulation in 1991. As a result of this ruling, the United States still allows asbestos to be used for a limited number of purposes.
Asbestos continues to be mined overseas. In 2009, approximately 2 million tons of asbestos were mined worldwide.
U.S. laws and regulations addressing asbestos exposure include: