Asbestos Litigation History

Asbestos was discovered to be a carcinogen in the first half of the twentieth century. Around 1900 a British doctor, Dr. H. Montague Murray noticed the effects of scarring of the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis) while performing an autopsy on an asbestos factory worker.

Doctors began noticing the negative health effects of factory workers that wove asbestos fibers and the miners that mined the mineral. Factory workers and miners that worked directly with the asbestos would go to their doctors (often physicians paid by the asbestos company) they would be told they are suffering from emphysema caused by smoking.

Asbestos Exposure Landmark Case

The first major victory for people suffering from asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma and abdominal mesothelioma, and pulmonary fibrosis came in 1972. In a landmark case the defendant was determined to have knowledge of the harmful effects of asbestos and purposefully withheld pertinent information. A flood of mesothelioma lawyers began filling litigation on behalf of their clients that continues to this day.

The Cover-Up

While miners, textile workers, and families exposed to asbestos in their homes tragically passed away from a disease they did not understand, the asbestos industry did everything it could to cover up the fact that asbestos was the cause of their tragic and unimaginable suffering. The industry is no longer able to cover up what it has known for years: that asbestos causes terminal cancer.

Speak to an Asbestos Lawyer

If current laws important to those seeking a mesothelioma lawsuit settlement or verdict are changed in favor of the asbestos industry, many will be left with no avenue of justice or compensation. The families of mesothelioma victims will suffer while the industry responsible continues on. It is for this reason it is imperative to contact an asbestos lawyer today if you think you have a mesothelioma case or lawsuit.