Texas Asbestos Lawsuit
Like most states, Texas has its share of asbestos lawsuit cases. Most come in the form of federal lawsuits as the issues is such a large one that it is not just in Texas, but nationwide.
What is an asbestos lawsuit? It is a form of product liability. In the lawsuit, the victim claims that they were exposed to asbestos under certain circumstances and that the inhalation of asbestos filaments in the air resulted in serious health problems. These problems range from Mesothelioma to lung cancer to asbestosis and even cancers of the throat and abdomen.
Texas is known for the oil industry. Unfortunately, that is where much of the asbestos lawsuit situation arises. The biggest danger in the oil industry is what? The answer is, of course, fire. Now, what is the biggest attributed of asbestos? It is very fire retardant. You can literally hang a piece of asbestos in a fire and it will not burn. In the oil industry, asbestos was used for everything from gaskets to insulation to even allegedly uniforms for some workers! As the health issues became apparent, Texas asbestos lawsuits started to spring up like crazy.
Oil was not the only industry in Texas that used asbestos. Power plants used it heavily for insulation purposes as well and still do today. Along the coast, shipbuilders were in love with asbestos. Sailors and ship owners also fear fires on the sea, so the idea of heavily using asbestos as part of a fire retardation system was extremely popular and commonly seen. Workers in these ship building yards, unfortunately, started suffering health issues and yet more Texas asbestos lawsuit filings were made on their behalf.
How common are these cases in Texas? Well, the state has the 7th highest frequency of asbestos related health problems diagnosed, so you can well imagine nearly every one turns into a lawsuit against the asbestos manufacturers. If you have been diagnosed with or are concerned about possible exposure to asbestos, you should contact an attorney to learn more about your Texas asbestos lawsuit options and the potential settlements available.
Alternatively, the following documents can fill you in more on the scourge of asbestos: