Secondary Exposure
Though we have long recognized the dangers of working directly with asbestos, the general public has been slower to realize that asbestos has been -- for decades -- also affecting those whose loved ones worked with asbestos on a regular basis or those who lived near a factory or mine involved in the use or production of asbestos.
What is Secondary Exposure?
A term only recently associated with asbestos, secondary exposure involves the development of an asbestos-related disease by means of indirect exposure to the toxic mineral.
Here's an example. For decades, men were employed at jobs where they were exposed to asbestos daily, including at shipyards, power plants, steel mills, oil refineries, and in other industries that made widespread use of the toxic substance. When those men left work for the day, they headed home -- still wearing their work clothes, which were now covered with asbestos dust. Asbestos also clung to their hair. Upon arriving home, these same men would hug their wife and children and hand over their clothes to be washed and readied for the next day. Often, their wives would shake the dust from the overalls or other items of clothing before putting them in the washing machine, spreading dangerous fibers throughout the laundry area and other parts of the house. Or perhaps a young son or daughter would sit on Dad's lap before he changed clothes, also breathing in the fibers that were clinging to him.
Years later, these wives and children -- now grown -- are being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma, even though they never stepped foot into the workplace where the mineral was being used.
Other cases of secondary exposure include individuals who grew up in a community surrounding an asbestos mine or near a plant that used asbestos in the manufacture of products. These people have gotten sick as a result of environmental secondary exposure, when fibers are released into the air from the factory or mine nearby. In addition, some towns used tailings left over from these factories to build roads or even as filler for playgrounds. Today, children who once played on those playgrounds or rode their bikes on those roads are now developing asbestos-related diseases.
Do Victims of Secondary Exposure Have Rights?
Just like those who worked directly with asbestos, if you were unknowingly and indirectly exposed to dangerous asbestos and have developed an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma or asbestosis, you have a right to compensation from those who caused your injury. Contact an experienced asbestos attorney to determine your eligibility and be prepared to give detailed information as to how you may have been exposed to this very dangerous mineral.