Workers’ family members at risk of asbestos exposure

Too many people make the mistake of assuming that a person has to work directly with asbestos to be affected by the toxic material. They believe that as long as they don’t touch asbestos, there is absolutely no way their health can be put in jeopardy.

But did you know that living with someone who works or worked with materials that contained asbestos can put loved ones and family members at risk of developing serious illnesses like mesothelioma? This is called secondhand asbestos exposure and it has affected many people in devastating ways.

The people who are often victims of secondhand asbestos exposure include the wives and children of people who worked with asbestos during the course of their job. In many cases, a husband and father would go off to work in construction, plumbing or shipbuilding and spend their whole day working with materials containing asbestos. At the end of the workday, the worker would come home, play with his children and throw his dust-covered work clothes into the laundry.

In this common situation, the worker would be tracking asbestos into the home on his clothes and skin which could easily lead to contamination. This is how women and children could be indirectly exposed to the fibers without even realizing it. Sadly, even this type of exposure can prove to be deadly.

If you are the spouse or child of someone who worked with asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, there may be reason to suspect that your exposure was the result of a loved one’s exposure to asbestos and inadequate methods of protection.

However, establishing this link can be very difficult, particularly because the exposure likely happened decades ago. This is not to say it is impossible. In fact, attorneys at our law firm have experience helping people make the connection between asbestos-related illnesses and indirect exposure, and we help victims like this pursue the damages they deserve. If this sounds like a situation you or a loved one is in, you are encouraged to visit our website to learn about how you can contact us to discuss your case.