Who is At Fault?

By the early 1900s, manufacturers of asbestos products began learning of the dangers of asbestos exposure. Despite these concerns, workers and the public in general were never properly warned about the true risk of asbestos exposure. Company memos and letters, since made public, clearly show that medical professionals and insurance firms warned the asbestos companies of the risks involved in processing and selling asbestos products. These companies chose profit over people and public safety.

In the 1970s, the United States Government through OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), began to investigate asbestos companies and their products.  Only then did asbestos companies finally begin to consider educating workers of the dangers of asbestos-containing products.  Even though companies had known for decades of the extreme danger posed by asbestos-containing product, they resisted providing adequate information to workers and individuals exposed to their products.  Even today, many companies who made and sold asbestos are still trying to influence governmental agencies through misinformation, suggesting that asbestos is really not dangerous.

A groundbreaking medical report written by Nicholson, Perkel, and Selikoff predicted the level of risk to the general population and projected death rates for a 50-year period (1980-2030). That report forecast that thousands of Americans would die every year from mesothelioma and asbestos-caused lung cancer. The death rate, they noted, would peak in the year 2002. Sadly, their predictions have proven to be extremely accurate.

Because of what asbestos companies did decades ago, innocent people are paying a horrible price in suffering, medical costs, and premature death.  The O’Brien Law Firm will work for you to hold these companies accountable.