Asbestos exposure is one of the leading causes of Mesothelioma cancer. However, the public has many misconceptions and lack of information about the Mesothelioma cancer and asbestos. A group of asbestos lawyers have released the following ten myths about asbestos trying to fill the gap.
10. The EPA banned asbestos.
FALSE. The EPA tried, but the 5th Circ. disagreed, and the first Bush administration did not appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
9. If workers would have worn masks, they would have been protected.
FALSE. At best, masks were faulty and ineffective.
8. Asbestos is still in use today.
TRUE. See #10 above.
7. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure, is NOW tracked as a cause of death by the federal government.
TRUE. In 1999, the federal government began tracking Mesothelioma as a cause of death.
6. The asbestos industry and lobbyists have aggressively sought to characterize the asbestos issue in America as a “litigation crisis.”
TRUE. This effective campaign deflects the publics’ attention away from the culpable companies responsible for those injured or killed by asbestos.
5. Big business selling, marketing, manufacturing, or otherwise distributing asbestos did not know that asbestos was harmful.
FALSE. They did know. In most cases, there are internal company memos evidencing such knowledge, however, the bottom-line, profits outweighed human life.
4. Tort Reform makes your insurance premiums decrease.
FALSE. Many advocates of tort reform promised this, but to date, have not delivered. Where is the proof?
3. Litigation is out-of-control due to greedy trial lawyers.
FALSE. The asbestos industry and lobbyists have spread this idea in an effective effort to persuade Congress to pass legislation that will shield them from taking meaningful responsibility for their actions. Related to this goal, the asbestos industry links the ailing U.S. economy to the many asbestos-related bankruptcies. Many companies in the asbestos industry in the midst of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is a reorganization of their debts, have two faces. A face they put on for Congress when whinnying about asbestos litigation and a totally different face they put on during shareholder meetings when they indicate it is business as usual; that the asbestos-related bankruptcies do not affect profits.
2. Presently, to file an asbestos-related lawsuit in Texas, you must have an asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis so severe that it qualifies under TCPRC (Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code) Chapter 90 various sections, or be dead due to asbestos. TRUE. Thanks to HB4 – Texas’ Tort Reform passed September 1, 2005.
1. Asbestos-related bankruptcies kill business and jobs.
FALSE. The asbestos industry and lobbyists have spread this idea in an effective effort to persuade Congress to pass legislation that will shield them from taking meaningful responsibility for their actions. Related to this goal, the asbestos industry links the ailing U.S. economy to the many asbestos-related bankruptcies. Many companies in the asbestos industry in the midst of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is a reorganization of their debts, have two faces. A face they put on for Congress when whinnying about asbestos litigation and a totally different face they put on during shareholder meetings when they indicate it is business as usual; that the asbestos-related bankruptcies do not affect profits. A personal injury lawyer can help you get more information on the subject.
