Builder Discovers Long Reach of Asbestos

Decades after his exposure to asbestos began, a former builder in the United Kingdom is appealing to colleagues who can help him with information for his mesothelioma lawsuit.

David Martin, a 68-year-old retiree, began showing mesothelioma symptoms in October 2011, according to an article in Chad.UK.Com. Suffering from a dry cough and breathlessness, Martin underwent X-rays and CT scan tests. A biopsy revealed that Martin had developed malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly cancer that affects the mesothelium, the delicate membrane that surrounds the internal organs.

Asbestos is a particular danger to United Kingdom construction workers, as almost any property built or renovated there before 2000 is likely to contain the substance. Similarly, in the United States, structures built or renovated prior to the early 1980s are also likely to contain asbestos.

Without realizing the danger, while working as a builder, Martin sanded down and installed “Asbestolux” brand sheets, boards and ceiling tiles. “No one ever warned us about the dangers of asbestos and I remember being told that Asbestolux was completely safe to work with,” said Martin.

Now, many years after his exposure started, Martin and his mesothelioma attorney are hoping to track down any of Martin’s former colleagues. With their help, Martin hopes to identify his former employers’ insurers, or uncover any other valuable lawsuit information. “Unless we can track down the insurers and prove that he was exposed to asbestos," said Martin's attorney, "he may go uncompensated for the terrible condition he has developed as a result of simply working diligently to support his family throughout his life.”

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Cheap, strong, and fireproof, asbestos was once widely used as a building material. When disturbed, microscopic asbestos fibers can be inhaled and cause asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other serious illnesses.

Just as in the United Kingdom, workers in the United States who have been exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma. Have you or a loved one developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos? Contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation about a mesothelioma lawsuit.

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