Mesothelioma Attorney
Asbestos in Sheetrock
Sheetrock is one of the most commonly used items in the building industry. Because it is so common, any sheetrock installed prior to roughly 1980 should be treated with extreme caution due to the potential for it to contain asbestos. Asbestos was included in sheetrock, like many other items in houses and buildings, due to its strengthening and fire retardant properties.
Following World War II, there was a huge housing and population boom across the United States. This means that there are potentially millions of homes across the United States whose walls are filled with sheetrock that contains asbestos. While the sheetrock is relatively safe as long as the walls are untouched, the hazards of the sheetrock are released into the air whenever the sheetrock is disturbed. Unfortunately, a minimum amount of disturbance can release the asbestos dust into the air. Minimal drilling into the wall to hang a picture can release millions of asbestos dust particles into the air.
Once the particles are released from the sheetrock, they can be inhaled and can cause the health problems associated with asbestos. One of the most significant problems of asbestos exposure is mesothelioma.
Anyone who has done any remodeling, renovation, or demolition of a home that was built between roughly 1900 and 1980 could have been, and probably was, exposed to asbestos dust. There have been cases where a person with mesothelioma has been able to trace their exposure back to a single, short period, like remodeling a single room.
Contact a Mesothelioma Attorney
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and would like to learn more about the disease, contact the mesothelioma attorneys of Williams Kherkher at 1-800-781-3955.
