Disaster Relief Workers
Following any sort of disaster, whether natural or manmade, a veritable army of volunteers is likely to descend on the scene to assist the victims of the disaster and to find those victims that have not yet been found. These workers, who are largely volunteers, show up at the site only with the desire to help those whose lives have been negatively affected by some sort of disaster.
Unfortunately, for the many hundreds of volunteers that show up to help people following any disaster, they put themselves in significant danger. In addition to the dangers of dealing with flooding, burning wreckage, and live gas lines, these volunteers, in many situations, are exposing themselves to the potential effects of asbestos exposure.
When disasters strike, like floods, hurricanes, bombings, tornados, and fires, many relief workers rush to assist victims. They work tirelessly to ensure that people who live or work in the area are returned to something resembling normal as quickly as possible. Many of these workers invade an area while the disaster is still going on in an effort to get people out of rubble.
If there is destruction of buildings involved in the disaster to which the relief workers have responded, the chances of exposure to asbestos go up exponentially, particularly when the building was constructed prior to 1970. Once the dangers of asbestos were fully realized, the EPA quickly banned the use of asbestos in buildings. Unfortunately, a huge number of buildings that are still standing today were constructed before the ban went into effect. When the buildings are destroyed in a disaster, the asbestos fibers are released which expose people to the risk of developing:
- Mesothelioma
- Asbestosis
- Lung cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Stomach cancer
Contact an Asbestos Exposure Lawyer
If you were exposed to asbestos while helping people cope with a disaster or rescuing them from a disaster, contact the mesothelioma attorneys of Williams Kherkher at 800-781-3955 to discuss your case and to determine your legal options.
