Asbestos Toxic Torts

The term "asbestos" describes six naturally occurring fibrous minerals, namely chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophylitte and actinolite. When mined and processed, asbestos is typically separated into very thin bundles of fibers and then commonly mixed with a binder during processing.

Asbestos has been known to man for centuries and has been used in literally hundreds of products. Asbestos was used because it is strong, insulates well, and resists fire and corrosion. Common modern uses are as thermal pipe and boiler insulation, spray-applied fire proofing and sound proofing, floor coverings, ceiling tiles, roofing materials and "transite" pipe and sheeting.

In the United States, asbestos became widely used in the early 1900s and its use peaked during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Despite wide spread use of asbestos many asbestos manufacturers and industry insiders became aware of the serious health issues surrounding asbestos in the 1930s and 1940s, but kept the information secret from workers and from the public. In the 1970s the Federal government stepped in and regulated the use of asbestos products. It is also now commonly agreed that exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other health problems.