Last month, two senators proposed new legislation called the READ Act (Reducing Exposure to Asbestos Database) which would update the 1988 Asbestos Information Act. The new legislation would require companies to continually update the database with information regarding known asbestos locations. The bill is aimed at limiting asbestos exposure and would require companies who handled products containing asbestos to update the database annually, instead of the previously required one time initial reporting.

Although new use of asbestos products has been banned in the United States, many new cases of asbestos related illnesses result from exposure from decades ago. 10,000 Americans die of asbestos exposure each year with many workers still being exposed to it on a daily basis from asbestos that still remains in many older buildings. In many cases, symptoms do not arise until years later when it may be too late for successful treatment. In a recent case, workers who removed asbestos from a courthouse in Missouri three decades ago have filed suit for medical expenses and damages.
Additionally, it is estimated that 100,000 have died, or will die, as a result of mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos in shipyards alone. Similar to lung cancer, it can take sometimes up to thirty five years for symptoms of mesothelioma to surface. In addition to shipyard workers, high risk groups for mesothelioma include Navy veterans, those who have been employed at power or machinery plants, electricians, construction workers, plumbers, etc.

If you have been exposed to asbestos during your employment and are suffering from an asbestos related illness, contact an experienced Worker’s Compensation attorney who will strive to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. Call the attorneys at McIntyre, Donohue, Accardi, Salmonson & Riordan, LLP for a consultation at (866) 557-7500.

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