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Plumber / Pipefitter Asbestos Exposure

plumbing asbestosIf you have worked as a plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter – especially if it was several decades ago or you have worked in older buildings – you may be at risk for developing mesothelioma or other serious illnesses related to asbestos exposure. These related professions have some key differences. Pipefitters install and repair pipe systems in large facilities, such as office buildings and shopping malls, whereas plumbers perform similar duties but on a much smaller, mainly residential, scale. Meanwhile, steamfitters are specialized in working with pipe systems used for the transport of steam, gases, and other high-pressure substances.

Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses typically take decades to develop after exposure, and common symptoms such as shortness of breath and lower back pain are not always associated with the illness at first. The following information will help you understand the risks of asbestos exposure in these professions and how to get legal help.
 

Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters, and Asbestos Exposure

While there is a significant risk of asbestos exposure for all three occupations, pipefitters (and steamfitters) tend to have relatively high rates of exposure and subsequently higher rates of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When asbestos-containing pipes, gaskets, and other materials were standard, pipefitters regularly worked with these materials in ways that disturbed the fibers and made them more likely to become inhaled. Much of this work was conducted in close quarters, where lack of ventilation or other protective measures made exposure that much more likely.

The following tasks and materials have been identified as being high-risk in terms of asbestos exposure as a plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter:
 
– Cutting, sanding, and shaping asbestos-based insulation
– Reshaping asbestos-based gaskets per manufacturer and product specifications
– Removal of asbestos-containing sheet gaskets from steam flanges
– Drilling, cutting, and otherwise working with joint compounds, cements, valves, pumps, and pipe coatings made of asbestos (and thus releasing friable asbestos into the air)
– Removal of valve packing with a packing hook, which can expose large amounts of asbestos fibers
 

Plumbing and Mesothelioma: The Basics

While numerous building materials and other common products used asbestos for its heat- and fire-resistant qualities, much of it in fact still present in older buildings, it generally lies dormant when left undisturbed. But much of the work done by plumbers and pipefitters involves cutting, sanding, and other processes that release these fibers into a “friable” – or respirable – form. When these fibers are inhaled, they accumulate in the body and can cause a whole range of health problems, namely mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer, develops in the outer lining of the lungs (pleura), abdomen and sometimes around the lining of the heart or testes. Since it can take 20 years to 50 years or more for symptoms of the disease to manifest after exposure, it’s important to understand your level of risk (or the cause of or your mesothelioma) and to seek immediate medical attention if you have any concerns.

The skilled lawyers from MesoLawyersCare have recovered over $10 billion dollars for people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Our firm has successfully represented many current and former plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters suffering from mesothelioma as the result of exposure to asbestos-containing materials.  For more information or a free consultation, fill out the form on this page, have a live chat now with one of our representatives, or call our offices.
 

Learn More About Mesothelioma

 

Asbestos Exposure Information

 

Did You Know?

  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The highest award of compensatory damages ever upheld on appeal in a mesothelioma case is $30.3 million.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The largest punitive damages verdict ever upheld on appeal in a mesothelioma case is $18 million.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds to compensate victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are more than 50 bankruptcy trusts accepting claims to compensate victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are many “asbestos dockets” that permit living mesothelioma patients to obtain a jury verdict in less than 1 year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In 2015, more than 2000 mesothelioma cases were filed in the United States.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In some mesothelioma cases, settlements can be obtained in less than 1 year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Thousands of different companies have been defendants in mesothelioma cases over the past 40 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma cases, the average life expectancy (median survival period) was 75.7 months, or over 6 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma patients, 73.8% were living after 3 years, and 65.3% were living after 5 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma patients, 64% were treated with HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 303 pleural mesothelioma patients, the average life expectancy (median survival period) was 18.4 months.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of pleural mesothelioma patients, 73.1% were still living after 1 year, and 22.9% were still living after 3 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In 2015, the largest number of mesothelioma cases were filed in the following 10 courts: (1) Madison County, IL; (2) Cook County, IL; (3) St. Louis, MO; (4) Los Angeles, CA; (5) New York, NY; (6) Philadelphia, PA; (7) New Castle County, DE; (8) Middlesex County, MA; (9)Middlesex County, NJ; (10) Kanawha County, WV.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The states with the largest number of diagnosed mesothelioma cases are: New York, New Jersey, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are about 3000 mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the United States each year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    About 1 in 100,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    More than 80% of all mesothelioma cases occur in the pleura (pleural mesothelioma).
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Less than 20% of all mesothelioma cases occur in the peritoneum (peritoneal mesothelioma).
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    About 22% of all mesothelioma cases occur in women.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    A history of asbestos exposure can be found in more than 80% of mesothelioma cases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    More than 30% of all mesothelioma patients in the United States were exposed to asbestos in the military.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma can be caused by laundering, or other household contact with, work clothing contaminated with asbestos.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma can be caused by work with (direct exposure) or around (bystander exposure) asbestos-containing products.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The average time between a person’s first exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma (latency period) is more than 40 years.
 

Get Help from Experienced Mesothelioma Nurses

Learn more about these experienced mesothelioma nurses by watching the video below. Click here to contact a mesothelioma nurse now.

 
 

Learn More About MesoLawyersCare

Watch the video below to learn why MesoLawyersCare is the best choice to represent you and your family after a mesothelioma diagnosis.


 

Contact MesoLawyersCare Now

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact us to see if we can help you get the compensation you deserve from the billions of dollars in asbestos trust funds available now for qualified asbestos victims. With just one call, you can put all our experience and success to work for you.

We have represented thousands of victims of mesothelioma and their families in virtually every State in the country and in decades of work have recovered billions of dollars in financial compensation for our clients.

Call us now at 1-888-568-1177, fill out the form on this page or chat with a live person. The consultation is free and it costs nothing upfront to hire the lawyers behind MesoLawyersCare. We only get paid if you collect a settlement or verdict and you will never receive a bill from us.

 

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