The Veterans Asbestos Alliance

The majority of individuals who develop mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in their occupations, either through direct contact with asbestos-containing materials or by working near others who handled these hazardous products. Mesothelioma typically arises after long-term, repeated exposure to asbestos, with the risk increasing significantly the longer a person is exposed. Those who have worked in industries with a high prevalence of asbestos use—particularly veterans, construction workers, and manufacturing tradespeople—are at the greatest risk. These occupations often involved working with or around asbestos-laden products like insulation, pipes, roofing materials, and machinery parts.

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Asbestos was widely used in these industries due to its exceptional durability and heat-resistant properties. Despite growing awareness of the severe health risks associated with asbestos exposure, many companies and manufacturers continued to incorporate this dangerous mineral into their products, prioritizing cost and efficiency over worker safety. As a result, countless individuals were unknowingly exposed to a toxic substance that would later have devastating consequences for their health.

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Family members and close contacts of these workers were also put at risk through what is known as secondary or second-hand asbestos exposure. Workers often brought asbestos fibers home on their clothing, shoes, and equipment, inadvertently exposing their loved ones to this carcinogenic substance. This form of exposure is particularly insidious, as those affected might not even realize they were at risk until symptoms of mesothelioma began to manifest years or even decades later.