Brewery workers develop asbestos-related illnesses

Despite knowing for many years that exposure to asbestos can be deadly, reckless business and property owners do nothing to protect people from breathing in the toxic fibers. They do not have asbestos properly removed, they do not inform their workers or tenants of the asbestos or they neglect to provide them with proper protection from exposure. This negligence has put millions of people at risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestosis and other related diseases. Unfortunately, many people do not learn that they have been exposed to asbestos until decades later when they start showing symptoms.

Recently, workers at brewing company have reportedly been getting diagnosed with various diseases that they say were caused by their exposure to asbestos. At least 20 former employees have voiced their concerns that they will develop a disease, while another six have already filed a claim against the Australia-based brewing company. The workers were employed at the brewery in the 1950s and the 1960s.

Asbestos was commonly used during that time, and many breweries had asbestos in their insulation and gaskets. The lawsuits assert that the brewery knew about the dangers associated with exposure to airborne asbestos, but did nothing to protect workers on the premises. Instead, hundreds of workers were at risk of breathing in the asbestos dust.

The impact that an asbestos-related illness can have on victims cannot be overstated. Besides the obvious toll it can take on a person’s health, a diagnosis of this type of disease can seriously affect a person’s finances. The cost of treatment alone can be tens of thousands of dollars. For this reason, it can be crucial for a victim of mesothelioma or asbestosis to pursue compensation from the party responsible for the exposure. Often times, this includes the owner of a premises where the exposure took place.

Source: Herald Sun, “Asbestos fears for brewery workers,” James Dowling, Feb. 26, 2013

• Our North Carolina-based law firm works with victims of asbestos-related diseases who lived or worked in environments where asbestos was present. For more information on the process of holding a property or business owner accountable for this exposure, please visit our page on premises liability.