What to know about asbestos products in the automotive industry

Companies that manufacture, sell or distribute products that could be dangerous to the health or safety of consumers are expected to limit these risks and warn people that they exist. Unfortunately, there are some companies that place profits ahead of people’s health and put unsafe products on the market without adequate warnings and without taking steps to make the product safer.

This is the irresponsible and reckless route that many companies have taken when it comes to products that contain asbestos.

In an article on our website, we discussed how workers in the automotive industry can easily be exposed to asbestos. The properties of asbestos made it a very desirable material for use in car brakes, gaskets and clutches, which means that people who worked or work on repairing or rebuilding cars can get exposed to asbestos.

In that article, which can be read by clicking here, we also state that there are certain requirements for how people should protect themselves while working with these products. People should wear protective gear and either use a special vacuum or flood the parts with water to prevent the particles from becoming airborne.

Unfortunately, there are companies that failed to warn consumers that their products contain asbestos. This means that even decades after the product was manufactured or installed into vehicles, workers were exposed by unknowingly working with asbestos-containing products.

While it is certainly important to have safe removal policies in place, they can only be effective when people know that they are handling asbestos.

Victims of illnesses caused by asbestos were likely exposed to asbestos when they used, repaired or replaced products that contained the toxic fiber. Often, this exposure was decades ago and people have no idea that they may have handled unsafe products. However, attorneys familiar with asbestos litigation know that certain products were commonly used in different industries and have been deemed as the cause of asbestos illnesses.

Speaking with an attorney can help victims and their family members review work histories to identify if and when a person may have handled toxic products. In many cases, it is possible to file a products liability claim against the manufacturer, seller or distributor of an unsafe product in the pursuit of compensation.