Wrongful death suits for secondhand asbestos victims

Despite its drastic reduction in use, asbestos is still claiming the lives of thousands of people each year. Prolonged exposure to the deadly mineral can result in fatal asbestos-related diseases such asbestosis, COPD and mesothelioma. These diseases affect not only those in North Carolina who are exposed to asbestos directly, but also those who are exposed to it secondhand.

If secondhand exposure to asbestos caused the death of a loved one, a wrongful death lawsuit may be filed on their behalf — financial recovery is not limited to the worker who suffered from occupational exposure. Asbestos can get trapped in clothing, in hair or on skin and be brought into the home, causing other family members to come into contact with it.

Our firm was a trailblazer on this issue of secondhand exposure, prevailing before the Tennessee Supreme Court. In that case, a woman was exposed to asbestos on her father’s work clothes for about twenty years before she lost her life to cancer. The court ruled that the father’s employer had a duty to the woman because her secondhand exposure was reasonably foreseeable.

The attorneys at The Law Offices of Wallace & Graham are prepared to take cases on behalf of a wide range of asbestos victims. We aim to hold employers accountable for their carelessness, and to pursue the justice and benefits to which families are entitled.

With a team of experienced attorneys, skilled medical personnel and qualified support staff, our firm can help victims seek not only financial compensation, but also the diagnosis and treatment for asbestos-related diseases. Our firm is based in North Carolina, but we represent clients nationwide.

For more information on secondhand asbestos exposure, please visit our Secondhand Asbestos Exposure page.