Hurricane Sandy has caused much havoc and massive destruction along the Eastern Coast of the United States including flooding, massive power outages, evacuations, transit damages, fires, numerous injuries and sadly, the loss of life. Many people were forced to flee the comfort of their homes only to come back and see the substantial property damage that was caused by this major storm. While residents of hard hit areas are still trying to grasp the devastation that has taken place in their towns and to their homes, environmental toxins may pose a serious health hazard to those residents as well as individuals involved in the relief efforts. One of the most dangerous and worrisome of these toxins is asbestos, which is the only known cause of mesothelioma.
Many people have been displaced due to the complete destruction of their houses or circumstances that make the structures uninhabitable. The daunting tasks of disaster relief and rebuilding are underway. Because asbestos-containing building products were widely used prior to acknowledgement of the danger of asbestos in the 1970’s, many older homes, buildings and schools affected by this natural disaster were constructed with asbestos-laden materials such as piping, insulation, roofing shingles, fireproofing supplies and floor tiles. It is feared that asbestos fibers in the debris has been and will continue to be released into the air, creating the threat of deadly asbestos exposure. Many individuals are at risk of exposure, including residents and their families, first responders, disaster relief personnel, demolition workers as well as unknowing innocent bystanders.
Asbestos is a known human carcinogen that can cause severe life-threatening respiratory diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis; however, many of the diseases associated with an asbestos exposure do not manifest themselves until long after the initial exposure. Therefore, those individuals who become victims of asbestos exposure caused by Hurricane Sandy will not show the damaging effects for many years to come. Unfortunately, it is not known how much asbestos has been disturbed by this recent storm, nor how many people have or will be affected.
The Philadelphia asbestos attorneys at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler urge residents affected by Hurricane Sandy to avoid disturbing any materials or debris without proper precautions. We understand that victims of the storm as well as volunteers want to help in the efforts to clean up the debris and also to sift through personal belongings to retrieve momentous items and treasures from their life before the storm; however, this may not be safe. We encourage you to rely on specially trained professionals who can properly investigate and test for asbestos as well as remove and dispose of the toxic substance in a safe manner.
If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos, we encourage you to contact one of the experienced and knowledgeable Philadelphia asbestos attorneys at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. We will investigate the circumstances of your situation and provide you with the legal options you have available. Our highly qualified and skilled asbestos litigators will fight to protect your rights and secure you the fair and proper compensation through a solid asbestos exposure lawsuit. Protecting the rights of individuals exposed to asbestos as well as their families is a top priority at our firm. We represent clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania including Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Chester Country, Delaware County and Montgomery County and in the state of New Jersey, including Camden County, Burlington County, Mercer County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County, Salem County, Ocean County, Cape May County and Atlantic County. Call our Philadelphia asbestos lawyers today at 215-569-4000 to schedule a free, confidential consultation or submit an online contact form.
Our most sincere thoughts and warm wishes go out to all those who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
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