Texas Asbestos Lawsuits

Texas asbestos lawsuits are on the rise in a big way as years of asbestos use in industry come to their nasty fruition. Asbestos lawsuits are pursued to get compensation for victims.

Texas is a vibrant state, but it is very petroleum oriented when it comes to industry. Even with oil production peaking in the state in the 1970s, there is still plenty going on from pumping wells to the transfer and distribution of oil from other countries. I raise this because oil people fear one risk more than others – fire. For years, they thought they had something to limit the risk of fire, but they were wrong.

Asbestos is incredibly fire resistant. The Romans actually used it as tablecloths. When the cloth got dirty, they just hung it in a fire to clean it. Yes, it is that fire resistant. In modern times, this led to its use in the petroleum industry in everything from pipe insulation to gaskets to the clothes workers wore. There was only one big problem. Asbestos causes cancer when breathed into the lungs, often in the form of Mesothelioma.

The fire benefits of asbestos were such that their use in Texas did not stop with the petroleum industry. The substance was used in building materials for homes, schools and buildings. You know that tiles on the ceilings you occasionally see? Asbestos was a standard component of many of them…in schools…in buildings…in hospitals. The fact that some of the companies making the tiles knew there were health issues associated with asbestos makes it all the worse.

The state of Texas is in the top 10 when it comes to asbestos claims. At last count, it was placed seventh among all the states for the highest number of asbestos lawsuits filed and that number is expected to rise dramatically as things progress. You need a good, experienced attorney if you have an asbestos issue in Texas.

The process for making claims and having them evaluated is different than normal court cases. Why? There have been over 700,000 asbestos lawsuits filed, although they are technically called claims, and the courts and government had to come up with a procedure to handle them to keep the system from being overwhelmed. The ins and outs of this system are incredibly complex, which means you need a legal representative who has experience in dealing with them. This is your life we are talking about and you deserve compensation. You’ll need it for medical bills and the support of your family, so go with a good firm.