A jury has awarded a Florida man $21 million to settle a lawsuit against Union Carbide.
Charles Garrison, 61, filed the lawsuit against Union Carbide in Broward County, Florida. Mesothelioma attorneys are able to effectively represent clients who have had prolonged exposure to asbestos.
Garrison was exposed to asbestos while he worked with a Georgia Pacific joint compound between 1974 and 1975. He later contracted mesothelioma, which is almost exclusively caused by inhaling asbestos fibers and takes decades to manifest.
He alleged that Union Carbide did not put labels on the joint compound that stated it contained asbestos. Such is the case for a large number of people who are unwittingly exposed to toxic mineral. Because manufacturers who use asbestos fail to inform people on how to safely handle the material, mesothelioma lawyers are able to obtain settlements for the people they represent.
Asbestos was used in a number of products utilized for construction and ship building. It was once a prized material, but the associated health risks have caused the Environmental Protection Agency to impose heavy regulations on its use. In the US, the material has been banned, but it is still present in buildings, so there is still a risk of people contracting mesothelioma well into the future.
Treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases can range from hundreds of thousands to a million dollars. Because of the high price attached to caring for this disease, those afflicted find that they must hire mesothelioma attorneys to seek compensatory damages.
