September 17th, 2007

Following a ruling by a Washington State Court of Appeals, victims of secondary asbestos exposure have enjoyed victory, as the ruling will make it easier for those exposed to asbestos as the result of the work of family members living in the same home to make a claim for their asbestos related diseases.

The new ruling overturns a previous ruling made by a lower court, and means that those suffering from asbestos related illness due to exposure from the clothes or body of a loved one that worked with asbestos could now successfully sue the employer for compensation for exposure to asbestos, which until now has been very difficult.

One lawyer stated: "For decades, people working with or around asbestos products brought deadly fibers home on their clothing, thereby exposing their families to cancerous materials. Until now it has been very difficult for individuals who develop asbestos-related diseases as a result of household exposures to pursue a claim against the employer, even though the hazards of asbestos were well documented by the early 1950s. This ruling gives new hope to family members suffering from diseases caused by asbestos exposure."

One man spoke of how he felt when his wife passed away from the asbestos related disease mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to asbestos through him. He stated: "There is not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could go back and change things. My wife was a wonderful woman who took pride in caring for her family. She didn't deserve to die in such a horrible way."