There is a trail of documented proof dating back to the 1800’s regarding the dangers of asbestos when extensive mining began soon to be followed by development and production of products containing this harmful substance for industrial and domestic use. In the early 1900’s lung scars began to be found in those who were and had been employed in various facets of this industry.
It is interesting to note that around this same time, insurance companies began refusing to cover medical expenses of victims terming them to have ‘assumed health conditions’. In the modern world, the only thing which appears to have changed in this regard is the rewording of this term to ‘pre-existing conditions’.
As more an more documentation began to surface regarding the dangers and hazards associated with asbestos products and exposure for employees, companies went into the concealment mode. The real truth was hidden from the public by intentional tampering with product labels or allowing products with no labeling whatsoever to pass through quality control.
Employees and company physicians who even hinted at a connection between asbestos and mesothelioma were dismissed. Company executives made a habit of telling employees that the high wages they were receiving made working with asbestos worth dying for. This information also began to appear in employee manuals printed by the companies.
As early as 1972, well known companies began instituting statements of denial. In 1980 Dupont went so far as to require the word ‘asbestos’ be removed from all company literature wherein the wording was changed to ‘irritant’.
As the margin began to tighten for companies involved in the production and use of asbestos in their business, many companies began applying for bankruptcy by filing a Chapter 11 which allowed them to supposedly change their business practices and thereby direct attention away from asbestos. It has been proven that in most cases, the companies continued to produce so called ‘modified’ products.
Along with bankruptcy filings these companies began to exert pressure with regard to mesothelioma cancer lawsuits which were beginning to be lodged. They sought to get legislation adopted to bar restrict complainants to only those with documented proof of exposure with this exposure being limited to workplace origin.
