Cummings Insulation
Insulation is one of the most important commodities for the construction industry. It has a wide range of application, but the most basic function is to cover and protect equipment and structures from cold, heat, water and even fire. This essential product is found in homes, businesses, factories, schools and most any other indoor location you can think of. Attics are filled with it, boilers are lined with it and pipes are covered by it all across the country.
Like so many other types of insulating products, Cummings Insulation contained a powerful ingredient that helped it to achieve great success. Asbestos was the primary active material that could withstand all the elements of nature. Dating as far back as the late 1800's, Americans were mining this naturally occurring mineral and using it as a base for industrial goods. Products that were made with asbestos were strong, durable and built to last. It would still be a commonly used material today, if it had not been found to be highly poisonous, causing mesothelioma.
A solid sheet of Cummings Insulation is no danger to anyone, but if the sheet were to be cut, crumpled up or handled improperly, small particles of asbestos could break free and infiltrate the air. Unsuspecting people might then breathe these particles in, and not even know that they have just inhaled a very destructive force. Minor amounts of asbestos are all it takes for humans to be harmed. They can do massive amounts of tissue damage, make normal breathing difficult and even produce cancerous diseases such as asbestosis and Mesothelioma (including peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma). Mesothelioma is associated with a low life expectancy as the disease is rarely caught in the early stages like stage 2 mesothelioma. The treatment options by stage become progressively more limited thus contributing to a frequently poor prognosis and low survival rate.
Individuals who worked with or installed this insulation received the greatest amount of risk, but the customers who purchased this product for their homes or businesses may also have ingested asbestos. Signs of the diseases it creates often take years to develop, so even now people continue to be affected by the tainted insulation. Thousands of people have subsequently filed lawsuits with the help of mesothelioma attorneys against the manufacturer, and demanded monetary compensation for their suffering.
Items that were made with asbestos were declared to be illegal, and many of them were professionally removed. It is very likely, however, that a large number of these products are still in place. Anyone who is working in an area that contains old insulation should be aware of the possibility that it may include asbestos. These materials should only be removed by a certified technician, as it can be a very dangerous project. Qualified personnel can take out the old insulation and dispose of it in a way that will not allow even trace amounts of asbestos to escape.
You may have been affected by the presence of Cummings Insulation or similar products and wonder what your legal rights are. We can help. Order a copy of our free mesothelioma information kit that describes what you should do if you have been exposed to asbestos.
Questions about working with Cummings Insulation and asbestos exposure? Please contact us.
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