Asbestos exposure in brick and stone masons

While brick masons, also known as bricklayers, work with manufactured bricks, stone masons work with natural or artificial stone such as granite, limestone, and quartz. Nevertheless, a building material that is irreplaceable and essential to these craftsmen is cement, which holds bricks and stone together. It has been used since the early 1900s and it began containing asbestos approximately 2 decades later. Alarmingly, the cement employed by brick and stone masons would contain up to 10% asbestos during the last century, which inevitably led to heavy toxic exposure among these occupational groups. To make matters worse, cement was not the only building material that posed a health threat to brick and stone masons, as they would be constantly surrounded by other tradesmen who handled products that contained asbestos on the construction sites they worked.

How were brick and stone masons exposed to asbestos?

What made the work of brick and stone masons dangerous was the use of raw asbestos to create compounds that were meant to hold bricks and stone together. Mortar would almost always contain asbestos between 1920 and 1980 and it was a building material that brick and stone masons would use on a daily basis as part of their job. Even the bricks themselves would contain asbestos, as the mineral would increase their durability and strength, as well as their ability to withstand extreme temperatures. By disturbing the bricks manufactured with asbestos, brick masons would unavoidably inhale and ingest asbestos fibers, as they were not provided with protective equipment by construction companies.

Furthermore, brick masons would mix asbestos fibers and cement powder to make the latter stronger. Brick masons would also generate asbestos dust when scraping up mortar that contained asbestos to prepare the surface to lay new bricks. Moreover, they would cut bricks with a saw to make them fit the right size. Lastly, brick and stone masons would be exposed to asbestos on construction sites because the other tradesmen who were working at the same time as them would also create asbestos dust by cutting, sawing, and dusting building products such as siding, roof shingles, and insulation. The following tradesmen would work closely with brick and stone masons during the last century on construction sites:

• carpenters
• construction laborers
• construction helpers
• drywall and ceiling tile installers
• insulation workers
• glaziers
• ironworkers
• flooring installers and tile setters

If you worked as a brick or stone mason during the last century and came to struggle with cancer as a result of occupational asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation. To find out whether you qualify for filing a claim with the asbestos trust funds of the companies whose products you handled on the job, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm and we will thoroughly assess your situation, which is free of charge.

What asbestos products would brick and stone masons use?

Brick and stone masons would use multiple asbestos products on a regular basis, which is why today, they are at high risk of developing serious diseases as a consequence of toxic exposure. The following are the asbestos products these occupational groups would work with on a daily basis:

• dry cement powder
• precast concrete blocks
• mortar
• joint compound

Because they had to disturb some of these products by cutting or sawing, they would release asbestos dust into the air, from where they would subsequently inhale and ingest it. It is worthy of note that asbestos fibers cannot be eliminated by the human body and their presence in the lungs can lead to severe inflammation and scarring, which may, in turn, give way to terrible diseases such as lung cancer or mesothelioma.

What companies manufactured the asbestos products brick and stone masons handled?

During the last century, there were numerous companies that manufactured asbestos building products that brick and stone masons would use on a daily basis. However, the following are the most notorious, as they had to file for bankruptcy due to the overwhelming number of lawsuits filed against them:

• Johns Manville
• Raybestos
• John Crane
• National Gypsum
• W.R. Grace & Company
• Armstrong World Industries
• Celotex
• Gold Bond

Regardless of the company that exposed you to asbestos as a brick or stone mason, our legal team will help you recover the financial compensation you are entitled to if you developed cancer as a result of occupational asbestos exposure. We will file a claim with the asbestos trust funds of the manufacturers that exposed you to asbestos so that you can benefit from the maximum compensation available for your diagnosis.

What diseases can brick and stone masons develop as a result of workplace asbestos exposure?

Asbestos exposure can lead to the occurrence of many serious diseases, primarily concerning the lungs. If you came to suffer from the following cancers as a consequence of asbestos exposure on the job as a brick or stone mason, you have immediate eligibility:

• mesothelioma
• lung cancer
• esophageal cancer
• throat cancer
• gastrointestinal cancer
• colorectal cancer
• bronchial cancer

It is important to keep in mind that seeking legal assistance as a victim of asbestos exposure is free of charge unless we recover compensation on your behalf, as we work on a contingency fee basis.

Quality legal assistance for brick and stone masons injured by workplace asbestos exposure

Since 1990, our legal team has been pursuing compensation for victims of toxic exposure and is bound to offer you quality assistance if your health was affected by asbestos exposure. While the legal process is complex and tedious, it will require minimal involvement on your part, as you will only have to provide our legal experts with your employment and medical records. The rest of the necessary documents will be efficiently handled by our legal team for you, which will allow you to focus on your health and treatment.

Your asbestos claim will be filed with the asbestos trust funds of the companies liable for your toxic exposure. By virtue of our large database, we will be able to find every company that exposed you to asbestos, as well as every asbestos product you worked with on the job. Eventually, you will receive the maximum compensation you qualify for if you choose to work with our experienced law firm.

Call 205.328.9200 Claim Evaluation