Asbestos exposure is not just a workplace issue. Many families have been harmed by contact with asbestos in homes, schools, or through loved ones who unknowingly brought fibers home on their clothes. These types of exposure, called secondary or environmental, can still cause serious diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Fortunately, the law offers ways to seek justice, even when the exposure didn’t happen on a job site.
Where Non-Workplace Exposure Happens
Before the 1980s, asbestos was used in all kinds of buildings, including homes, schools, and churches. When those materials break down or are disturbed during repairs, asbestos fibers can be released into the air. People do not have to work with asbestos to be at risk. Just living in a house with old insulation or attending a school with damaged tiles can be enough.
Many cases also come from “take-home” exposure. This happens when someone who worked around asbestos brings fibers home on their clothes or shoes. Family members, especially kids, can breathe in those fibers while doing laundry or hugging their loved ones.
How Courts Handle These Claims
Louisiana has been more open than other states in allowing lawsuits from people exposed outside the workplace. In Chaisson v. Avondale Industries Inc. (2006), the court held a company responsible for secondhand asbestos exposure.
Courts are willing to hold companies accountable, especially when they could have warned families and did not.
Legal Options for Families and Community Members
People harmed by secondhand or environmental exposure can sue for negligence or product liability. That means going after employers who failed to protect families, or companies that made asbestos-containing materials used in homes or schools. These cases usually rely on expert medical testimony to connect the diagnosis to the source of exposure.
In some lawsuits, juries have awarded millions to victims of take-home exposure. It’s not easy, but the law does make room for families to fight back.
At Pourciau Law Firm, we’ve helped many clients file claims for asbestos exposure even when they never set foot on a job site. If you or a loved one got sick from asbestos in your home or community, contact us today to learn how we can help.