Eagan Minnesota Mesothelioma and Asbestos Law Blog

When a Minnesota parent sends a child to school, he or she has a right to reasonably expect that the child will be kept safe. While there is always a risk for personal injury, such as falling on the school playground and scraping a knee or twisting an ankle while running in gym class, most days at school should be rather uneventful regarding possible injuries. It is understandable that parents in another state are concerned and upset after learning their children were at risk for asbestos exposure.

Most parents would not expect that their children might be exposed to dangerous, microscopic fibers in the air at an elementary school. After all, schools are supposed to be inspected from time to time to make sure no toxins or hazards are present, especially when classes are in session. It is no wonder parents are worried about their children's health after learning that pipe insulation inside the school in question was found to contain asbestos.

Many Minnesota residents and others include talcum powder in their personal daily hygiene routines. Johnson & Johnson baby powder is a popular talcum product that often can be found in the average household's bathroom cabinet. In fact, many parents of infants use talcum powder to help relieve diaper rash and keep their babies' skin as dry as possible. The problem is that ample evidence suggests talcum powder places those who use it at great risk for asbestos exposure.

Proving that a toxic or hazardous substance caused a particular person's cancer is a difficult thing to do. When someone files a personal injury claim regarding asbestos, he or she can ask credible physicians or scientists to testify in court. A researcher who has published findings stating that asbestos exposure from talcum powder appears to cause certain cancers, for instance, may provide powerful testimony that influences the court's decisions.

In Minnesota and most other states, danger lurks in many factories, schools, shipyards, old buildings and even private homes. The danger is caused by asbestos. Asbestos exposure is highly likely when materials containing the microscopic fibers become friable.

If an asbestos containing material can be crumbled or pulverized, it is a serious danger. The ability to be reduced to powder form under hand pressure is known as friability. The more friable a material is, the greater the risk that anyone exposed to the area might contract an asbestos-related disease.

In 2006, a man purchased a building that had contained a former power plant. His sons and others were working under his direction when they were reportedly told to remove pipes and other items from the building. They may not have realized it at the time, but doing so may have placed them at great risk for asbestos exposure because the pipes and other areas in the building contained high levels of the toxic materials. Those who work in Minnesota in buildings that are high-risk asbestos sites may wish to follow this case.

To make matters worse, a lot of the piping and other building materials were apparently sold as scrap metal, which means anyone who purchased it or came in contact with it may also have been exposed to asbestos. Since there is no safe amount of asbestos exposure, it is logical to assume that even a single incident can have negative health consequences. In 2013, Environmental Protection Agency representatives visited the former power plant.