The risk to auto mechanics of exposure to asbestos has been well documented. Vehicle components such as brake linings, clutch facings, and gaskets in models older than 1990 almost certainly contain asbestos, and manufacturers were still selling asbestos brakes as late as the 2000s.
As a result, auto mechanics, automotive technicians, and at-home DIY mechanics and car enthusiasts who work on brakes and clutches are considered to be at increased risk for developing mesothelioma. And because asbestos fibers can hang in the air for days or weeks, even those who don’t work directly with the contaminated products are at risk of breathing in airborne fibers released into the surrounding environment.
Although the use of asbestos is now banned, vehicles containing these products are still on the road, which means that auto mechanics are at risk for asbestos exposure even today.
Are you also a smoker?
The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure exponentially increases your risk of developing lung cancer, which puts auto mechanics who also smoke(d) at a higher risk. We urge you to be vigilant about your lung health.
WHERE WERE THEY EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS?
Auto mechanics are exposed to asbestos through the following materials:
- Brake linings
- Clutch facings
- Gaskets
If you or a loved one worked as an auto mechanic in Massachusetts and has developed mesothelioma or lung cancer, contact us for a free case evaluation to learn whether you might be entitled to compensation. Shepard O’Donnell has successfully litigated hundreds of asbestos-related cases, often resulting in life-changing verdicts or settlements for our clients.
If you are a mechanic with a history of smoking, you could be at an increased risk for mesothelioma and/or lung cancer.
