August 1, 2012 – Barbara Minty McQueen, the widow of screen legend, Steve McQueen, recently called on President Obama and Congress to ban the use and importation of asbestos immediately when she addressed the House of Representatives at the “Asbestos: Environmental and Occupational Health Exposure Continues” conference in Washington, DC on July 24, 2012. In her new book, “Steve McQueen, The Last Mile Revisited,” Barbara hopes to promote asbestos awareness as she discusses her late husband’s diagnosis and harrowing struggle with mesothelioma. Actor Steve McQueen died at the age of 50, just one year after being diagnosed with this cancer caused by his exposure to asbestos 25 years before.
Barbara Minty McQueen is not alone in her efforts to ban asbestos. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADOA), and the thousands of victims that are diagnosed and die from mesothelioma each year want asbestos banned as well. Asbestos was heavily used in the construction industry as an insulator and was incorporated in many building products. Many homes, schools, and office buildings used today still contain asbestos products. If the materials containing asbestos become damaged or broken, asbestos fibers can be released, exposing people who inhale the fibers to the risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers in as few as 20 years.
Steve McQueen was exposed to asbestos from 1947–1950 while on active duty in the Navy where he often stripped the insulation from pipes. He was also exposed during his racing career through the fireproof helmets and protective bodysuits he wore, and in Hollywood where asbestos containing products were commonly used to construct soundstages. Research on asbestos specifically states that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, yet its production and use continue in the U.S. and abroad.
The United States Bans the Mining of Asbestos, yet Continues to Import Chrysotile Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Products
In her new book, Barbara Minty McQueen tells the story of her husband’s life, but also describes the devastating effects of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Her husband’s battle against this disease took them outside of the U.S. to seek alternative treatments in Mexico because the doctors at home told him that there were no cures or treatments for his disease. That was in 1979. Today, mesothelioma remains a fatal disease, but research has provided new treatments to prolong the life of patients in some cases.
Approximately 3,000 people will be diagnosed with mesothelioma this year, and an estimated 10,000 people will die from the disease in the United States. The United States Surgeon General, the Environmental Protection Agency, the World Health Organization, and International Labor Organization have all confirmed that asbestos is a known carcinogen that causes terminal asbestosis and mesothelioma. In 2002, the mining of asbestos was banned in the United States, but we continue to import the product. In 2011, over 2,000 tons of Chrysotile asbestos was imported into the United States. The government cites the reason as “manufacturing needs,” but if Barbara Minty McQueen is successful, President Obama and Congress will agree to end of use and import of asbestos immediately.
Philadelphia Asbestos Attorneys at the Shein Law Are Committed to Helping Victims of Asbestos Exposure Seek Justice and Compensation
Barbara and Steve McQueen never filed a lawsuit or recovered damages for the pain and suffering that they endured because of asbestos exposure. At that time, few knew the risks of asbestos exposure, and even fewer were aware of the laws governing the use of the product. Today, the Philadelphia asbestos attorneys at the Shein Law represent victims of asbestos exposure in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who seek the justice and compensation that they deserve.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, or has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the experienced asbestos attorneys at the Shein Law in Philadelphia can help you recover the compensation to which you are entitled. Medical costs such as surgery, medications, treatments, and hospitalizations add up quickly. In the more advanced stages of the disease, patients become too sick to work and the family can quickly fall into a financial crisis. Those who have lost a loved one to mesothelioma suffer tremendous emotional trauma and the financial impact can be devastating. The experienced Philadelphia asbestos attorneys at Shein Law can help ease the burdens caused by mesothelioma. Call us today at 1-877-SheinLaw (743-4652) or contact us online to see how we can help you.