Women & Asbestos

In recent years, it is typically men that have been associated with exposure to asbestos and resultant illnesses such as mesothelioma. Women, however, have not been unscathed by this dangerous and life-threatening substance. In March 2000, an Alameda (California) County jury awarded $6.5 million to a Kansas woman dying of mesothelioma. Her illness was declared to be the result of childhood exposure to asbestos carried home by her parents from their jobs at a South San Francisco shipyard in the 1940s. During World War II, the woman's parents had worked for Western Pipe and Steel, a predecessor of USX Corp., which was determined to be liable for negligence and ordered to pay compensatory damages to the plaintiff.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure Risks

Why do women become ill as a result of secondhand exposure to asbestos? Evidence shows that women at greatest risk from secondary exposure are those who handle contaminated clothing. In many industrial settings, there were no showers or areas for workers to change. Instead, they carried the needle-like asbestos fibers home on their clothing. There, women would pick up the clothes, move and sort them, and transfer them to the washing machine. In addition, women may be especially vulnerable to asbestos-related illnesses because their general risk for lung cancer is greater than that of men.

A 1996 study showed that more than half of the cases of mesothelioma in women were due to household contact with a worker who had been exposed to asbestos. Additional sources of secondary exposure include physical proximity to businesses that are likely to have asbestos on their property, such as refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and building demolition.

When women contract mesothelioma through secondhand asbestos exposure, it can result in feelings of confusion, guilt and anger. Further complicating the matter is the fact that a mesothelioma claim cannot exist without a way to prove exposure. Unfortunately, secondary exposure to asbestos can be difficult to prove, particularly if the only witness is a husband who is deceased or absent. Another challenge for women who contract mesothelioma at home is the fact that they may not be entitled to the same disability benefits as those who were exposed to asbestos at work. Logistical issues such as this compounded with a long and painful illness creates an uphill battle for the growing number of women who have become victims of secondary asbestos exposure.

If you are a woman who has been exposed to asbestos and you are experiencing mesothelioma symptoms, you may wish to visit the Mesothelioma Diagnosis Support Center.