Asbestos Exposure in Schools and Public Buildings in NC

Have you spent time in public schools or other public buildings in North Carolina and later developed an asbestos-related disease like lung cancer or mesothelioma? Your illness may have resulted from exposure to asbestos-containing materials in a public school or other public building that contained asbestos. You could be entitled to significant compensation for what you have suffered.

Contact Ward Black Law at (800) 531-9191 for a free initial case evaluation with a knowledgeable asbestos lawyer about asbestos in schools and what that could mean for your claim.

How an Attorney Can Help with Asbestos Exposure in Schools and Public Buildings in North Carolina

Ward Black Law can help you pursue an asbestos exposure claim against a public school system or local or state agency by:

• Investigating your case to identify what you came into contact with and where
• Securing the substantial evidence needed to link your medical condition to asbestos exposure in a public building
• Documenting your ongoing and future financial needs and emotional losses

Our diligent approach allows us to secure maximum compensation for victims of asbestos exposure. Some of our more notable results in asbestos cases include:

• $11 million recovered for a client who developed lung cancer
• A mass workers’ compensation settlement for more than 600 employees exposed to harmful chemicals and dust at a plant

Our dedication to achieving the best possible results has earned us the trust and respect of the people we have represented. As one of our clients wrote about their experience with our firm:

“The way they welcomed us with warm arms and talked to us…we didn’t need to look any further. They make you feel like you’re family. To me, that was overwhelming. They reassured me and made me feel comfortable. I am very grateful to them for what they have done for me.” – Clarence

How Asbestos Exposure Occurred in Schools and Public Buildings

Many schools and public buildings in North Carolina contained asbestos-containing insulation, flooring, wall boards, plaster, ceiling tiles, siding, roofing materials, and other construction materials. As these asbestos-containing building components broke down, and as buildings underwent renovations, asbestos particles could break off and float in the air, where people could inhale or ingest them.

The body cannot break down asbestos particles, which would instead linger in body cavities, causing inflammation and eventually leading to serious diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related cancers.

Who May Have Been Exposed in Schools and Public Buildings?

People who may have experienced asbestos exposure in schools and public buildings that may increase their risk of dangerous health conditions include:

• Students
• Teachers
• Staff members
• Maintenance workers
• Contractors
• Members of the public who frequently visit buildings or visit during building renovations

Diseases Linked to School and Public Building Asbestos Exposure

Some of the diseases that medical experts link to exposure to asbestos include:

• Mesothelioma (a cancer of the membrane that lines the lungs or abdominal cavity)
• Lung cancer
• Asbestosis (scarring of lung tissue that causes breathing difficulties)
• Pleural diseases, including pleural effusion, diffuse pleural fibrosis, and pleural plaques
• Carcinoma
• Other cancers, including those of the larynx, ovaries, stomach, or colorectum

North Carolina Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Claims

North Carolina has a three-year (3) statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including claims for health conditions caused by asbestos exposure. However, because diseases caused by asbestos exposure have long latency periods that can last for decades, the discovery rule typically applies. Under the discovery rule, the three-year limitations period does not begin to run until a person receives a diagnosis of an asbestos-linked disease.

Compensation Available for Asbestos Exposure in Schools and Public Buildings

If you have developed medical conditions due to asbestos exposure in NC schools or public buildings, you may have the right to recover compensation for your ongoing and future losses. Your compensation can cover the following:

• Medical expenses for treatment of cancer or other asbestos-related medical conditions
• Costs of long-term care, such as home health services
• Lost wages for time missed from work during treatment
• Reduced earning capacity due to permanent disability from work
• Physical pain and distress
• Lost quality of life and reduced life expectancy

Why Asbestos Was Used in North Carolina Schools and Public Buildings

Manufacturers of building materials incorporated asbestos into their products for decades because of the qualities it can lend to materials, including durability, tensile strength, heat resistance, sound-deadening, and cost-effectiveness compared to other materials. These qualities led manufacturers to use asbestos for common building materials, such as asbestos insulation, pipe coverings, vinyl flooring, roofing materials, and cement products.

Challenges in School and Public Building Asbestos Cases

Pursuing an asbestos case against a school or local or state agency may involve various complexities, such as:

• Proving a causal relationship between your disease and asbestos exposure in a school or public building, given the long latency of asbestos-linked diseases
• Demonstrating a school’s or government’s liability for exposure
• Fighting back against sovereign immunity defenses raised by public school districts or local governments

In many cases, asbestos litigation is brought instead against the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products used in schools and other public buildings. Contractors could also be liable if negligent practices resulted in asbestos exposure during construction, demolition, or asbestos abatement renovations.

How Do I Know if My School Contained Asbestos?

Federal law requires schools to conduct periodic inspections of their facilities to identify asbestos-containing materials and assess whether asbestos dust poses a danger to students, faculty, and visitors. Schools must keep asbestos hazard management records of the location of asbestos within their facilities.

Can Teachers File Asbestos Lawsuits in North Carolina?

Teachers who develop health conditions due to exposure to asbestos fibers in the schools in which they worked may have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim with the school district that employed them during their in-school asbestos exposure.

Workers’ compensation laws generally prevent employees from suing their employers. However, under certain circumstances, teachers may also have third-party injury claims against manufacturers of asbestos-containing building materials, allowing them to file lawsuits against the companies that put them in harm’s way.

Are Public School Systems Liable for Asbestos Exposure?

Public school systems may bear liability for asbestos exposure resulting from the school’s failure to comply with its regulatory obligations under federal law to locate asbestos in facilities and develop a management plan to mitigate exposure. However, depending on the facts of your case, a public school’s liability may also depend on the applicability of sovereign immunity, which shields governmental bodies from legal liability. It may be possible to bring a claim under the Tort Claims Act.

Speak With a North Carolina Asbestos Exposure Attorney Today

Have you developed a medical condition due to exposure to asbestos in a school or public building in North Carolina? If so, you need experienced legal counsel to help you fight for the compensation you need for your treatment.

Contact Ward Black Law today at (800) 531-9191 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with our experienced North Carolina asbestos lawyers, and let us demand justice and accountability on your behalf.