Bricklayers and Asbestos Exposure
Occupational Asbestos Exposure for Bricklayers & Stonemasons
If you or someone you love developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related health condition after working as a bricklayer or stonemason, you may be entitled to compensation.
Throughout the 20th century, asbestos was used widely across many industries and in a variety of applications, including industrial, commercial, and residential building and construction, as well as industrial manufacturing. As a result, bricklayers who built, constructed, and repaired brick structures were routinely exposed to asbestos while performing their trade, including from the building materials with which they directly handled and from working around skilled workers throughout these jobsites. This exposure greatly increased their risk of developing devastating diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
SWMW Law is a nationally recognized trial practice with a legacy of litigating asbestos exposure cases for bricklayers and workers in high-risk occupations. If you have questions about pursuing compensation after being diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, we want to help.
SWMW Law proudly serves bricklayers, stonemasons, and families across the country. Call (888) 422-8877 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.
How Bricklayers Were Exposed to Asbestos
Asbestos was used abundantly in buildings and jobsites where bricklayers worked, in various materials and equipment used by bricklayers, and in the refractory cement, mortar, and bricks essential to their jobs.
For many bricklayers and stonemasons, a significant source of asbestos exposure stemmed from the buildings and facilities in which they worked. Bricklayers routinely built, repaired, and replaced structures such as walls, chimney stacks, and the linings of ovens, furnaces, and boilers in steel mills, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities filled with asbestos. This meant they encountered a variety of asbestos-containing materials working in industrial and commercial buildings constructed before the 1980s. Even residential bricklayers were exposed to asbestos. Health risks were even more elevated for bricklayers who demolished, cut, sawed, or otherwise disturbed asbestos-containing materials, as doing so would release large quantities of asbestos dust that could then be inhaled or ingested.
Another source of asbestos exposure for bricklayers came directly from the materials they used to perform their jobs. For example, asbestos, which is known for its heat-resistant properties, was a common additive in fire bricks, refractory cement, brick mortar, structural tiles, and adhesives produced between 1920 and 1980. These materials posed major health risks for tradesmen who worked directly with them and repaired high-heat machinery and equipment such as fireplaces, ovens, open-heath furnaces, heat-treating equipment, kilns, and other similar equipment. Bricklayers often performed maintenance work without respirators or wet saws, which exposed them to higher concentrations of asbestos fibers.
Today, asbestos is strictly regulated and has been banned in many applications since the 1980s. But even so, bricklayers who worked after this time would still risk exposure to asbestos when performing repairs, remodels, and demolitions on older homes and in industrial and commercial buildings.
Unfortunately, bricklayers who worked years ago were never made aware of the dangers of asbestos or the long-term health risks of their exposure, even though companies which produced asbestos and asbestos-containing products were aware of the dangers. As a result, many bricklayers, refractory workers, and masons developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other devastating diseases due to their work.
What Our Clients Say About Working With SWMW Law
At SWMW Law, we’re more than legal advocates — we’re a source of support during the most difficult times in our clients’ lives. We’re proud to be trusted by families across the country, and even prouder to share what they have to say about working with us.
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“SWMW did an amazing job! They started the process with my father but during the process my father passed. They were so helpful when it came to us, his children, taking over in place of my dad. They answered every call and were extremely patient and supportive of us. They really did a great job with keeping us informed and educated. They fought for us. I would recommend them to anyone that hears the diagnosis of Mesothelioma. They will fight for you 100% of the way. Thank you SWMW Team for your support and patience! We truly appreciate all of you! – The Anderson’s”
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I would personally like to thank you and your staff for how you’ve have helped me and my family with a bit of our loss. It doesn’t bring my dear wife back, but it helps relieve some of our daily stress as we push on. Thank you.
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Everyone at SWMW Law have went above & beyond. They’ve been so compassionate & so very helpful. I really didn’t think I would be getting anything for my late husband. I feel like they have found every way possible to get something in the memory of my late husband. He didn’t deserve to pass the way he did, & SWMW Law are making sure his death wasn’t in vain. Ty you to Lyndsy & everyone who has put long hours into helping me. My deepest appreciation to you all.
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I am very impressed with the quality of work that SWMW Law has done for me. All of my questions were answered quickly and everyone I had contact with were very kind and professional. I would highly recommend this law firm. Thanks to everyone at the firm for all that you have done for me.
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I cannot say enough wonderful things about the SWMW Law Firm. This firm has a team of amazing, smart and professional attorneys and staff. They really care about their clients and go above and beyond to obtain justice. If I could give them more than 5 stars I would!! Thank you all for your incredible work that you do!
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SWMW Law is dedicated to helping victims and families in the fight against corporations that care more about profits than people. Comprised of award-winning attorneys, our team has helped clients take on powerful defendants in courts across the country and has helped countless victims and families secure the justice and compensation they deserved.
If you have questions about an asbestos claim involving work in the bricklayers industry, call (888) 422-8877.
Sources of Asbestos Exposure for Bricklayers
Bricklayers faced considerable health risks from their exposure to a variety of asbestos-containing products and building materials.
Some examples of these asbestos-containing products and equipment include:
- Fire bricks
- Refractory materials, including linings for furnaces, ovens, and other piping systems and vessels
- Brick mortar and bonding cement
- Fireproofing sprays and sealants
- Cements and glues
- Insulation
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Ovens
- Kilns
- Drywall, plaster, and sheetrock
- Ceiling and floor tiles
Studies Show Increased Risks of Mesothelioma, Asbestos-Related Disease Among Bricklayers
Given the many potential sources of asbestos exposure for bricklayers, studies throughout the years have confirmed that bricklayers have a higher incidence rate of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related health conditions than the general population.
Some examples include:
- A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that bricklayers, stonemasons, and tile setters had an elevated risk of cancer due to their exposure to carcinogenic agents such as asbestos. The study also found a correlation between lung cancer and the length of time a person worked as a bricklayer.
- A 1995 study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found elevated risks of cancer among U.S. construction workers who died in the mid-1980s, including elevated risks of stomach cancer, bone cancer, and asbestos-related diseases among brick masons.
- A 2015 Polish study found clear correlations between asbestos-related cancer and jobs that required workers to handle cement, including brick and cement masons, in the 1940s through the 1990s. The highest rates of mesothelioma were among people who worked as masons and in cement factories, with 6.55 cases per 1,000 workers.
Compensation and Justice for Bricklayers Exposed to Asbestos
Companies responsible for using asbestos in bricks, mortar, and other materials used by bricklayers knew about the health risks posed by asbestos as early as the 1930s but chose to continue making these products without warning workers and consumers.
When these companies were held accountable and facing liability for endangering workers and their families, many of these companies were forced to file for bankruptcy and establish trust funds to compensate workers and victims who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. These funds are intended to provide victims and families with compensation for damages such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income and future earnings
- Emotional injuries suffered by loved ones
- Other economic and non-economic losses
At SWMW Law, our legal team has extensive experience representing bricklayers, masons, and other workers in legal actions that seek compensation for occupational asbestos exposure. This includes claims filed with asbestos bankruptcy trusts and, in cases where companies that used asbestos and negligently endangered workers are still solvent, civil lawsuits.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease after working as a bricklayer, our team can help explore your options during a personalized case review.
Learn more about your rights and legal options.
Examples of Our Results
SWMW Law has cultivated a record of success litigating high stakes asbestos claims on behalf of bricklayers, families, and victims who worked in other at-risk industries. We’ve taken on some of the nation’s most powerful corporations and insurance carriers and have helped clients nationwide in the fight for justice and fair compensation.
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Trial Verdict
$12.2 Million
Machine Operator with Mesothelioma
Virginia
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Trial Verdict
$9.7 Million
Mesothelioma *
Wisconsin
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Settlement
$8.3 Million
Pipefitter with Mesothelioma
Missouri
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Settlement
$7.9 Million
Plumber/Pipefitter with Mesothelioma
Illinois
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Settlement
$7.3 Million
Laborer with Mesothelioma
Missouri
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Settlement
$6.9 Million
Pipefitter with Mesothelioma
Illinois
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Trial Verdict
$6 Million
Stemfitter with Meothelioma*
Virginia
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Settlement
$4.6 Million
Sheet metal worker with Mesothelioma
Missouri
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Settlement
$4.5 Million
Laborer with Mesothelioma
Louisiana
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Settlement
$4.4 Million
Navy with Mesothelioma
Missouri
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