Mesothelioma — but you don’t know where the asbestos was?
You do not have to identify the asbestos product, manufacturer or jobsite before speaking with a lawyer. Tell us what you remember about your work, the places you spent time, the equipment and materials around you, and other possible exposures. We investigate from there.
Can a New York mesothelioma case be investigated if the asbestos source is unknown?
Yes. An exposure investigation can begin with the work, jobsites, equipment, products, household history and personal-use history a person remembers. Exact product names and exact dates are helpful when available, but they are not required to start asking the right questions.
Serving people and families throughout New York State
Humpleby & Strauss works with people and families throughout New York State—from Buffalo and Rochester through Syracuse and Albany, the Hudson Valley, New York City, Long Island, and communities in between.
We start with the history you can remember
Mesothelioma can appear many years after an exposure. That makes reconstructing the past an important part of a case. The first interview is not a test of your memory. It is a way to develop leads that can be investigated.
Work and jobsites
Even approximate information can help organize the investigation.
- Employers, trades and job duties
- Factories, plants, construction sites and buildings
- Years, coworkers, contractors and suppliers
- Maintenance, repair, installation and cleanup work
Products and equipment
A brand name is helpful when remembered, but it is not the only starting point.
- Machines and equipment worked on or around
- Insulation, gaskets, packing and building materials
- Dust-producing repair or removal tasks
- Packaging, appearance and how materials were used
The investigation should follow the person’s actual history
Household and family history
Questions may include whether a family member worked around dusty industrial or construction materials and whether work clothing or equipment came home.
Personal talc history
For some people, the relevant history may include repeated use of personal or cosmetic talc products. Product, container, purchase and use memories can matter.
You can begin without perfect dates or product names
Useful starting details
- The jobs you held and roughly when
- What you actually did during a normal workday
- Buildings, departments, shops or areas where you worked
- Equipment you operated, repaired or worked near
- Dusty work performed by you or people nearby
- Home renovations and household exposure possibilities
- Personal talc use, if applicable
What you do not need before calling
- A complete lifetime employment list
- The exact name of every asbestos-containing product
- Perfect start and stop dates
- Receipts from decades ago
- A complete list of responsible companies
The purpose of the investigation is to develop and test those connections.
A mesothelioma case is more than a form
Exposure investigation can involve reconstructing work history, identifying products and equipment, locating witnesses and records, and evaluating potential claims against responsible companies and asbestos bankruptcy trusts. Each case depends on its own facts.
Questions people ask after a mesothelioma diagnosis
Can I call if I do not know where I was exposed?
Yes. An exposure investigation can begin with work history, tasks, locations, equipment, household history and other details you remember. You do not need to identify every source before the first conversation.
What if the exposure happened decades ago?
That is one reason historical investigation matters. Approximate dates and partial memories can be developed through interviews and available records.
Should a family member participate?
Often a spouse, sibling, child or longtime coworker remembers different details. Those memories can help fill gaps in a work or household history.
What should I gather before calling?
Do not delay a call because documents are missing. If readily available, an employment history, Social Security work record, union information, photographs, old resumes or product information may be useful.
Find the page that matches your question
Across New York State
Our work is statewide. The office address is in New York City, but the practice serves clients throughout New York.
Exposure source unknown
What if you do not know where the asbestos exposure occurred? →
How investigation works
Tell us what you remember. We can investigate the rest
Humpleby & Strauss, P.C. represents people with mesothelioma and investigates potential asbestos exposure histories throughout New York State.