BIG CASES
Ban on asbestos fiber

Representing the victims of asbestos exposure, toxic substance, highly carcinogenic, present in building materials, and, today, prohibited in over 60 countries, our office has been getting indemnity values that amount to over R$ 500,000.

With more than 300 victims of the asbestos industry, representing the Brazilian Association of Asbestos Exposure (ABREA), lawyers specialized on this area are studying innumerous cases. Both in Brazil and overseas, they are trying to understand the pattern of the diseases and map the main links between the use of the asbestos fiber and the many cases of disease, whose diagnosis is, many times, late, because of the absence of good will by the politicians and the population’s lack of information, including medical professionals.

Rio de Janeiro’s Labor Court convicted the company Eternit to pay R$ 450,000 to the family of an ex-employee that worked there for 27 years making asbestos roofs.

This was one of the biggest reparations given to this day, and, according to lawyer Leonardo Amarante, who started the action in 2016, this was not only a fair compensation to the family but also a punishment measure, that is becoming usual abroad, as in American court.

“The companies know the risk and could have lowered the asbestos exposure and better informed the employees. Maybe that would have made those people suffer less”, said Amarante.

See the UOL site.