Frequently Asked Questions

To qualify for an asbestos screening with Sakalrios, Blackwell & Schock, PLLC, a person would have had to work a total of five (5) years prior to December 31, 1982 in an environment where asbestos products were present. Some of these environments include:

• Aerospace and missile productions workers
• Aircraft manufacturing production workers
• Aircraft mechanics
• Asbestos textile mill workers
• Automobile manufacturing production workers
• Automobile mechanics and brake repairers
• Boilermakers
• Brake and clutch manufacturing and assembly workers
• Building and construction trades workers
• Building engineers
• Building material products manufacturers
• Carpenters
• Cement plant production workers
• Chemical plant workers
• Coast-guardsmen
• Construction workers (commercial and residential), including insulators, boilermakers, laborers, steel/ironworkers, plumbers, steamfitters, plasterers, drywall installers, cement and masonry workers, roofers, tile/linoleum installers, carpenters, HVAC mechanics and welders
• Custodians
• Demolition and wrecking crews
• Electrical workers, including electricians, electrical lineman, and telephone linemen
• Firefighters
• Foundry Workers
• Heating and air conditioning / HVAC workers
• Insulation manufacturing plant workers
• Insulators and asbestos workers
• Iron-workers
• Laborers
• Longshoremen
• Machinists
• Merchant mariners
• Millwrights
• Operating Engineers
• Packing and gasket manufacturing plant workers
• Painters
• Pipe fitters
• Powerhouse workers, including insulators and pipe-fitters
• Protective clothing and glove makers
• Refinery workers, including insulators and pipe-fitters
• Refractory products plant workers
• Riggers
• Rubber workers, including tire makers and hose makers
• Sheet metal workers
• Shipyard workers including electricians, insulators, laborers, laggers, painters, pipefitters, maintenance workers and welders
• Steamfitters
• Steelworkers
• Textile mill workers
• U.S. Navy personnel
• Warehouse workers

Note: A person did not have to work in the same place for five (5) years; it can be a combination of multiple places.

Each claimant fills out an initial form, which is then reviewed by an attorney. If the claimant has met all necessary requirements, then he/she goes into the scheduling system and gets set up for X-rays to determine asbestos exposure. After the X-ray, the doctor will notify the lawyers to confirm asbestos exposure. If the claimant does not qualify, the firm will call and let the claimant know that he/she does not meet the internal qualifications. If claimant does qualify, the client will then be scheduled for a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and a face-to-face meeting with an internal medicine doctor.  If you have been injured by asbestos exposure, the length of the limitations period for your claim will depend on state law or the period established by the trusts.