Industry Cover-up

The connection between Manganese fumes and serious nervous system disorders has been known and well-documented for over 150 years.

In 1837 a condition called "Manganism" was first diagnosed. Workers in the Industrial Revolution were being exposed to large amounts of Manganese and Manganese fumes, and were showing signs of a new condition similar to Parkinson's disease.

The American welding industry has been aware of the link between Manganese fumes and nervous system disorders since 1937. At that time, the welding industry actually admitted and discussed the health risks associated with welding fumes. Almost immediately, a cover-up was created to protect profits at the cost of worker health and safety. Starting in 1938, the industry rarely mentioned the health risks in public. Even as late as the 1980s, the industry would only admit to the dangers in pamphlets that welders would have to send away for.

No detailed warning labels appeared on packages and the industry issued no public warnings. The industry has squashed many attempts to publicize the dangers associated with welding over the last 70 years and even now challenges the notion that welding fumes alone can cause nervous system disorders.

In the last few years, it's become harder for the industry to the cover-up. A 2001 study performed by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that welders developed Parkinson's disease an average of 15 years earlier than non-welders. This means that instead of developing Parkinson's at an elderly age, these welders were showing signs of the disease before reaching 55-60 years old. They were suffering from these devastating side-effects while still in the primes of their lives.

Several high profile lawsuits have been filed against the industry by welders who are suffering from Parkinson's and Parkinson's like conditions. Welders are an important part of the construction industry, and they have paid too high a price for the welding industry's 70 years of silence.

If you're a welder and suffering from any of the symptoms listed in this special section, or if you have family, friends or loved ones who worked in welding and are starting to suffer from these conditions, it's time to talk to a lawyer and protect your legal rights. Please contact us immediately at 800-966-4999 and see why our law firm has recovered over $100 million dollars on behalf of our clients.

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