Justinian C. Lane, Esq., founded Asbestos Claims Law driven by his personal experiences with asbestos exposure in his family. His grandfather, a WWII veteran, along with his grandmother and father, all suffered from asbestos-related illnesses due to their occupations. This personal connection fuels Justinian’s commitment to providing empathetic and dedicated legal representation to those affected by asbestos.

What inspired you to dedicate your legal career to asbestos-related issues?

Early in my career, I represented a pipe fitter who developed mesothelioma after years at a chemical plant. As I researched the case, I read internal company documents showing that the asbestos industry had known since the 1930s that exposure caused deadly illness, yet hid the truth to avoid lawsuits. I was naive, and that discovery was shocking at the time. But it became even more personal as I learned my own family’s history with asbestos-related cancers.

My father, grandparents, and grandmother were all exposed to asbestos—my father in a titanium plant, my grandfather during WWII as a watercraft operator and mechanic, and my grandmother working near an asbestos furnace and washing my grandfather’s work clothes, covered with asbestos dust from changing thousands of asbestos-contaminated clothes. Since that first case, I’ve read thousands of pages of internal memos, safety studies, and medical reports revealing the staggering scale of the corporate cover-up that endangered millions.

Like so many families, mine was touched both directly and indirectly by this preventable hazard. My father’s cancer was caught late, leaving my mother and me in financial uncertainty. I understand the urgent need for help when facing such a diagnosis, and I bring that urgency to every case. Fortunately, the courts in the 1980s and 90s ordered bankrupt asbestos companies to place their assets in trusts for those injured, and most clients qualify for compensation without filing a lawsuit. For those who do decide to sue, I am proud to boast that every case we filed has resulted in a win or beneficial settlement for our client.

Despite being banned in many countries, asbestos is still legal in the U.S. Why should Americans still be concerned in 2025?

There are two main reasons why asbestos is still a concern for people today: legacy, and latency.

Legacy refers to the fact that a great deal of asbestos was used in building infrastructure of all kinds, and not all of it has been removed. While asbestos has been banned in many countries, including most types in the United States, most states do not necessarily require the removal of asbestos from a private structure. As building materials containing asbestos begin to degrade – from the elements, or a disaster like the recent wildfires in Hawaii or Southern California, asbestos can be released and inhaled by anyone in the vicinity.

Latency refers to the fact that most asbestos diseases take several decades to appear, sometimes more than fifty years. Health problems like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis may be developing for many years without a person being aware.

What that means is that even if someone was exposed to asbestos a long time ago – perhaps as a child washing a parent’s work clothing – they may not see symptoms of mesothelioma to lung cancer to breathing disorders like asbestosis.

Even knowing about exposure can be an issue, because asbestos fibers have no taste or smell, are often microscopic and invisible, and do not provoke an immediate response when inhaled. Dr. Irving Selikoff, the physician who helped prove and publicize the dangers of asbestos, said that he was most haunted by the story of two sisters who had scraped asbestos from ships during WWII as young girls – it was their only known exposure, but both died of mesothelioma decades later.

What industries or environments still pose the greatest risk for asbestos exposure today?

Anyone working with or in older buildings or equipment is potentially at risk for asbestos exposure. The industries at greatest risk include construction, shipbuilding, demolition, and auto repair. My grandfather worked as a mechanic on cars loaded with asbestos, and even today OSHA warns mechanics to assume that older brake linings contain asbestos.

Firefighters and maintenance workers are also at risk due to aging insulation and building materials. Even schools and public buildings built before the 1980s can contain asbestos in ceilings, tiles, or pipes. Exposure often happens during repairs, renovations, or cleanups when asbestos is disturbed. So when older buildings are worked on or torn down, spending time in the vicinity of the work may put you at risk, and proper precautions should be taken.

You recently conducted a national survey of homeowners. What were the most surprising or alarming takeaways?

Our survey from late July 2025 revealed some eye‑opening facts:

• A staggering 91% of U.S. homes have never been tested for asbestos, even though many pre‑1980 houses still contain it in insulation, floor tiles, ceilings, or roofing

• More than one‑third of prospective buyers (about 35%) said they would walk away from a deal if asbestos were discovered

• 82% believe that asbestos testing should be legally required before a sale or renovation

Generational differences were also stark:

• Gen Xers (40%) were most likely to reject a purchase.

• Millennials (36%) and Gen Z (35%) were both concerned, but Gen Z was far less likely to know if the home they lived in contained asbestos.

For homeowners, homebuyers, renters, parents, and real estate professionals, these results are a serious wake‑up call. Homes built before asbestos was phased out today carry a hidden health risk, but many are unaware that renovation, disaster recovery, or even standard home activity could unknowingly expose occupants to carcinogenic fibers.

Testing before moving in, remodeling, or closing a deal isn’t just precaution—it’s essential. Failing to disclose known asbestos presence may expose sellers and landlords to legal challenges, while buyers and families may face unexpected medical and remediation costs. As younger generations increasingly demand transparency, real estate professionals must adapt by proactively testing, documenting, and addressing asbestos exposure. Younger generations may even mandate it.

What are some of the biggest myths or misconceptions people have about asbestos in their homes?

One big myth is that asbestos was completely banned in the U.S., but it’s still legal in limited uses, and many older homes still contain it. People also think asbestos is only dangerous if they touch it, but the real risk is breathing in disturbed fibers. Some assume newer renovations mean they’re safe, but untested materials can still pose a hazard. Another common misconception is that a home inspection always includes asbestos testing—it doesn’t unless specifically requested.

If you’re buying or renovating a home, what are the warning signs of potential asbestos—and how can homeowners protect themselves?

If the home was built before the mid-1980s, there’s a good chance asbestos could be present in materials like insulation, vinyl flooring, textured ceilings, or old ductwork. Warning signs include crumbling insulation, discolored ceiling tiles, or damaged flooring.

The safest step is to hire a certified asbestos inspector before doing any renovations. Never try to remove or disturb suspected asbestos materials yourself—professional abatement is key to protecting your health. While they are not always cheap, a certified asbestos inspection certificate may also be your best bet against legal claims of negligence or a misleading sale, and may improve the property’s marketability.

What are the legal or financial risks of selling a home that contains asbestos?

If your home or building was constructed before the mid-1980s, there is a very good chance that some asbestos product was used. Often this asbestos has been removed, but not always.

While most states do not require that asbestos be removed from a privately-owned building before selling it, the presence of asbestos is a real risk and material fact about the sale.

So if you know that your home contains asbestos, you must disclose it, and you could face legal liability after the sale for failing to do so. Many states remove the gray area by requiring sellers to answer specific questions about environmental hazards, and asbestos is often included.

Keep in mind that even if disclosure isn’t required by law, buyers can sue for nondisclosure if asbestos is later discovered during renovation or causes health issues. So even if you do not know for certain there is asbestos, you can be liable if you should reasonably have known, and burying your head in the sand isn’t a defense.

Financially, unaddressed asbestos can lower your home’s value or delay a sale. So if you aren’t certain, an inspection by an asbestos testing company to see if there is remaining asbestos can provide peace of mind, legal protection, and a certainty that may improve the property’s marketability.

Beyond the courtroom, how are you working to educate the public or influence policy on asbestos safety?

My personal experience with asbestos-related loss shapes everything I do professionally. That’s why our firm, AsbestosClaims.Law, invests heavily in public education through our website, YouTube channel, and social media—sharing everything from safety tips to the history of asbestos use. Our series “Asbestos Artifacts” explores some of the interesting or surprising products made with asbestos – everything from money to beer – and we recently completed a comprehensive medical video that uses physician interviews and 3D animation to explain all the ins and outs of mesothelioma for recently diagnosed patients and their families. Our video “Understanding Mesothelioma” will be online and free to anyone for viewing.

One of our most ambitious public outreach efforts is W.A.R.D.—the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database. Named in honor of Ward Stephenson, the attorney who won the first major asbestos case, WARD may be the most extensive scanned asbestos archive ever compiled. For clients who worked job-to-job without keeping decades of records, WARD helps fill in critical gaps.

WARD contains thousands of historical documents—employee rosters, jobsite manuals, and internal memos—even from companies that no longer exist. It’s publicly searchable so families, journalists, and researchers can find job sites, companies, or towns linked to asbestos exposure. This year, we’re adding major acquisitions like the complete Johns Manville lawsuit records and partnering with other collectors to grow the archive. My goal is for WARD to stand like UCSF’s Big Tobacco database—preserving proof of corporate deception and empowering future generations to demand better from their laws and leaders.

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