Understanding the history of asbestos is central to understanding why an Asbestosis victim is entitled to just compensation for damages. If you have Asbestosis, you are invariably a victim of asbestos, a material whose danger was known as early as the 1930s. Many asbestos manufacturers and corporate users of asbestos materials ignored the scientific data showing asbestos' lethality. In the end, workers who had to work with the material were the ones who suffered. Today, those workers have a right to fair compensation for their suffering and health bills.

Originally, asbestos was viewed as a miracle material. It is an excellent insulator, a fireproof, and inexpensive. However, around the turn of the century, researchers noticed a large numbers of deaths and lung problems in asbestos mining towns.

Despite the scientific evidence, companies continued to use asbestos as a building material and in all parts of manufacturing. Many materials, such as fiberglass insulation, were developed to replace asbestos, but companies that used asbestos ignored the (often more expensive) safer alternatives.
Asbestos is similar to tobacco in that it was a known carcinogen and corporate executives ignored the danger for the sake of profits. Asbestos, however, is much more dangerous than cigarette smoke and the victims were largely exploited workers who were unaware of the serious health risks they faced on a daily basis.

Reference:
http://www.lhc.org.uk/members/pubs/books/asbestos/asb13.htm