What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the
outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs (pleura), or around the abdominal
organs (peritoneum).
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The law limits the amount of
time after a patient incurs an injury to file suit.
The amount of time varies based on the theory
of liability and the state in which the patient files the suit.
If you or someone you love is suffering from
mesothelioma – or has died as a result of it –
contact us.
We can help you understand your rights and
options, and ensure that you have the opportunity to seek
compensation for your injuries. |
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What does asbestos have to do with mesothelioma?
The only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is previous
exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos manufacturers knew about the hazards of
asbestos seventy years ago - but they kept this knowledge to themselves. The
first warnings given to workers exposed to asbestos were in the mid-1960s, and
they were terribly inadequate. Even today, workers are not always told they are
working around asbestos and are at risk for asbestos disease.
What can someone with mesothelioma do?
- Seek out the best and most up-to-date information.
- Seek out the best medical care.
- Early screening for mesothelioma diagnosis.
- Stay in close contact with your doctor.
- Consider whether or not you want to bring a lawsuit because of this
asbestos-related injury.
- Remember that resources are available to you through community and
medical support groups, asbestos victims' organizations, your place of
worship, as well as your family and friends.
How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years,
mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of
mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs
more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease
can appear in either men or women at any age.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of
asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all
cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any
known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of
strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven.
Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement,
brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If
tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing
process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health
problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk
of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other
cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the
combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's
risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use
greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of
American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks
associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of
developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work
in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the
heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable
levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear
personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to
asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief
exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who
are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos
workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other
asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos
dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the
chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are
usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the
workplace.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet
Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know. This booklet
describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible
benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI
Publications Locator Web site at
http://cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit is the best way to find information about
Mesothelioma resources.
This web page takes the legwork out of finding great
Mesothelioma resources. We have compiled great links to
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Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer here. . .
To your right you will find links to various
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Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer.
We've taken the time to check out each and every featured Mesothelioma website to make sure they are quality sites, with quality information.
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some of the best resources on Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer ever compiled
and some incredible resources
for Mesothelioma.
In our "Featured Mesothelioma Article"
section, you'll find an article related to Mesothelioma.
We will be providing you with updated and new featured articles on a regular
basis.
Additional
Mesothelioma links
Abatement Air Asbestos Cleaners
Against Asbestos Lawsuit Ppg
Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer
Asbestos Attic Insulation
Asbestos Ceiling Removal
Asbestos City Litigation New York
Asbestos Claim Legal
Asbestos Danger
Asbestos Disease Information
Asbestos Lawyer Maryland
Asbestos Linked Lung Cancer
Asbestos Management Software
Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyer
Asbestos Mesothelioma Papillary
Asbestosis Compensation
Attorney Austin Mesothelioma Pleural
Attorney Austin Mesothelioma Symptom
Attorney Colorado Mesothelioma Pleural
Center Law Mesothelioma Support
Cure Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma Attorney Texas
Mesothelioma Cancer Brochure Information
Mesothelioma National Statistics Us
Mesothelioma Pleural Washington
Mesothelioma Support
Naples Mesothelioma Attorney
North Dakota Mesothelioma Attorney
Oklahoma Mesothelioma Lawyer
South Carolina Mesothelioma Attorney
Wyoming Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma
What
are the health hazards of exposure to asbestos?
Exposure to asbestos may increase
the risk of several serious diseases:
Asbestosis-a chronic lung ailment that can produce shortness of breath and
permanent lung damage and increase the risk of dangerous lung infections; Lung
cancer; Mesothelioma - a relatively rare cancer of the thin membranes that line
the chest and abdomen; and Other cancers, such as those of the larynx and of the
gastrointestinal tract. How does smoking affect risk?
Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is
particularly hazardous. Cigarette smokers, on the average, are 10 times as
likely to develop lung cancer as are nonsmokers. For nonsmokers who work with
asbestos, the risk is about five times greater than for those in the general
population. By contrast, smokers who also are heavily exposed to asbestos are as
much as 90 times more likely to develop lung cancer than are nonexposed
individuals who do not smoke. Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of
mesothelioma, however.
There is evidence that quitting smoking will reduce the risk of lung cancer
among asbestos-exposed workers, perhaps by as much as half or more after at
least 5 years without smoking. People who were exposed to asbestos on the job at
any time during their life or who suspect they may have been exposed should not
smoke. If they smoke, they should stop.
Early Signs of
Mesothelioma Aid Diagnosis
Recognizing early symptoms of
malignant mesothelioma may aid in diagnosis. Symptoms include difficulty in
breathing (dyspnea) and/or chest pains, fever, nausea or anemia; other signals
are hoarseness, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), or coughing up blood (hemoptysis).
For many suffering from pleural mesothelioma, there may be pain in the chest or
lower back. Those people with peritoneal mesothelioma may experience an
expanding waist size or abdominal pain resulting from the growth of cancer cells
in the abdomen. Since many of these symptoms are also caused by less serious
illnesses, it can be difficult to recognize asbestos-related diseases in the
early stages. Due to this difficulty of early diagnosis of asbestos cancer and
mesothelioma, the best way to determine your health risk is to consult a doctor
for an initial examination, which may include a pulmonary function test (PFT)
and x-rays.
Mesothelioma -
Asbestos Court Bid By Dying Woman - Part 1
A DYING woman is set to take her
case to court for exposure to asbestos during her school days.
Law firm Slater and Gordon is handling the case for the woman, who now lives in
Melbourne. Solicitor Andrew Higgins, who specializes in asbestos cases, says the
woman is an example of how innocently people can be exposed to the deadly
substance. Last month Slater and Gordon advertised in Tasmanian newspapers for
anyone who had been at Devonport High between 1964 and 1968. "We are looking for
people who can assist with our inquiries about that time," Mr. Higgins said.
He said the claim was the woman was exposed to asbestos as a student, which had
led to her contracting Mesothelioma as an adult. "The insidious thing about
asbestos is you can be working in mines or mills or just be a school student,
and you can get an asbestos-related disease," he said. "This is an example of
how innocently people can be exposed because there is no safe level of
exposure." The law firm's investigations centre on the time an assembly hall at
Devonport High was destroyed by fire and subsequent rebuilding.
The case is expected to be before the courts in Tasmania soon because of the
woman's limited life expectancy. Mr. Higgins said there was always a precedent
value in such cases but individuals had to be able to prove their claims. "Just
because there is one case doesn't mean others will follow," he said.
The law firm has been involved in a number of cases in Tasmania, both in Hobart
and the North-West, including people exposed in heavy industry in the area.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer - Hotline 800.291.0963 - Mesothelioma lawyer, ... Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer - Mesothelioma Lawyer. Did You Know? ... |
Juneau Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers - This free lawyer search can help you find Asbestos Mesothelioma lawyers in Juneau, Alaska (AK). Find lawyers by location, ... |
... about types of mesothelioma including abdominal, and pleural as well as help with mesothelioma lawsuits, and legal ... Alaska mesothelioma lawyer referral ... |
Alaska Mesothelioma Attorney. Asbestos Exposure? AK Lawyers filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits. ... Legal Help FAQs from Our Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyers. What is asbestos? ... |
Online guide to Mesothelioma And Asbestos in Alaska with the ability to contact a qualified Alaska Mesothelioma And Asbestos Lawyer. |
Today's News Related To
Mesothelioma
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Featured
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Mesothelioma -
Cancer of the Lung Lining - Part 2
The Mesothelioma is referred to
by different names, depending on what part of the body it is found in. In the
abdomen, it is called the peritoneum, in the lungs, the pleura, and in the
heart, the pericardium. These correspond to peritoneum Mesothelioma (cancer of
the abdomen/stomach), pleural Mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining) and
pericardium Mesothelioma.
Years to Develop Mesothelioma is characterized by having a long latency period,
which means that symptoms do not develop until 20-50 years after exposure to
what caused it. The average age at which symptoms usually begin to appear is
around 60 years old. It is estimated that about 3,000 to 4,000 cases of
Mesothelioma are diagnosed each years in the US. The number of cases reported
each year is increasing.
Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is the
most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Virtually all cases of malignant
mesothelioma are attributable to asbestos exposure.
These web pages contain useful mesothelioma information for the sufferers of
malignant mesothelioma disease. Knowledge of available mesothelioma treatment
options can be an essential weapon in the fight against the progression of this
deadly disease.mesothelioma information
If you would like to explore your legal rights or have any questions about
mesothelioma asbestos disease or any particular mesothelioma treatment, please
contact a mesothelioma attorney.
What is
asbestos?
Asbestos is the name for a group
of naturally occurring silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers.
The fibers are strong, durable,
and resistant to heat and fire. They are also long, thin and flexible, so that
they can even be woven into cloth. Because of these qualities, asbestos has been
used in thousands of consumer, industrial, maritime, automotive, scientific and
building products. During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of
asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial
buildings in the United States.
There are several types of asbestos fibers, of which three have been used for
commercial applications: (1) Chrysotile, or white asbestos, comes mainly from
Canada, and has been very widely used in the US. It is white-gray in color and
found in serpentine rock. (2) Amosite, or brown asbestos, comes from southern
Africa. (3) Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, comes from southern Africa and
Australia.
Amosite and crocidolite are called amphiboles. This term refers to the nature of
their geologic formation.
Other asbestos fibers that have not been used commercially are tremolite,
actinolite and anthophyllite, although they are sometimes contaminants in
asbestos-containing products. It should be noted that there are non-fibrous, or
non-asbestiform, variants of tremolite, anthophylite and actinolite, which do
not have the adverse health consequences that result from exposure to commercial
forms of asbestos.
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