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
Mesothelioma
information and pages dedicated to
Asbestos Danger here. . .
To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about
Asbestos Danger.
We've taken the time to check out each and every featured Mesothelioma website to make sure they are quality sites, with quality information.
Here you will find
some of the best resources on Asbestos Danger 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
Abb Asbestos Lawsuit
Abdominal Mesothelioma
Arkansas Asbestos Lawyer Mesothelioma
Asbestos Abatement Funding
Asbestos Attorney
Asbestos Attorney Mirage Rancho
Asbestos Brakes
Asbestos Carolina Law North Regarding Removal
Asbestos Change Law
Asbestos Chicago Exposure Lawyer
Asbestos Due Exposure Lawsuit
Asbestos Exposure Diagnosis
Asbestos Help.com Lawyer Mesothelioma
Asbestos Law Related Suit
Asbestos Legislation Senate
Asbestos Mesothelioma Pericardial
Asbestos Poisoning
Asbestos Removal Cost
Asbestos Trust Fund
Baltimore Asbestos Lawyer
Maine Mesothelioma Attorney
Malignant Mesothelioma Pleural Rate Survival
Mesothelioma Attorney Maryland
Mesothelioma Lawyer Massachusetts
Mesothelioma Lawyer Tx
Mesothelioma Treatment Option
Michigan Mesothelioma Lawsuit
Removing Asbestos
Stage Iv Mesothelioma
Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers - Part 1
Mesothelioma is a rare form of
cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the Mesothelioma, a
protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who
develop Mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.
What is the Mesothelioma? The Mesothelioma is a membrane that covers and
protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers
of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac
around it. The Mesothelioma produces a lubricating fluid that is released
between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the
expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The Mesothelioma has different names, depending on its location in the body. The
peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the
abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines
the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The
mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called
the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal
reproductive organs in women.
Diagnosis for
Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening
"There's no such thing as a free
asbestos screening," Worksafe! Newsletter (October 1998, p.6) Mesothelioma
Treatment Options - Patient Medical Research & Pain Management
Keep up an open dialogue with
your doctor It is natural to want to understand as much as possible about a
disease and its treatments, particularly when the disease is as rare as
malignant mesothelioma. The Internet has opened up a wealth of information on
mesothelioma, however, it is still important to keep in mind that your doctor is
your FIRST and (hopefully) BEST resource for understanding and dealing with this
disease.
This does not mean that you shouldn't explore resources and treatments on your
own; a good doctor wants informed patients who are interested in discussing
every available option. Only a trained physician, however, can help you
understand each treatment and evaluate how it fits in with your particular
circumstances, including the stage of your disease.
There are valuable research and support resources available via the Internet
which can assist you in your efforts to gain medical knowlege as you begin your
interaction with your doctor. To begin, there is an online resource that tutors
on how to use the Internet to research a lung cancer diagnosis. This tutorial
also cautions you as a researcher to be mindful of the limitations of
Internet-based research and to learn how to evaluate the information that you do
find. Another useful tool to assist in being an informed patient is The Cancer
Patient's Workbook: Everything You Need to Stay Organized and Informed, (DK
Books, 2001). This workbook hopes to help the patient better understand their
situation so they may deal with and fight their disease from an informed
position. This interactive guide helps patients cope and also explains how to
receive the best treatment possible.
Mesothelioma
How
is asbestos used?
Asbestos has been mined and used
commercially in North America since the late 1800s, but its use increased
greatly during World War II. Since then, it has been used in many industries.
For example, the building and construction industry uses it for strengthening
cement and plastics as well as for insulation, fireproofing, and sound
absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to insulate boilers,
steampipes, hot water pipes, and nuclear reactors in ships. The automotive
industry uses asbestos in vehicle brakeshoes and clutch pads. More than 5,000
products contain or have contained asbestos, some of which are listed below:
Asbestos cement sheet and pipe products used for water supply and sewage piping,
roofing and siding, casings for electrical wires, fire protection material,
chemical tanks, electrical switchboards and components, and residential and
industrial building materials; Friction products, such as clutch facings; brake
linings for automobiles, railroad cars, and airplanes; and industrial friction
materials; Products containing asbestos paper, such as table pads and
heat-protective mats, heat and electrical wire insulation, industrial filters
for beverages, small appliance components, and underlying material for sheet
flooring; Asbestos textile products, such as packing components, roofing
materials, heat- and fire-resistant clothing, and fireproof draperies; and Other
products, including ceiling and floor tile; gaskets and packings; paints,
coatings, and sealants; caulking and patching tape; and plastics. In the late
1970s, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in
wallboard patching compounds and gas fireplaces because these products released
excessive amounts of asbestos fibers into the environment. In addition, asbestos
was voluntarily withdrawn by manufacturers of electric hair dryers. These and
other regulatory actions, coupled with widespread public concern about the
hazards of asbestos, have resulted in a significant annual decline in U.S. use
of asbestos: Domestic use of asbestos amounted to about 560,000 metric tons in
1979, but it had dropped to about 55,000 metric tons by 1989.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
A guide to asbestos dangers & health effects in the home. ... EPA refused to warn of asbestos dangers Millions of homeowners at risk ... |
actinolite asbestos, and any of these materials that ... What are the dangers of asbestos. exposure to workers? ... Asbestos fibers associated with these ... |
Alarming ignorance over asbestos danger ... attempting to alert people to the dangers through a 'Be Asbestos Aware' campaign. ... |
Since then, asbestos has been used for a variety of applications, ... This is because asbestos is believed to only be a true danger when airborne. ... |
Asbestos doesn't pose any immediate danger unless it is disturbed or tampered with. ... 6, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Dangers-of-Asbestos&id=1561820 ... |
Today's News Related To
Mesothelioma
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Featured
Mesothelioma Articles |
Mesothelioma
Who Is At Risk?
Overview The only known cause of mesothelioma is previous exposure to asbestos
fibers. Often times workers are not told they are working around asbestos, and
even single exposures to very low doses of fibers can produce serious long-term
consequences.
Asbestos diseases are said to follow the trail of exposure. That means that
wherever people have received asbestos exposure, regardless of their trade, age,
sex or race, they are at risk of cancer and other diseases.
Almost anyone who has inhaled asbestos dust is at risk. Even a worker's families
and friends can be at risk, because asbestos can often be carried on clothing.
Exposure to asbestos dust can occur at major construction job sites, in
shipyards, in industry, and during construction or renovation of commercial
buildings. See the list at right for certain occupations that are known to be
those where risk of exposure to asbestos is great, and the numbers of people in
such occupations contracting asbestos disease are high.
Please contact a mesothelioma attorney if you have any questions about
occupational risk, or if you'd like to explore your legal rights.
Diagnosis for
Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening
Explore MEDLINE
Published by the National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE is a comprehensive index
of medical citations and abstracts dating back to 1966. In the past, this
database was available only to students, doctors or by subscription. However,
there are now several Internet resources which offer free MEDLINE access,
including PubMed and MedlinePlus. Use of both services is free, although you
must initially fill out a member registration form.
An additional benefit of these services is access to full-text versions of many
of the articles. PubMed publishes a list of MEDLINE journals with links to
publisher web sites at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/fulltext.html. Access to these articles
may require user registration or a small fee, but recent issues are often
available free of charge.
These publications and abstracts are not written for the layperson, so make sure
you discuss any literature you read with your doctor before making any decisions
about them.
Although MEDLINE is the most comprehensive database of medical literatere, the
National Cancer Institute also has a free database of cancer-specific abstracts
and literature.
Mesothelioma -
Big Payout Too Late
WORKING in clouds of asbestos
dust came back to haunt former builder Stewart Beckworth decades later.
Mr. Beckworth, 63, who has asbestos-related lung cancer, has just won a large
compensation payout from the James Hardie company but it provides little comfort
for the father of nine. Mr. Beckworth, of Mt Martha, knows Mesothelioma will
kill him but he is more worried about other problems confronting his devastated
family.
His wife Ginny, 61, has much more than her husband's illness to cope with. She
has a heartbreaking wait hoping for the green light to donate one of her kidneys
to accountant son Nathan. Nathan Beckworth, 34, was born with cystic fibrosis
and had a heart-lung transplant 14 years ago. He is one of the longest survivors
of the operation but he suffered another blow when stricken with kidney failure.
Only a transplant can now save his life but he must build up lung capacity for
the operation.
The couple also care for Mrs. Beckworth's mother, 96, who has recently been
seriously ill. "I'm angry this happened to me," Mr. Beckworth said. "But I'm
also angry what it has done to my family. "I've got a lovely family and we love
one another to death. I see those kids hysterical that dad's not going to be
around to walk them down the aisle or to see the grandkids born. It's a terrible
thing."
Mr. Beckworth sued James Hardie, claiming that although it knew its asbestos
products were dangerous it did not to warn builders. Hardie's settled the case
before it got to court but continued to deny liability. Mrs. Beckworth said
waiting for the kidney transplant operation, coping with her sick mother and
dealing with her husband's cancer was taking its toll. "It's awful. I thought to
myself, 'please, I don't want three funerals'," she said. Mr. Beckworth had
nothing but contempt for Hardie's.
"I'm a normal working man. I don't deserve to be poisoned by people like that,"
he said. Mr. Beckworth was a builder on the Mornington Peninsula for more than
40 years. All of his constructions until the late '70s contained asbestos cement
sheeting. "I had no idea this dust was deadly," he said.
He was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in January and told he had six to 12 months
to live. "I thought what am I going to do? I've got kids crying, I've got my
wife crying, I'm a bit upset myself," he said. Mr. Beckworth's solicitor, Peter
Gordon, a partner at Slater and Gordon, said his case was sadly not unusual.
He said more builders would develop Mesothelioma but another danger was to home
renovators. "Stewart is one of a generation of Australians who have been exposed
this way by Hardies but it could be any one of us in the future," he said.
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