Asbestos mesothelioma is a fatal asbestos cancer involving the mesothelium, a protective lining that encloses most of the body's internal organs. The only known cause of mesothelioma seems to be exposure to asbestos particles in the air. The time between exposure and the appearance of symptoms can be as long as 20 to 50 years.
Exposure to asbestos fibers has been linked to asbestos cancer, asbestosis (scarring of the lungs that restricts breathing), asbestos mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest cavity), and silicosis. The chances of getting an asbestos-related illness increase as the level and duration of exposure to asbestos increases.
Asbestos Remains in Use Despite the Health Warnings
Asbestos is not banned in the US and Canada – it's still in use in a wide variety of products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are 3,000 different types of commercial products currently in use in the US today that contain asbestos, including building materials, brake pads, and fire retardant materials and products.
Primary Asbestos Exposure
At Work
Asbestos can pose a serious health threat when disturbed or when it begins to deteriorate and asbestos fibers are released into the air and inhaled. To date, companies which have exposed their employees to asbestos have faced thousands of lawsuits and settled hundreds of millions in damages.
Asbestos is mainly used as an insulating material – it is a very effective fire retardant material, hence its use to insulate boilers, pipes, and fire doors; it's used in roofing and many construction materials, and in electrical fittings.
The types of work environments where you are most likely to encounter asbestos include mines, shipyards, railroads, power plants, and construction sites.
Workers who may be at risk for asbestos exposure include, but are not limited to:
Boiler and furnace technicians
Car mechanics (brake shoes)
Construction workers
Navy shipyard workers
Pipe fitters
Miners
Railway workers
Secondary or Passive Asbestos Exposure
At Home
Asbestos mesothelioma doesn't just affect the people working with it directly. Recently the medical profession has started to recognize that people can be affected by asbestos-caused diseases through secondary or passive exposure.
For example, cases of second-hand asbestos exposure were recently been reported by wives and children of men who worked in the shipyards in World War II. The workers were exposed to large amounts of damaged or "friable" asbestos while on the job, and their wives became came ill following exposure to asbestos fibers that had become lodged in the workers' clothing. Over the years, the constant inhalation of these fibers resulted in the development of asbestos-related diseases.
In the Community
Secondary asbestos exposure is also possible by living in a community or area located near an asbestos mine or a company that manufactures asbestos or products containing asbestos. Many older buildings may also contain asbestos insulation, including schools.
Perhaps the most famous victims of community contamination in North America are the residents of Libby, Montana, an asbestos-mining town. Vermiculite, which naturally contains asbestos, was mined there between 1923 and 1991. Workers and families of workers who lived in the town sued W.R. Grace, the last company to own the mine. At one point the company reportedly faced 110,000 lawsuits for sickening hundreds of people and contributing to the deaths of 225—allegedly with full knowledge.
Other examples of community exposure include the World Trade Center site after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and areas prone to damage from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
Asbestos Mesothelioma Warning Signs
Early symptoms of asbestos mesothelioma can include chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, hoarseness, cough, fluid retention and abdominal swelling.
Because mesothelioma affects the pleura, or the membranes that surround almost all of your internal organs, pain or swelling in the chest or the abdomen could be a symptom of mesothelioma.
You are warned to contact your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. If you have been exposed to asbestos fibers in the past you should make your doctor aware of that as well.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that is caused only by inhaling asbestos fibers. Although it is not a type of cancer, asbestosis is a serious and life-threatening disease because it can lead to asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma. The chances of getting asbestosis increase as the level and duration of exposure to asbestos increases, and anyone who has come in contact with asbestos is at risk for developing asbestosis. Symptoms of asbestosis rarely occur less than 10 years following first exposure to asbestos fibers and are more common after 20 years or more, therefore making it even more difficult to file a lawsuit by yourself.
Many reports have proven that corporations, asbestos makers and industry members had knowledge of the dangers of asbestos and its link to asbestos-related illnesses since the 1930s. An asbestosis lawyer can bring about a suit against multiple asbestos employers and asbestos manufacturers.
Asbestos Mesothelioma Legal Help
If you or a loved one is suffering from lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases caused by exposure to asbestos or asbestos containing products, you may qualify for damages or remedies that may be awarded in a possible class action lawsuit. Please click the link below to submit your complaint to an asbestos lawyer for a free case evaluation with no obligation.
Staten Island, NY: Some residents who live close to an asbestos abatement project in Staten Island, New York, say they are worried some of the deadly mineral may escape the work site, reports silive.com. [READ MORE]
Berkeley Heights, NJ: A woman who was diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma after years of washing her husband's asbestos-laden work clothes will likely receive $7 million in asbestos compensation. Her husband is owed $500,000 with interest still accruing. [READ MORE]
Ridgedale, MO: "The doctors told me I will die a slow death at an early age," says Kenneth, who worked with asbestos for many years. "I should have taken better care of myself when I was younger, but I didn't know how and no one told me the job was hazardous." [READ MORE]
Asbestos can pose a serious health threat when disturbed or when it begins to deteriorate and asbestos fibers are released into the air and inhaled. To date, companies which have exposed their employees to asbestos have faced thousands of lawsuits and settled hundreds of millions in damages.
level and duration of exposure to asbestos increases, and anyone who has come in contact with asbestos is at risk for developing asbestosis. Symptoms of asbestosis rarely occur less than 10 years following first exposure to asbestos fibers and are more common after 20 years or more, therefore making it even more difficult to file a lawsuit by yourself.
Staten Island, NY: Some residents who live close to an asbestos abatement project in Staten Island, New York, say they are worried some of the deadly mineral may escape the work site, reports silive.com. 
Berkeley Heights, NJ: A woman who was diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma after years of washing her husband's asbestos-laden work clothes will likely receive $7 million in asbestos compensation. Her husband is owed $500,000 with interest still accruing. 
Ridgedale, MO: "The doctors told me I will die a slow death at an early age," says Kenneth, who worked with asbestos for many years. "I should have taken better care of myself when I was younger, but I didn't know how and no one told me the job was hazardous." 
