Asbestos & Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Washington, DC: Mesothelioma may not be as familiar a term as cancer, leukemia or HIV—but its effects are no less devastating. So much so that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this month used it's authority to invoke a public health declaration for the first time in its history in an effort to aid victims of mesothelioma cancer and asbestos mesothelioma in northwest Montana. [ Read More ]

Flint, MI: Dianna's father, Jerrold, has lung cancer, which has also traveled to his brain. Diagnosed in March 2008, his doctor said he had months to live. But he has defied the prognosis and is currently investigating the possibility that his illness may be the result of asbestos exposure – that he may have asbestos mesothelioma. [ Read More ]

Beaumont, TX: The family of Lawrence Baggett have had enough. Having watched as their father died a painful death from asbestos mesothelioma, and faced the emotional and financial outcome of his illness, they filed a lawsuit alleging their father was not warned adequately about working around asbestos. [ Read More ]

Exposure to asbestos fibers has been linked to asbestos cancer, asbestosis (scaring 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 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. To resolve these ongoing battles, Congress is discussing the creation of a $140 billion fund to compensate victims of asbestos exposure. An asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit can help victims and their families seek reparations for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.

If your home was built before 1970 or if you work in an industry that uses or has used asbestos, you may be at risk. Asbestos testing and removal should be performed by a professional. And if you or your family has suffered from asbestos exposure or poisoning, specialized lawyers and attorneys can evaluate your claim and help secure justice and compensation.

The European union has banned all uses of asbestos, as has Australia. Japan is expected to ban it soon. The US banned most uses and then the courts overturned the ban.

Asbestos is still used in numerous products in the US and Canada.

Although the links between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma has been known since the early 1900's, few regulations for exposure were implemented until the 70's. The first lawsuit was filed in 1929.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare lung cancer which attacks the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). The only known cause of mesothelioma in North America is exposure to asbestos. There have also been reports linked to asbestos which include cancer of the esophagus, larynx, stomach, colon and rectum.

Like the other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma has a long latency period (amount of time between first exposure to asbestos and disease diagnosis). Typically, mesothelioma is diagnosed 20, 30, 40 or more years after the first exposure to asbestos. In rare cases the latency period has been as short as 10 to 15 years.

Pulmonary asbestosis is caused when asbestos particles are inhaled which can cause a scarring of the lung tissue. Similar to mesothelioma, the latency period is delayed 10 to 30 years. Symptoms of asbestosis can include shortness of breath or an inability to take a deep breath, fatigue, dry cough, rales or crackles at the base of the lungs. Other names for pulmonary asbestosis are pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis, lung scarring, diffuse linear opacities (on x-ray) and pneumoconiosis.