Mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer that is unfortunately getting more and more common today. It has recently been positively linked with the mineral asbestos and people who worked with this noxious mineral in the 50s, 60s and 70s are now finding that they are high risk for developing Mesothelioma. Since mesothelioma lung cancer in most cases was preventable and work environment related, many folks find themselves searching for mesothelioma lawyers to handle their specific cases. Finding the best mesothelioma attorney is very important.
Asbestos is a fibrous material that releases a large amount of dust and fibre particles when it is disturbed i.e. every time it is moved. These tiny fibrous particles are able to float in the atmosphere and are thus easily breathed in by anyone in the vicinity. When they are inhaled they become imbedded in the mesothelium, which is the soft lining tissue that covers and protects the major organs of the body, most importantly the heart, lungs and stomach.
· Pleural mesothelioma affects the lungs · Pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart · Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the stomach
In most cases the lungs are affected first because contaminated air reaches them with every breathe however over time some fibres will leave the lungs and travel in the blood stream to the heart while other fibres will bypass the trachea that leads to the lungs and will instead travel down the oesophagus to the stomach. The extent to which the asbestos fibres travel to other organs in the body depends on the length of time that a person spends in contact with asbestos and how contaminated the air is that is being inhaled.
Each of the three forms of mesothelioma has its own set of symptoms however these are generally non-specific and can be caused by a number of other medical conditions that are not nearly as serious as cancer. Thus many family doctors initially misdiagnose mesothelioma, especially when the sufferer fails to mention the fact that they worked with asbestos earlier in their life. The symptoms of the disease can take up to 50 years to become apparent however in many cases a mesothelioma victim will begin to experience some form of discomfort within 30 years. The exact number of years will again depend on how long the victim was exposed to the asbestos fibres for and their general state of health throughout life. Unfortunately in many cases the sufferer doesn't know they have mesothelioma until it has already reached a late stage and it is past curable treatment.
It is thought that between 75% and 85% of all mesothelioma cases have a history of exposure to asbestos, but what about the remaining cases? Sadly it is not only the people who physically worked with the asbestos that can later develop the disease - people who lived with or indeed still live with the worker i.e. close family and even friends, and people who didn't actually work with the material but worked on the same site can also develop the deadly disease. Many of these workers may not have known there was asbestos in the places where they worked and so today most would not consider themselves high risk for developing mesothelioma.
There were hundreds of occupations that used to regularly involve exposure to asbestos including construction working, automotive mechanic, cement finishers, furnace workers, electricians, insulators, painters and plasterers, roofers and even Navy veterans however today the regulations have been greatly improved so that anybody working with asbestos has to wear protective equipment, including breathing apparatus. For people who are already afflicted with mesothelioma there is hope in the form of monetary compensation and many thousands of asbestos workers are now successfully suing their former employers for millions of dollars each year. Although this won't help them to cure their illness it will help them to live comfortable lives while also leaving something behind for their loved ones.
Finding the best mesothelioma attorney is very important if you expect to be successful in your claim. Today there are many mesothelioma lawyers who are very qualified in this area of law and you should research them carefully. Since these lung cancer cases require special expertise, you need to make sure the mesothelioma attorney you choose knows the laws in your state and has handled many mesothelioma court case in the past.
