The Dangers Of Asbestos - Understanding Mesothelioma

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer affecting the pleura, membranes that encase the lungs. Like many cancers, it can result in suffering and restricted quality of life - but what makes this disease unique is that it only occurs in people exposed to asbestos. While you might think the dangers of asbestos are long gone, mesothelioma can strike people who were exposed as many as 60 years ago. Workers in factories or shipyards during the 1940s may be just now developing symptoms, long after they thought themselves safe.
There is no cure for mesothelioma, and as the disease progresses, breathing, sleeping and eating become more difficult - making it hard for the victim to participatate in daily activities. There are treatments to help contain the disease and reduce the pain associated with it. Chemotherapy, radiation and radical surgery to remove the lung and/or pleura are among the options currently available.
Could Mesothelioma have been prevented?
Mesothelioma is a particularly cruel cancer because it was entirely preventable. Many companies that manufactured asbestos-containing products were aware of the hazards of asbestos as early as the 1920s. Alternative fibers were available, but asbestos was cheap. So corporations chose to use it in products from the 1920s through the 1980s, until most of these products were banned in the United States and abroad. Manufacturers did not begin to warn workers exposed to asbestos the mid-1960s and even then, it took two more decades before the dangers became sufficiently broadcast to bring about legislation prohibiting its use. As a result, many Americans have contracted asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, a scarring of the lung or pleural tissue.
Are there any legal options for someone diagnosed with Mesothelioma?
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have the right to file a claim against the manufacturers, sellers, and installers of asbestos products. A lawsuit won't give you back your health, but it will help ensure you can afford good medical care, keep your family from suffering financially as a result of your illness, and hold the companies who chose to use this deadly fiber accountable.
What if I don't remember exactly what products I worked with?
Because mesothelioma can strike so many years after exposure, recalling details about the asbestos exposure can be a real problem for many victims. However, if you work with a law firm experienced in asbestos litigation, they can often perform extensive investigations of past work sites and products. Legal claims associated with this disease are complex, in many cases because they deal with events dating back several decades -- but attorneys who are familiar with mesothelioma lawsuits understand how to evaluate your case and track down the important details.
Jurors who have participated in mesothelioma cases are often outraged when they learn how companies continued to use asbestos long after its dangers were known -- while victims and their families struggle daily with the legacy of corporate carelessness.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, your first step should be to contact an attorney with experience in asbestos litigation. There are limits on the time in which you can file, so immediate action is important to secure compensation.