Mesothelioma - A Cancer You Shouldn't Have Had to Deal With

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos. The disease attacks the protective casing, which for most of the body's internal organs and in almost all cases is fatal, although new treatments for cancer are always underdevelopment give us hope that we can live free of cancer sometime in the future.

You can not prevent mesothelioma to asbestos exposure you. Typically, a worker was exposed to asbestos at their job. In the past, asbestos was frequently in the major industrial manufacturing industry, the automotive industry and the heating and ventilation equipment. Typical exposure is the inhalation of asbestos dust by a product from the production. When the workers return home, her family experiences secondary exposure to the asbestos dust on their clothes.

In residential construction during 1960's and 1970's, asbestos was commonly use to seal leaks and seams on heating ducts in residential houses and in other heating and ventilation systems. Exposure to asbestos dust comes when the asbestos seal begins to breakdown and gives off the deadly asbestos dust particles. So, if you are buying an older home, be certain to have it inspected for asbestos. If found, asbestos can be removed or sealed with a protective cover to prevent exposure to humans.

Detection of mesothelioma and drawing the connection between work-related hazards wasn't always realized. It has only come to light recently that large corporations were negligent in exposing their workers to asbestos dust. This is due to the fact that it takes some time for the cancer to form. Most families were so consumed with helping their loved ones; they failed to realize the cancer they were battling was actually caused by the working conditions of a loved one.

If an individual was exposed to asbestos during their working career then the corporation employing them is at fault and is responsible for the damages resulting from the asbestos caused mesothelioma. Individuals and families battling this cancer and facing the loss of a loved one need realize and understand their legal rights.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this disease then you need to consult with a mesothelioma lawyer to understand your legal rights. This type of lawyer is experienced with asbestos related cases and taking on the large corporations and winning. Typically, a mesothelioma lawyer will review your case at little or no charge to evaluate if you have a case. If it is determined you do they will handle the lawsuit for damages from the corporation responsible.

It is a shame to think your life or a loved ones life is cut short due to the negligence of a corporation not controlling the exposure to asbestos. You may be uncomfortable with a lawsuit, but it is your legal right to seek adequate compensation for your life or a loved ones being cut short and the resulting impact of not being able to provide for the family any longer.

Asbestos caused mesothelioma is a preventable disease and it's sad to think an employee who works hard for a corporation is actually killed slowly by the exposure to asbestos. If you're dealing with this cancer in your life, seek the help of a mesothelioma lawyer to ensure your financial future peace of mind while you and your family deal with the loss of a loved one.

Jeff Kimball is an independent health and business writer and the webmaster of Good-Mesothelioma-Lawyers-Info.com and Good Payday Loans.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Kimball

Asbestos & Mesothelioma Statistics

Asbestos is a term used to classify a group of mineral fibers that share properties of thermal and chemical resistance, flexibility, and hight tensile strength. The term "asbestos" comes from the Greek word for inextinguishable and was termed the "magic mineral" because of its' extraordinary ability to withstand heat. There are six minerals defined as asbestos including: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite.

The history of this remarkable, but hazardous material dates back to at least 2500 B.C., when it was used as an ingredient in pottery making. Since then, asbestos has been used in a wide-range of products such as automotive brake pads and clutches, cement, ceiling and floor tiles, boilers, electrical wire insulation, gaskets, joint compound and adhesives, just to name a few.

Mesothelioma is kind of lung cancer, the kind of aggressive, and almost always results from the exposure to asbestos. There is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, and the life expectancy is between 4 to 24 months from the first appearance of symptoms. Currently, there is an ongoing epidemic of this disease in the United States, and there is no sign of a slowdown. The primary cause of the problem is Mesothelioma negligence on the part of asbestos produced since the1970's where not to protect their employees from the dangers of asbestos. Because of this fact and because the latency period for mesothelioma is between 20 to 40 years, the court has the flood of asbestos cases pending since. It is estimated that asbestos cases not peak for another 20 years.

Below are some statistical facts about asbestos and mesothelioma lung cancer:

• Asbestos is considered a carcinogen, which means that it can cause cancer.

• Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that occurs naturally in the environment.

• About 70% to 80% of all reported cases of asbestos exposure occur in the work place.

• Over the past 50 years, occupational exposure to asbestos in the United States is estimated to have occurred in approximately 8 million people.

• Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of lung cancer that results from exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.

• There are two types of Mesothelioma, pleural and peritoneal.

• Initial symptoms of Mesothelioma do not appear until 30 to 40 years after first exposure to asbestos.

• Symptoms of Mesothelioma usually arise 2 to 3 months before the cancer is found and can resemble shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, persistent cough, pneumonia, chest and abdominal pain.

• Mesothelioma is a terminal disease with no known cure and victims die within 18 months of diagnosis due to the cancer being too advanced by the time it is detected.

• Treatments for Mesothelioma include surgery to remove the tumors, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of all three.

• Management of mesothelioma depends largely on the the staging of the tumor as well as the age and physical condition of the patient. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention may lengthen life expectancy.

• According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 3,000 new cases per year of malignant mesothelioma are being reported in the United States, and the incidence appears to be increasing.

• Asbestos cases will continue to increase and it is estimated to peak around the year 2025, according to experts.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued regulations to phase out the use of almost all asbestos products in 1989, and these rules were overturned in a court challenge in 1991.

• Asbestos is still not banned in the US and there are about 5,000 products that contain asbestos circulating in the US.

• Most asbestos products are used as an ingredient in the making of a final product, such as vinyl-asbestos flooring and friction products, which are purchased mostly by the construction and automobile industries.

• EPA has not banned any substance for any use since 1991 under the provision of the law used for the asbestos ban.

• It is estimated that about 8 million people in the U.S. have been exposed to asbestos in the work place, and, or their home.

• The Congressional Budget Office claims that there are 322,00 pending claims.

• Fair compensation for mesothelioma frequently means a settlement of over $1,000,000.

• About 2,500 victims of Mesothelioma die each year.

• The disease is three times more common in men than in women. In men, the occurrence of mesothelioma is ten times higher in men between the ages of 60-70 as compared to men between the ages of 30-40.

• Due to the monetary value of Mesothelioma as a keyword search term on the Internet, there are bids on Overture or Google Ad Words of over $160 per click, which primarily involved law firms.

For more information, please visit the Mesothelioma Information Resource Group.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luis_Mon