Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the mesothelial cells in the body. These cells actually make up the mesothelium which is the protective outer lining of all the major organs of the body. Mesothelioma commonly occurs in three types; peritoneal, pleural and pericardial. Peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the lining of the abdomen, pleural mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lungs and pericardial mesothelioma attacks the lining of the heart. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of this cancer, but like all types of mesothelioma, the onset and symptoms of the illness do not present themselves until years after exposure.
To date, mesothelioma cancer is primarily linked to prolonged exposure to asbestos. It affects many Americans who worked in the shipbuilding industries and in other industrial working environments in the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s. As a result, asbestos mesothelioma is commonly prevalent in men between the ages of 55 and 80 who were consistently exposed t5o asbestos in factories and through industries that used asbestos regularly in their products.
Asbestos is a mineral that has been mined by the US and used in a number of products. Because of its inert state and its lack of reaction to electricity and heat, it was considered and optimal material for use in a variety of industries. It comes in several forms including Chrysotile (white asbestos), Crocidolite (blue asbestos), Amosite (made up of brown fibers) and Anthophyllite (made of gray fibers).
Asbestos was widely used in cement sheet and pipe products, fire protection materials, brake linings, textiles, roofing materials and the like. It was widely used in industrial plants and housing in the 40’s and 50’s and many people inhaled the mineral as it decomposed. This inhalation ultimately caused a breakdown of cells in the lungs which lead to mesothelioma in people who were consistently exposed to it.
If you or a family member have been diagnosed or are suffering from mesothelioma cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit and claim damages and compensation from the company or situation in which you were exposed to asbestos. In many cases, the companies and employers were aware of the dangers posed by asbestos and still did nothing to protect employees. This means that the company may be liable for the medical expenses, pain and suffering and loss of income and future income that you have suffered as a result of asbestos mesothelioma.
It is important to act quickly because all of these cases are subject to a statute of limitations. Thankfully, in many cases the statute of limitations does not go into effect until diagnosis has occurred and therefore you may still have time to seek redress. There are a number of mesothelioma lawsuits pending across the United States. In some cases, groups of employees have joined together to form a mesothelioma class action lawsuit while in other cases they have maintained an individual mesothelioma lawsuit. If you were exposed to this dangerous mineral through your workplace or by another method, you should contact a reputable and experience product liability or mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible.