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Frequently Asked Questions about Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Q: What is asbestos?

A: A microscopic threadlike fiber, asbestos is a common mineral found throughout the world. It is mined and used in consumer products and construction materials because of its strength and flexibility and its heat-resistant properties. If asbestos becomes airborne and dust like, it can be breathed into and lodged in the lungs. Asbestos particles in the lungs can cause terrible - even fatal - diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer that can take decades to develop after asbestos exposure.

Q: Who are the typical victims of asbestos diseases like mesothelioma?

A: Most typically, victims of asbestos disease and injury are people exposed to high concentrations of asbestos in industrial settings over extended periods. Workers in the following industries and professions have been historically at high risk: asbestos mining; manufacturing of asbestos-containing products such as insulation, piping, and ceiling and flooring materials; shipbuilding; welding, plumbing, pipe fitting and steam fitting; railroads; building demolition; and construction. These occupational exposures have declined drastically since the 1970s when the federal and state governments started heavily regulating asbestos.

The latest statistics show that between 1980 and 2000, over 8,000 men and over 1,000 women died from Mesothelioma. If someone in your family has been affected by this grave disease, you may be legally entitled to financial compensation to help cover your losses.

Workers aged between 45 and 60 are the most likely to have been affected by asbestos exposure. Thousands of men in that age range have died from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

The annual incidence of Mesothelioma is seven to thirteen per 1,000,000 male patients with a history of asbestos exposure, compared with only about one in 1,000,000 North American patients with no known asbestos exposure. If you worked in an industry that subjected you to asbestos exposure and have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, talk to a lawyer with experience in this area to determine whether you may be able to recover from the responsible parties.

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for Mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about seventy to eighty percent of all Mesothelioma cases. If you were exposed to asbestos in your employment, contact an attorney to learn more about your legal rights.

Wheeling, West Virginia, Mesothelioma Lawyers

The law firm of Hartley & O'Brien in Wheeling, West Virginia, represents people throughout the country who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer. Attorney Leslie Ann James is one of a small group of lawyers who helped design the West Virginia court system for handling asbestos litigation.

Asbestos: An Invisible Killer

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been used as insulation and a fire retardant in a wide variety of products. Asbestos can produce dust that, when inhaled, becomes deposited in the lungs. Asbestos in the lungs can cause or contribute to the development of illnesses, especially mesothelioma (a malignant form of cancer in the lining of the chest or abdominal cavities), asbestosis (a fibrous scarring of the lungs) and lung cancer.

Federal regulation of asbestos began in the 1970s. Due to health concerns, all new uses of asbestos in the United States were banned in July 1989. That year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule, entitled "Asbestos: Manufacture, Importation, Processing, and Distribution in Commerce Prohibitions," which eventually led to banning about 94 percent of the asbestos used in the US (based on 1985 estimates). Most asbestos uses established before that date are still allowed, but now are strictly regulated by the government.

If you have an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma or an asbestos contamination problem in your home or business, talk to an experienced, skilled asbestos attorney. Contact our firm to learn more about your potential legal remedies.

Mesothelioma Basics

Mesothelioma, a relatively rare condition, is a deadly, aggressive cancer almost always linked to contact with asbestos. Typically, people suffering from mesothelioma have a history of asbestos exposure that was heavy, repeated and concentrated in an industrial setting. However, the heavy exposure may have been for a period as short as a couple of months.

Other Asbestos-Related Diseases

In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of two other major diseases: asbestosis and lung cancer. Asbestos also heightens the risk of stomach, gallbladder, larynx and kidney cancer. Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, often manifesting after retirement from an industrial career that involved asbestos exposure. Governmental regulation of asbestos has tightened significantly since the 1970s, so asbestos exposure has been greatly reduced.

Legal Redress for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Injuries

In the past century, thousands of people were exposed to harmful, airborne asbestos fibers in industrial settings and through the use of asbestos-containing products and construction materials. Sometimes the dangerous, often fatal, diseases from breathing or ingesting asbestos fibers are not manifest for even up to 50 years. Even now, people exposed decades ago are developing asbestos-induced illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Common Aspects of Asbestos Lawsuits

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral used in construction materials and consumer products for its fire-resistant and strengthening properties. When asbestos is released into the air in microscopic, dusty and threadlike fibers, it can be breathed into the body and lodged dangerously in the lungs, where it can lurk for decades before producing severe, even fatal, diseases, such as mesothelioma.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma Resource Links

Asbestos Exposure: Questions and Answers
National Cancer Institute Web site providing information on asbestos; illnesses caused by exposure, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer; and other useful information.

American Lung Association: Mesothelioma Fact Sheet
Web site providing statistical information on mesothelioma.

National Cancer Institute: Malignant Mesothelioma
Information center on malignant mesothelioma providing links to information on the disease, its causes and treatment options, statistics, research, clinical trials and more.

American Cancer Society: Asbestos
Web site devoted to asbestos with detailed information on what asbestos is, its links to mesothelioma and other illnesses, how people become exposed to it, preventing exposure and more.

American Cancer Society: Malignant Mesothelioma
Cancer reference center providing an overview of malignant mesothelioma, risk factors and prevention measures, symptoms, treatment options and links to more information on the disease.

Mesothelioma Information Center