An aggressive cancer that can take decades to appear, mesothelioma is unfortunately still on the radar.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer that occurs on the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin tissue that covers most internal organs including the lungs, abdominal cavity, and heart. 

Pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the lungs, is the most common form of mesothelioma, and asbestos exposure is one of the primary risk factors for developing the disease. This is because friable (i.e., loose) asbestos that’s been disturbed and released into the air, soil, or water is easily ingested. Once the microscopic fibers enter the body, they dig into the lining of the lungs and remain embedded there permanently. 

If you’ve been paying attention to the media lately, you’ve likely noticed a recent surge in the number of commercials and other advertisements associated with mesothelioma. You may even find yourself knowing more about the disease than you would have ever thought you would. Why is this? Why is there so much media attention surrounding the topic as of late? 

The latency of mesothelioma: symptoms can take 20-50 years to appear.

Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma are still making headlines. The main reason that mesothelioma has become such a “hot topic” is because individuals who were exposed decades ago are now being diagnosed. Like many other asbestos-related diseases which have a long latency period before symptoms appear, mesothelioma tends to show up years later. This means, it’s cropping up in patients who came into contact with asbestos fibers before the mineral was largely banned in the 1980s. 

It’s not surprising that more awareness is being drawn to mesothelioma given the predicted timeline in which many cases would start to surface. Educating the public on the dangers of this disease and what can be done to seek compensation is important as they struggle to come to terms with it.

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In terms of death rate, Louisiana had 5.9 asbestos-related deaths per 100,000 population during the 1999-2017 period. (Higher than the national average death rate of 4.9.)

The History Behind the Mesothelioma Cover-up

The first asbestos lawsuit was filed in 1934 and accused Johns-Manville, one of the largest asbestos companies in the world, of negligence leading to the death of the plaintiff’s family member. The company settled this along with an additional ten cases. Unfortunately, the company also bought the lawyer’s silence as part of the settlement and there wasn’t an additional asbestos-related filing until the infamous Borel Case in 1969. 

That’s only on the legal front. Cases of asbestos health risks have been documented as far back as 1897. The first asbestos death was documented in 1906, and U.S. insurance companies increased premiums, and reduced benefits and coverage limits, by 1908 for people working in the asbestos industry. By doing so, they limited the amount of funds that would need to be disbursed as a result of exposure.

For years, companies had been aware that coming into contact with asbestos leads to health complications such as mesothelioma, and even death. Unfortunately, they chose to hide behind a veil of ignorance because the mineral was a proverbial “cash cow,” bringing in large profits due to its durable, high-resistant properties and inexpensiveness. 

Why the Cover-up Worked so Well: Mesothelioma takes a while to appear.

Even if companies failed to warn consumers of the dangers their products posed, if people were getting sick, this wouldn’t necessarily explain why more people weren’t looking for answers. Instead, the real reason why the cover-up worked for so long was because mesothelioma symptoms have a significantly long latency period. Oftentimes, they don’t appear until years have passed. That means that most people simply didn’t show symptoms or severe enough complications to file a lawsuit until now. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Health, the peak exposure period was in the 1970s when an estimated 1.6 trillion pounds of asbestos were used. Back then, the government didn’t impose restrictions or regulate asbestos exposure like it did in the 1980s and thereafter. 

Increased awareness of mesothelioma the dangers of asbestos

Considering the latency period, those who had chronic asbestos exposure back in the 1970s are only now exhibiting health complications. This is especially the case with mesothelioma. As a result, the number of lawsuits pertaining to asbestos-related diseases and negligence is on the rise. As one might imagine, this prompts an increase in commercials, primarily legal and medical commercials. The U.S.’s capitalistic society is one that seems to always be more reactive then proactive. There was a market and ready audience to tout the benefits of asbestos during most of the 20th century, and now, there is a market and a ready audience for mesothelioma ads. Thus, the number of ads is only expected to grow as more and more mesothelioma cases are diagnosed. 

1982: The Beginning

Although there’s an explosive growth of commercials, and subsequently, awareness, surrounding mesothelioma now, this can all be traced back to 1982. In 1982, lawsuits on asbestos and the associated health risks finally gained some traction in the media. Thanks to that, many people were awakened to the dangers of asbestos and took preventive measures wherever possible to avoid exposure. Unfortunately, however, by the 1980s, the damage had largely been done. Many workers in asbestos industries, their spouses and children, had already come into contact with the fibers at some point. The outcome of this just remained dormant until now, years later.

What are asbestos trusts? (Mesothelioma compensation without a lawsuit)

Asbestos trusts were eventually set up by companies and their insurers to provide compensation to individuals who came into contact with toxic fibers and became ill, or to loved ones who lost family members as a result of exposure. An asbestos trust is one of three types of mesothelioma claims – the other two are personal injury and wrongful death claims. However, because of the onset of awareness beginning in 1982, in order to qualify for trust funds, one must prove they were exposed prior to this year. Those who can prove their case will be able to successfully file a claim.

Who’s at Risk of Getting Mesothelioma?

Asbestos was used in many areas of business, including industries such as water conservancy (pipes), the automotive industry, and construction (in ceiling and floor tiles, roof shingles and insulation). That means that the chances of exposure are extremely high. Those who are at highest risk of developing an asbestos-related disease include people whow worked directly in asbestos mining or the industries listed above before the mineral became heavily regulated. Additionally, anyone using products made from asbestos such as brakes, fertilizer, talcum powder, and fire curtains also risk exposure. Back in the 1970s, even the spouses and children of workers in asbestos industries risked developing mesothelioma. 

Do You Qualify For Compensation?

Quickly and easily find out how you were exposed by searching W.A.R.D., the largest asbestos database on the planet.

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What are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?

Primary symptoms include respiratory difficulties such as labored breathing and coughing, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and accumulation of fluid in the lungs. 

Testing for a mesothelioma diagnosis

To test for mesothelioma, one would need to get an X-Ray or CT scan, but definitive proof is only made possible with a biopsy. Treatment methods include chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy. Unfortunately, even with early treatment, mesothelioma tends to be aggressive, and it is still one of the deadliest forms of cancer, carrying a poor prognosis. 

What are the Available Legal Options after a mesothelioma diagnosis?

For those with grave injuries resulting from asbestos exposure like mesothelioma and lung cancer, the judicial system is available to ensure that their injuries (i.e., medical bills, lost work, pain and suffering or the wrongful death of a loved one) can be compensated for properly. But that usually requires an experienced mesothelioma attorney who understands the law, the court system, and the legal landscape of mesothelioma lawsuits.

If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related injury, you can receive compensation even without filing a lawsuit, especially if you’ve used a product that is proven to contain unsafe amounts of asbestos. We have the commercials to thank for the increased awareness around this topic. Unfortunately, however, for severe cases, filing a lawsuit may be the best option for reimbursement.

If you decide to file, working with the team of experienced attorneys at AsbestosClaims.law is a great option. They help their clients navigate the often-complex legal system, and the best part is, they only charge a contingency fee, meaning no one gets paid until you do. Plus, AsbestosClaims.law has created the W.A.R.D. database, which is the largest repository in the world for information regarding products containing asbestos and how to seek help once exposed. Get the help you need by calling the team at AsbestosClaims.law today.

AsbestosClaims.Law

AsbestosClaims.law is your comprehensive resource for all things asbestos. We hope this information is helpful.

If you have any additional questions or concerns related to asbestos, check out our website and YouTube page for videos, infographics and answers to your questions about asbestos, including health and safety, asbestos testing, removing asbestos from your home and building, and legal information about compensation for asbestos injuries.

If you believe that your home was contaminated with asbestos, or you believe that you were exposed to asbestos, or have been diagnosed with an asbestos illness, you could be entitled to significant compensation—money you could use to cover the costs of asbestos removal services, pay for medical treatment, and preemptively protect your physical well-being. 

All without filing a lawsuit.

The largest database of asbestos information on the planet.

W.A.R.D., which stands for the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database, helps clients to narrow down when and where they may have been exposed, as well as which products may still contain asbestos. W.A.R.D. will also help indicate compensation types and how much a person may be entitled to.

If you’d like help with filing a claim, please get in touch by email at [email protected], or call or text us at (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) or (206) 455-9190. We’ll listen to your story and explain your options. And we never charge for anything unless you receive money in your pocket.

References:

Pleural mesothelioma: tackling a deadly cancer (2019). The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 7(2). January 16, 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30004-9.
Pira, Enrico & Donato, Francesca & Maida, Luisa & Discalzi, Gianluigi. (2018). Exposure to asbestos: Past, present and future. Journal of Thoracic Disease. 10. S237-S245. 10.21037/jtd.2017.10.126.

Asbestos | NIOSH | CDC