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Mesothelioma Deaths Among Iron Workers

A new study reveals what almost any mesothelioma attorney will tell you from experience - that the estimates of the number of people killed by mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos have been under reported.

Attorneys are able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit for those people diagnosed with the disease to help with treatment, lost wages, lost support and time with family. More than 3,000 people are diagnosed each year.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the lining of the body’s organs like the heart, lungs, and abdominal organs. It has been shown to develop after exposure and inhalation of asbestos fibers. Unfortunately, theer is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Further complicating diagnosis of mesothelioma is the fact that the disease can take 20 – 50 years to surface from the period of exposure. Even then, symptoms can resemble those of less severe conditions like the flu, meaning many people will wait to be examined.

A recent study by the University of Minnesota which began in 2008 tracks workers from the state’s Taconite mines to measure the number who have later been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Researchers had previously recorded 63 deaths of former mine workers when looking at records of those who stayed in-state. Now, after checking death reports for workers who relocated to other states after leaving the mines, the death toll has risen to 82.

The $4.9 million study was approved after concerns were raised that asbestos fibers in the state’s Taconite mining operations could be causing workers to develop mesothelioma. Researchers are examining records of people who worked at the various mines as far back as 1920.

It still is not known whether the mesothelioma cases were caused by exposure to asbestos in industrial settings like pipe insulation, furnaces and boilers; or whether the asbestos in the Taconite is being released into the air during mining and processing. The study, which will conclude in 2012, hopes to answer those questions.

Among the questions to be answered are whether Taconite workers suffered a greater rate of mesothelioma diagnosis than workers in other areas.

Aside from examining thousands of former workers and families associated with the mines, the study has also collected more than 2,000 air quality samples from over the mines. So far, researchers say, these have not shown any asbestos.

Asbestos Lawsuit in Reversal

Mississippi asbestos lawyers are concerned that a sizeable award to the victim of asbestos exposure who developed mesothelioma may be reversed as the case is heading to appeal for alleged bias.

Lawyers representing the producer of the asbestos-containing products argue that the judge that presided over the initial trial was biased as his father had previously filed two asbestos lawsuits for his mesothelioma.

The appeal would put at risk the $322 million award that a jury gave to Thomas Brown Jr. last year. The verdict is considered to be the largest on record in the United States for an asbestos-related mesothelioma lawsuit.

Asbestos was used in thousands of industrial, manufacturing and consumer products throughout the middle of the twentieth century for its durability and resistance to heat and electricity.

However, researchers have long since linked inhalation of the substance to mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the heart, lungs or abdomen. The disease can take 20-50 years to surface after exposure and has no known cure.

Complicating treatment of the disease is the fact that it is only treated successfully if it is detected very early. This is often difficult due both to the long latency period and the fact that the symptoms of the disease mimic those of other, less serious conditions.

The defendant in this case, Union Carbide, is asking that the $322 million verdict in this case be thrown out since Circuit Judge Eddie Brown did not recuse himself from hearing the case even though it later came out that his father had filed asbestos lawsuits on two previous occasions.

The information was revealed to the court when Judge Brown reportedly remarked to the jury that his own father had been exposed to the deadly asbestos substance while working as a shipbuilder.

The attorneys for the companies named in the asbestos lawsuit, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and Union Carbide Corp., argue that the circumstances of the judges father’s cases are actually similar to those in this case.

They also argue that Judge Brown showed obvious bias in favor of the injured plaintiff during the trial. Attorneys representing Tony Brown Jr. pointed out, however, that the defendants did not ask the judge to recuse himself during the trial until the jury award was handed down.

Although the use of asbestos is now heavily restricted in the United States, thousands of Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year as the devastating effects of the substance continue to surface in the workers who came into contact with it decades earlier.

Montana Mesothelioma Settlement

You have likely seen one of the many recent advertisements on television by a mesothelioma attorney warning of the risks of asbestos and the opportunity to file a mesothelioma lawsuit if you develop the deadly disease after exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma lawsuits are generally filed by mesothelioma attorneys representing those who worked with or around asbestos when it was in widespread use from the 1930s until the 1970s.

Most often victims of mesothelioma encountered asbestos on a daily basis working in boiler rooms, in shipbuilding, or in automotive or industrial positions. Often, our brave service men were the ones exposed. Even sadder is the secondary exposure often experienced by families of those who worked with asbestos.

The most shocking story of asbestos risks, however, is the fact that it is still present in thousands of buildings around the country and most importantly in many of our nation’s schools.

While many expect that workers who are earning a living run an inherent risk of coming into contact with potentially harmful substances, no one expects our defenseless children to risk coming into contact with the deadly substance while at school.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several severe conditions including mesothelioma, a cancerous disease that attacks the linings of the body’s vital organs. This disease most often affects the heart, lungs and abdomen. Health experts estimate that mesothelioma kills between 2,000 and 3,000 people each year.

Mesothelioma is especially worrisome as it has no known cure and spreads quickly throughout the body once it surfaces. Although experts preach close monitoring for early detection as the best prevention, the fact that the disease can take 20-50 years or more to develop makes this very difficult.

Perhaps more troubling to parents is that children may never know whether or not they have been exposed to asbestos in their school, therefore they will not know to monitor for the general symptoms in time later in life. However, many recent reports indicate that the presence of asbestos in schools across our country is still a problem.

In Rhode Island, the collapse of a roof in an elementary school that was only 20 years old unveiled the danger that asbestos materials were present in the school. The area affected had to be shut down for repairs and asbestos removal.

Elsewhere, a school in Colorado last year had to be evacuated and shut down for an extended period of time while abatement contractors inspected and removed a substance that was thought to be asbestos.

Two years ago in New Hampshire, inspectors with the Environmental Protection Agency discovered that a school which was operating both an elementary and nursery school had failed to report that asbestos was present on the property. Although the owners were fined and ordered to remove the substance, this did not prevent kids being put at risk.

Montana Mesothelioma Settlement

Victims of asbestos exposure who hire a mesothelioma lawyer to file a mesothelioma lawsuit usually do so against the company that mined, manufactured or used the asbestos that caused their illness.

In many cases, however, the company that sold or used the asbestos has since declared bankruptcy, been sold or no longer exists. A unique case in Montana explored the recourse available to residents of a state who have been left with no help after mass exposure to asbestos.

It was recently released that their may be a settlement of the more than 1,000 lawsuits filed against the state of Montana by the residents of the town of Libby who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases from the nearby asbestos mines.

Asbestos injury lawsuits aren’t usually filed against state agencies, however, residents of the areas surrounding Libby, Montana were left with no other recourse after the company at fault, W.R. Grace, filed for bankruptcy in 2001. This halted many of the lawsuits that had been filed for injury and wrongful death.

The mesothelioma lawsuits and asbestos disease lawsuits filed against the state of Montana and several state agencies alleged among other things that the state failed to use proper oversight of the operations at the plant and mine and failed to properly protect its citizens.

Officials at W.R. Grace were originally warned by the state in 1956 that the asbestos may be extremely harmful, however, little was done to protect workers or nearby residents from that time until the mine closed in 1990.

As more and more people began developing mesothelioma in the late 1990’s, questions were raised about the inaction by state agencies to protect people against exposure or warn the public about the severe risks of asbestos.

Although reports put the amount of the settlement at around $43 million, many people and victims are questioning whether this amount is sufficient or whether all of those affected have been included in the action.

Initially, around 800 lawsuits were filed by those affected with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. As recent as this month, that number was up to 1,125 individual lawsuits.

Victim advocates point to the fact, however, that the asbestos disease center in Libby, Montana, or CARD clinic, currently has around 2,800 open files for victims of asbestos-related diseases, and they add more every month. This would suggest that many have been left out of the lawsuit set to settle.

Of the proposed $43 million settlement, those with mesothelioma would receive approximately $61,000, while those with lung cancer and other cancers would get nearly $52,000. Victims of other diseases could get as little as $34,279. Also, these amounts will have attorney’s fees of approximately 33% deducted.

These amounts are quite small in lawsuits that typically bring verdicts in the millions of dollars. However, with no recourse left against the company that actually operated and profited from the asbestos disaster, residents may have to settle for what is offered to them.

State officials are set to meet soon to discuss approval of the proposed settlement since it exceeds $10,000 per case. The state’s insurance company has reportedly already agreed to the settlement amount.

Mesothelioma Event Raises Awareness

Mesothelioma Attorneys offer caution to those who have worked in the automotive, construction or shipbuilding industries that if they have worked with or around asbestos, they are at risk of developing a deadly cancer known as mesothelioma. While a mesothelioma lawsuit may help recover damages, early detection is vital.

Since mesothelioma is a very rare and under reported disease, it also important to raise awareness of the disease for the general population so that vital funds and research attention can be directed to trying to find a cure.

Events such as the recent Miles For Meso Run/Walk are an excellent and inspiring way to raise awareness for mesothelioma. This event took place last month in South Florida thanks to the efforts of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and mesothelioma survivor Larry Davis.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the mesothelium lining of the body’s vital organs in the chest and abdomen including the heart and lungs. There are two variations, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma has been linked almost exclusively to exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos is a naturally-mined substance that was used extensively in industrial applications during the 20th century.

The microscopic fibers from asbestos are easily breathed in if the substance is disturbed, cut, sheared or ripped in any way.

Although the fibers can bond quickly to the lung tissue, the incubation period for mesothelioma is extremely long – usually 20 to 50 years. For this reason people that worked with the substance decades before often discount or forget about the risk and fail to monitor for symptoms.

Early detection is vital to surviving mesothelioma. Once the disease surfaces, it spreads very quickly. Since the disease has no cure, early treatment and removal is the only way to combat the spread. However, since the symptoms also mimic those of less serious diseases, people often wait until it is too late.

Due to the widespread use of asbestos from the 1930s until the 1970s, it is estimated that millions of workers were exposed to the deadly substance. Experts believe that more than 10,000 people die each year from diseases like mesothelioma related to asbestos.

Although the use of asbestos has been severely restricted in the United States and most developed countries, it is still used in certain applications such as automobile brakes. Therefore, certain workers are still at risk of mesothelioma.

Canada Revives Asbestos Mining Raising Mesothelioma Concerns

Mesothelioma lawyers and asbestos health activists from all over the world are appalled at the recent efforts of certain lobbying groups in Canada to increase mining operations at the infamous asbestos mines in Quebec named after their deadly crop.

Doctors have treated hundreds of thousands of patients who likely developed mesothelioma cancer and mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of families file a mesothelioma lawsuit after losing a loved one to this tragic disease.

The town of Asbestos, Quebec, aptly named for its chief export in decades past, was once a booming mining area with thousands of workers helping mine the cash crop that was shipped around the world and used in thousands of products.

Due to the properties of asbestos that make it very pliable and resistant to heat, decay, fire or rust, the substance was used in numerous mechanical, automotive, industrial and building applications from the 1930s until the 1980s.

However, exposure to the substance has now been linked to the deadly disease mesothelioma, a cancer that attacks the lining of the body’s vital organs like the heart, lungs and abdomen.

Physicians and researchers eventually noticed that those who were developing mesothelioma had high traces of asbestos fibers in sample tissue. Now, mesothelioma has been attributed almost exclusively to asbestos exposure.

There is no known cure for mesothelioma and the only hope for effective treatment is detection at a very early stage. Unfortunately, the disease can take 20 to 50 years to surface after exposure and, with symptoms that mimic common illnesses, detection is often done too late.

It is estimated that millions of people have died of mesothelioma and the World Health Organization predicts that almost 108,000 people worldwide die every year from diseases like mesothelioma related to asbestos.

Through the efforts of health and safety activists, the use or importation of asbestos has been banned in more than 55 developed countries. But it is where Canadian asbestos interests want to shipped the newly mined substance that has many people concerned.

Developing nations such as India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines are all planned to get the bulk of asbestos shipments. Human rights and health experts point out these countries all have one thing in common: lack of protection from asbestos risks.

Not surprisingly, the lobbyists, politicians and companies pushing for the increased mining say that the chrysotile asbestos fibers are not harmful to miners, workers, area residents or the people who end up with finished products. Health experts say this is rubbish and point to the millions of deaths worldwide attributed to asbestos.

What has shocked many is that these selfish economic moves are coming from Canada, a nation long known as a polite, free, democratic country that protects the rights of its own citizens.

Brake Dust Exposure & Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma lawyers and researchers have identified a new risk of asbestos exposure that could effect millions of people who work in the car repair industry and lead brake mechanics to file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Studies have shown that while the use of asbestos in certain car and truck parts is still prevalent, most of those men and women who work on cars and trucks don’t know about the risk or aren’t taking precautions that they should when handling asbestos-laden parts.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the pleural lining of the body’s organs in the chest and abdomen such as the heart and lungs. It is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.

Since mesothelioma can take 20 to 50 years to surface and has non-specific symptoms, it can be very hard to detect. However, early detection is crucial as the disease spreads very quickly into other organs and there is no known cure.

Due to its extreme resistance to heat, high tensile strength and pliability, asbestos was used for decades in building, industrial and automotive parts. Unfortunately it is still used in car and truck parts such as brake shoes, clutches, brake drums, gaskets and heat resistant hood linings.

During a recent study, researchers visited nearly 80 Washington state service stations and automotive repair shops to observe how technicians handled asbestos-containing products. What they found was shocking.

Because of the extreme risk of exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibers during servicing of brake parts, the EPA and OSHA have recommended specific precautions and methods for replacing these parts and what kind of protection to wear.

The study found that approximately 90% of auto service workers didn’t even know that asbestos was still used in car parts such as brakes. Most shops were not using the recommended equipment for handling or disposing of asbestos-containing parts.

EPA and OSHA guidelines recommend against grinding, hammering, scraping or blowing with compressed air any parts that may contain asbestos. The report also found that most mechanics took little or no precautions when handling parts that contained asbestos to protect themselves from the deadly substance.

What was also alarming from the study is that most mechanics took no precautions to prevent bringing the deadly asbestos fibers home on their clothing, where it can affect their families. Experts recommend that they change clothes before going home from work.

Keep in mind that these risks are just as great or worse for anyone who performs work on their car at home. Do not count on the automotive parts industry to protect you and your family from danger. Avoid working with asbestos or take the necessary precautions if you must handle the substance.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that around 575 people die each year from mesothelioma related to work in the automobile industry. Don’t let yourself be part of this statistic.

Multiple Treatment Types in Combination are Most Effective Against Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma lawyers are always urging those who have been exposed to asbestos to monitor their health carefully and get regular checkups to test for mesothelioma. Based on the results of a recent study, the type of treatment you receive after being diagnosed with mesothelioma may be almost as important to survival time as detecting it early.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, heart and abdominal organs. It is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos and there is no known cure. Although it can take 20 years or longer to surface after exposure, it spreads very quickly after it does.

Treatment options for mesothelioma are limited, therefore it is important to try to detect it early. Mesothelioma patients are usually treated with either chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of two or all of these.

Treatment with only one method is known as single modality treatment, while a combination of two is bimodality and all three together is trimodality treatment. The recent study by a top cancer researcher examined the effectiveness of the three.

The study followed 110 patients who suffered from malignant pleural mesothelioma. For the study, patients in the latest stages of mesothelioma received only single modality radiation or bimodal radiation and chemotherapy, while those in the earliest stages received surgery as well.

Not surprisingly, those patients in the study who received the most intensive treatment had the longest survival rate on average. For those receiving only radiation, the survival period averaged 8 months. For those undergoing two types of treatment survival averaged eleven months and those who had all three types of treatment experienced 16 months of survival on average.

While these survival rates are not optimistic, the study did point out that some patients who underwent the aggressive trimodal treatment survived for over 5 years. This suggests early stage mesothelioma patients should at least consider an aggressive course of treatment.

The results of the study contrast the typical methods of treatment to date, which usually only consist of radiation.

While each patient will certainly consider different factors such as pain, comfort level and quality of life when deciding how aggressive of a treatment plan to pursue, every patient should definitely discuss all their options with their doctor.

Early Detection of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma lawyers and asbestos attorneys are called upon almost every day by the family of some one who has developed mesothelioma from years of exposure to asbestos in the past and needs to file a mesothelioma lawsuit to protect their future.

Unfortunately, many victims of mesothelioma are beyond medical help by the time they realize where they were exposed to asbestos and who may be at fault since they did not detect the disease early enough to receive sufficient treatment.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects the mesothelium lining of the body’s internal organs. It most often attacks the lining of the heart, lungs and abdomen. Mesothelioma is most often caused by exposure to tiny asbestos particles, which can be breathed in without knowing it.

Although asbestos is now known to be highly dangerous, unfortunately it was used in widespread applications from the 1930s until the late 1970s because of its superior industrial properties. It is heat resistant, does not conduct electricity and is highly pliable.

Millions of workers were exposed to asbestos in the military, manufacturing and industrial jobs during that time. Many family members also experienced secondary exposure as workers brought asbestos fibers home on their clothes. The use of asbestos has now been banned in the United States.

The problem with detection of mesothelioma is that it usually doesn’t surface for 20-30 years or more after exposure. Once it does surface, it advances quickly and leaves little hope for survival. At this time there is no known cure for mesothelioma. Each year there are around 2500 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed.

If mesothelioma is detected early steps can be taken to fight the disease such as removing affected areas of mesothelium lining. However, another problem with detection is that the symptoms of the disease resemble those of many less-serious conditions, and therefore are often ignored

The common symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, coughing, chest or abdominal pain, fatigue, trouble swallowing and weight loss. Since early detection offers the best chance of survival, it is important that you look for these symptoms if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, and see your doctor for regular checkups.

Underreported Mesothelioma Cases

Although thousands of people in the United States exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with mesothelioma have filed a mesothelioma lawsuit, researchers and mesothelioma lawyers now believe that there are a large number of victims in the U.S and worldwide whose mesothelioma case has gone unreported.

In the study published this week, researchers from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan found that for each 4 or 5 people around the world diagnosed with mesothelioma, there is at least one other person whose mesothelioma case has not been reported.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. It attacks the linings of the body’s vital organs in the chest and abdomen and does not have a cure at this time. Although mesothelioma can take 20 years or more to develop after exposure, it attacks very quickly once it surfaces.

Also, because the early symptoms of mesothelioma often resemble those of less serious diseases, it often goes untreated and undetected until it has progressed to an advanced state.

Researchers in this study only tracked mesothelioma deaths rather than mesothelioma diagnoses since nearly every person who contracts the disease passes away quickly afterward.

Examining the 89 countries which used asbestos between 1920 and 1970, the researchers found that only 56 of these kept data on the number of deaths caused by mesothelioma. Between 1994 and 2008, this amounted to over 174,000 deaths. Estimating the death rate for the other 33 countries, they predicted that almost 40,000 more deaths likely went unreported.

Not surprising, the countries who did not report mesothelioma deaths include Russia, Kazakstan China, and India. Although these countries were in the top 15 for amount of asbestos use, they have dismal track records when it comes to human rights and specifically the rights of workers.

The researchers again urged every country to stop production and use of asbestos due to the deadly consequences it can have on citizens and the health of the country.