Mesothelioma and You
Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer. The only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is asbestos exposure. It takes 10-50 years after the first exposure to asbestos for a person to develop mesothelioma. People who worked directly with asbestos such as insulators, shipyard, refinery, construction and utility workers, military personnel and others are at risk for developing mesothelioma. Other people at risk are housewives, children, school teachers, and others who were indirectly exposed. Short term, intense exposure may cause mesothelioma many years later. It is important to determine if and how you were exposed to asbestos.
Medical Options
Presently, there is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma. However, there
are treatments that may improve the quality and quantity of life for people with
mesothelioma. Some of these treatments include:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
- Surgery
- Palliative Therapy
- Experimental Therapies
Other Asbestos Related
Diseases
Lung Cancer:
Cancer of the lung and air passages. Cigarette
smoking and asbestos exposure increase a person's
risk of developing lung cancer by 50-90 times.
Gastrointestinal Cancers:
Evidence has shown a connection between asbestos exposure
and the development of colon/rectal cancer, laryngeal cancer,
esophageal cancer and other forms of cancer.
Asbestosis:
Scarring of the lung tissue which may impair lung function
and eventually cause death. Symptoms are shortness of breath,
coughing, wheezing, and clubbing of the fingers. This is
a non-cancerous disease caused by asbestos exposure.
Pleural Plaques and Thickening:
Scarring of the lining of the lung which may decrease breathing
capacity. This is a non-cancerous disease caused by asbestos
exposure.
Legal Options
If you have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma (or
any other disease caused by asbestos exposure) you may have
legal rights to sue the manufacturers, distributors and suppliers
of the asbestos products for your injuries. Also, you may
have legal rights to sue the contractors who installed and/or
removed asbestos products as well as your employer. In many
situations, the estate of a deceased person may bring a lawsuit
for personal injuries, and/or wrongful death. Be aware that
each state has a time period, known as the statute of limitations,
within which a person or the estate of the deceased person
must file a lawsuit to be entitled to monetary compensation
or be forever barred from any recovery. Each state has its
own law regarding the time period to file a lawsuit and those
laws are strictly enforced.
If you believe that you or someone you know has been exposed
to asbestos, please contact the Law Offices of Gayle R.
Lewis immediately at (877) 529-9969, or by using the form
below, so that we can help you get the compensation that
you deserve.
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