Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog
We discussed the basics of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure on our first mesothelioma blog. This particularly deadly form of cancer has been linked in nearly every case to exposure to asbestos.
The building material, asbestos, has been used since the late 1800s. Thousands of shipyard, construction and mill employees worked with asbestos during World War II. Asbestos was used in thousands of products across the country and has never been officially banned. Products that include asbestos are clutches, drywall materials, gaskets, packing, automotive brakes, ceilings and floor tiles. The associated liability means it is used in fewer products today but Canada remains a leading exporter, particularly to South America and other developing countries.
A mesothelioma injury attorney in Massachusetts should be contacted immediately if you or a loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure is common to those who work building ships or who worked in New England mills in through the 1960s and 1970s. Roughly 100,000 people in the United States have died, or will die, from asbestos exposure related to ship building.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration declares that even permissible exposure to asbestos under United States regulations is not enough protection to prevent asbestos-related cancers, including mesothelioma. The organization and other safety advocates believe even the lowest levels of asbestos exposure can be enough to cause the cancer.
While exposure to asbestos can cause the cancer is as little as 1 to 3 months, the incubation period for the cancer is typically 15 to 40 years. The cancer reaches its peak between 30 and 40 years. Because of this, many workers who were exposed to asbestos at a younger age may not be diagnosed until well after they’ve retired from the workforce. This delay results in victims who are unable to connect the potentially deadly disease to asbestos exposure.
Oftentimes, companies were aware, or should have been aware, of the asbestos presence at their work site. Risks of asbestos exposure have been known since the early 1900s, and yet it continued to be used in numerous products, including shingles, cement, brake linings insulation, floor products, roofing materials and textiles.
Unfortunately, a worker that is exposed to asbestos will oftentimes bring the cancer risk home to their families as the material remains on their clothing, skin and hair. Those who live with an asbestos exposure victim are at an increased risk for developing mesothelioma. As many buildings were made with materials containing asbestos, occupants and visitors to these structures also face an increased risk of exposure when these materials are disturbed.
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