Mesothelioma, Asbestos, and Legal Compensation: Basic Facts

North Carolina Asbestos Attorney Tom Lamb

Asbestos Awareness

• Asbestos diseases range from scarring of the lungs and lung cancer to mesothelioma.
• The latency period for asbestos diseases is 15-40 years.
• Asbestos was used in the 1970′s, so we began climbing a plateau in 1993 and it will continue to 2018.
• There are 10,000 asbestos deaths a year and that number will rise.

Read more about this increasing number of mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease cases >>>

• What is asbestos? >>>
• More than 21 million workers had significant asbestos exposure before the mid-1970′s when working with or near asbestos products.
• Because asbestos fibers remain in the lungs, each exposure to asbestos dust increases the likelihood of developing an asbestos disease.
• Besides mesothelioma, there are other medical conditions associated with asbestos exposure, such as asbestos-related pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
• Most cases of asbestosis or lung cancer occur 10 years or more after the first exposure to asbestos dust.

• What is mesothelioma? >>>
• 2,000-3,000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the US.
• Malignant mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in people over 50; more often in men than women; and risk increases with age.
• There are 3 types of malignant mesothelioma.
• Pleural Mesothelioma, which accounts for 75% of cases and starts in the chest cavity
• Peritoneal Mesothelioma, which accounts for about 10-20% of cases and starts in the abdomen
• Pericardial Mesothelioma, which is rare and starts in the heart
• Workers exposed to asbestos in the past are most at risk for developing mesothelioma.
• Family members exposed to asbestos dust on the asbestos worker’s clothing are also at risk.
• Some people with only brief asbestos exposure can develop mesothelioma.
• Malignant mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos dust.

• How do I get legal compensation? >>>
• Asbestos manufacturers failed to warn workers about the dangers of exposure to asbestos dust and the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.
• Asbestos claims for malignant mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer, and pulmonary asbestosis are usually made by an asbestos attorney filing a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit, or by negotiating an asbestos settlement.

This documentary was created to raise awareness of the issues surrounding mesothelioma and the thousands who die from this cancer each year. The video includes interviews with individuals who have mesothelioma and was produced in support of asbestos victims who suffer from the disease.  View Video: “Raising Awareness Of Mesothelioma” (8.5 minutes)