Mesothelioma Cancer Information Article

Type of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos

I Don't Need A Mesothelioma Lawyer Yet
By Mike 0'Brien
With the staggering increase in the number of cases, it's a wonder that more was not done earlier. Asbestos in poor working conditions is something that has been around for decades, but only recently has it been put into the media spotlight. Is it because people started dying or because the media finally shed light on this preventable disease?

Because of the increase in cases in industrial nation workers, it became apparent that these workers, from the miners who removed it from the ground, to the builders and others who used the finished product and all those others in between such as the wives who washed their husbands work clothes all needed some form of protection. If only those people who knew how dangerous asbestos in certain forms was, had passed their knowledge onto people working with asbestos products much of the tragedy we are watching today and will continue to see in the future would have been adverted. Although it had been known for many years that asbestos was dangerous, little was done to protect workers. I have first hand experience of this as I was an employee of James Hardie in Auckland New Zealand for three months in 1965 and I wasn't even issued with a face mask. I may not have worn it as I was 19 years old, ten foot tall and bullet proof, but that doesn't mean that my employer wasn't negligent with their duty to protect their workers. So far neither myself or my mate who worked with me have been affected. Many trade unions stepped in to increase the rights of the workers as it was determined that employers knew about the harmful effects of asbestos and willingly put workers into situations where asbestos was present, without any form of protection.

And it's not just the businesses that may be to blame for the lack of concern. Governments have only recently begun to investigate cases as word of deaths came to light in newspapers and via other media outlets. The problems have been as far reaching as Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Great Britain - and it doesn't seem to be stopping.

This is why activists are starting to educate workers and businesses about the ramifications of asbestos exposure and how to prevent it. In law, activist is a term referring to those lawyers that deal with worker cases involving diseases. And the need for such lawyers has never been greater.

Finding a good lawyer is crucial in order for a worker to get financial compensation for their health loss. While there may not be a cure for the disease, the pain and suffering that go along with it are worth the litigation. Patients can have large medical bills from various treatments, and just as in worker's compensation cases, when the employer is responsible for putting the employee in harms way, they should also have the responsibility for compensating the employee and making the remainder of their usually much shorter life expectancy as comfortable as possible.

There is some discussion about whether companies that willingly put workers into situations with asbestos without protection should not only be responsible for providing financial support to workers, but also to society in general. Not only is the life of the worker interrupted by this awful terminal cancer, but the effect on the work population as a whole is dramatic. While more cases are being brought to light each year, the need for workers in those occupations also increases to make up for the loss of their cancer stricken work mates and the difficulties companies have recruiting others into such a high risk occupation.

It is crucial for a worker that may have been exposed to asbestos to go to their physician to get the proper diagnosis, not just for their health but also to pursue a financial settlement if you have contracted this insidious diesease. When this diagnosis is confirmed by testing, it is essential that a worker find a lawyer as soon as possible. Not only is the health and well-being of the worker at stake, but also compensation for the worker as well as for the pain and suffering of the family that they will leave behind because of a disease that their employer probably knew about - and did nothing to prevent.

Mike O'Brien offers advice and information about mesothelioma activists This is a quality web site with a choice of mesothelioma lawyer and general mesothelioma cancer information at your fingertips!

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What is the mesothelium? The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures. The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women. What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum. How common is mesothelioma? Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. What are the risk factors for mesothelioma? Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney. Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung. Additional Related Resources
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