Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer which attacks the outer linings of the lungs and intestinal tract and the covering of the heart. More technically, it is called epithelial mesothelioma since as it affects the pleural membrane, the pericardium and the peritoneum. Strictly speaking it is not lung cancer. The two are often confused. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which affects the covering of the lungs. It comes in three forms:

• Pleural mesothelioma

• Peritoneal mesothelioma

• Pericardial mesothelioma

Causes

In simplest terms, mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. The exposure could either be direct or indirect, called secondary. Direct exposure can happen in the workplace, while indirect exposure happens when a person is exposed to asbestos through contact with another person who has been exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma victims suffer pain and loss. They are turning to the law and lawsuits for legal recourse. The earliest suits were by plant workers who suffered work exposure. The legal battlefield has widened considerably since then. Today there are about 3,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed every year in the United States. While treatment is painful and not always life saving, some mesothelioma victims have hope they can get monetary compensation to help fight their mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma was first seen in the 1950s and 1960s.  At that time ill workers in plants and other work locations which used asbestos were unaware of the connection between their condition and asbestos. Management of these work areas soon made the connection the workers did not make. However, they kept quiet about their discovery. Informing their workers of this problem took a back seat to the usual business of making a profit. At the time asbestos was still heralded as a miracle material and was used in many applications. This has since proven to be a costly strategy on the part of management.

Litigation – Does It Help?

Asbestos has been used in a wide array of products, from buildings to toasters to car brakes to shipyards. A 1935 publication in the American Journal of Cancer, Pulmonary Asbestosis: Carcinoma of the Lung in Asbesto-Silicosis, first raised the suspicions of the connection between asbestos and the unusual death rates and lung-related diseases among industrial users. A second medical publication in 1955 confirmed the earlier findings. These articles made the continued use of asbestos a legal nightmare for its champions. It meant that some people continued to use asbestos even though it was easily possible to know better.

Mesothelioma lawsuits have enabled the disease’s victims to win large amounts of money from their negligent and callous employers. These lawsuits have also halted the further use of asbestos.

Top Mesothelioma Lawyers

The symptoms of mesothelioma do not manifest themselves until a period of time after the first inhalation of asbestos fibers. Proper medical treatment is painful and costly. Lawsuits have helped pay for the heavy medical expenses, and sometimes for pain and suffering. Nowadays there are several law firms which specialize in cases of Mesothelioma. Experienced mesothelioma lawyers have their hands full of cases. Some of the top mesothelioma lawyers even get public exposure in places like television, where they inform the public of the ongoing dangers of this disease.

Mesothelioma suits are generally brought on a contingency basis, meaning the person bringing the suit does not pay the lawyer (although they often have to pay expenses like filing fees and such). The lawyer gets paid only if he or she wins the case. This makes bringing suit into the pocketbook of more victims.

There are many websites, including this one, which offer connections for victims to find lawyers who are willing to handle their cases. If you want to know whether you or a loved on has a proper claim check with a few of the available lawyers. They will clarify your rights to you.

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