Mesothelioma is a very rare but aggressive form of cancer that is primarily caused from the handling of asbestos materials. The survival rate for those diagnosed with mesothelioma is drastically low, sometimes only around eight percent. If you or a loved one reside in D.C. and have developed mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos please do not hesitate to contact an attorney. An attorney can discuss your rights with you and tell you how much monetary compensation you may be owed.

Asbestos was a building material that was very popular before the mid-seventies. Asbestos was perfect for building because it was durable, flexible, had a low conductivity to heat, resistant to fire, and was also resistant to burning. These properties lead to the widespread use of asbestos in almost every building that was built, nationwide, during this time period. Asbestos products were used at manufacturing facilities, railroad facilities, factories, construction sites, shipyards, and mines. Asbestos was used in ships, military vessels, buildings, schools, etc. Millions of workers were put at risk. It has been proven that asbestos insulation workers were put at the highest risk. Over six percent of insulation workers have gone on to develop asbestos related mesothelioma, and they are three-hundred times more likely to die from this type of cancer. Even today, asbestos is still in over seven-hundred-thousand buildings spread all across America. New workers are placed at risk when they have to tear down these old buildings or replace worn out asbestos materials.

Once asbestos is inhaled through the nose or mouth the body is unable to break it down. The asbestos fibers settle into the cavities of the lungs or the abdomen. Mesothelioma can occur several decades after a person’s initial exposure to asbestos. Most often, mesothelioma develops between the ages of fifty to seventy. Three-thousand new cases of asbestos related mesothelioma are diagnosed each year. This number is expected to rise during the next decade. Asbestos exposure is not only a deadly hazard for the worker but also for the worker’s family. If a worker comes home and a family member frequently handles the asbestos-laden clothing then that family member is at a high-risk for second hand asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma can develop in the chest, pleural mesothelioma, in the heart, pericardial mesothelioma, and in the abdomen, peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is very hard to diagnosis because it imitates other types of cancer and is usually not found until it is in the advanced stages. The medical field is looking for advanced testing procedures and better treatments to increase a person’s chance of survival after being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Asbestos related mesothelioma could have been prevented if asbestos products were vigorously safety tested. Also, if employers had their employees wear masks, gowns, and gloves when dealing with harmful asbestos materials then more employees might have been protected from asbestos exposure. If you are a resident of Washington, D.C. and have developed mesothelioma in direct relation to asbestos exposure, please call a lawyer today.