Many residents who reside in the state of West Virginia may be unaware that they were placed at a high-risk for developing mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive type of cancer, due to exposure to asbestos. Asbestos, prior to the 1970’s, was considered to be the perfect building material. Asbestos has a low conductivity to heat, is fire resistant, does not burn, and is flexible and extremely durable. Asbestos products were used at construction sites, manufacturing facilities, railroads, railroad facilities, shipyards, mines and factories. Millions of Americans were put at risk. Once asbestos is breathed into the body, through the nose or mouth, our bodies can not break down the foreign substance. So, the asbestos fibers become embedded in the lungs or even the abdomen. These fibers lead to the development of mesothelioma. Many people only have an eight percent survival rate once they are diagnosed with mesothelioma. If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos as an occupational hazard and have gone on to develop mesothelioma, please contact an attorney to discuss you rights. Your employer or manufacturer may be at fault.

Over three-thousand new cases of asbestos-related mesothelioma are diagnosed each year. Once a person has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, they only have a twenty-percent chance of surviving the first five years after diagnosis. The reason for such a low survival rate is because mesothelioma is usually diagnosed in its advanced stages. Mesothelioma is a hard type of cancer to diagnosis because it imitates other forms of cancer. Mesothelioma can develop in the chest, heart, or abdomen. Symptoms of mesothelioma in the chest area are fluid surrounding the area. This type of mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma found in the abdomen is called peritoneal mesothelioma. If fluid builds in the heart area this is a sign of pericardial mesothelioma. Common symptoms of mesothelioma are coughing, wheezing, and a feeling of weakness.

A licensed medical professional is the only one who can diagnosis mesothelioma. A physician will ask you questions about your work history to determine your risk level for asbestos exposure. Next, a chest x-ray will be performed to see if there is an unusual thickening of the lungs or mineral deposits. Both of these are signs of mesothelioma. The physician may test the fluid he or she finds in the lungs, chest, abdomen, or cardiac area. There are specialized laboratory procedures to test for mesothelioma.

Not only were workers placed at risk, but so were their families. If a family member handles asbestos-laden clothing he or she is put at risk of receiving second hand asbestos exposure. This type of exposure is also deadly. Mesothelioma usually develops between fifty or seventy years of age. It can occur several decades after a person’s initial exposure to asbestos. Over three-thousand new cases of asbestos-related mesothelioma are diagnosed every year. This number is expected to increase during the next ten years.

Asbestos-related mesothelioma could have been prevented if only asbestos products were safety tested before they were put into use. Asbestos was finally banned in the United States during the mid- 1970’s but already this was too late. Thousands of people have died as a result of their employer’s and the asbestos manufacturer’s negligence. When any worker goes to work they should be able to feel safe and confident that they are not being put in harms way. If you are a resident in the state of West Virginia and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure please call a lawyer. A lawyer can process your claim and tell you how much monetary compensation you are owed.