Mesothelioma Causes - direct and secondary asbestos exposure
Mesothelioma causes are limited to direct and secondary asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. The ingestion and inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers are the most common causes of mesothelioma. Nine out of ten cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral, mined from rock found in many countries. It is made up of tiny fibers that are as strong as steel but can be woven like cotton and are highly resistant to heat and chemicals. Asbestos fibers are very fine and when breathed in they can make their way into the smallest airways of the lung, so they cannot be breathed or coughed out. Once the fibers are in the lungs the body's defense system tries to break them down and remove them, which leads to inflammation in the lung tissue.
Causes of Mesothelioma
Asbestos was a popular material used widely in construction and many other industries. If asbestos fibers are enclosed or tightly bound in a product, for example in asbestos siding or asbestos floor tiles, there are no significant health risks. Asbestos poses health risks only when fibers are present in the air that people breathe. The risks are greatest for workers in industries which produce and use asbestos, such as mining and milling. In the past, workers in these environments were exposed to 100 - 1,000 times more asbestos than today's workers. Today's strict standards limit workers' exposure and the ban of most uses of amphibole asbestos have reduced the risks.During renovations and repairs to older buildings, construction workers, tradespeople and other building maintenance workers may be exposed to very high concentrations of asbestos fibers. The environment and work methods of these occupations are more difficult to control than fixed workplaces, but most tradespeople are trained in the proper handling of asbestos-containing materials.
Environmental
Negligible levels of asbestos fibers are found in the soil, water and air, both naturally and from man-made sources. Asbestos concentrations in the air in rural areas are about ten times lower than those in larger cities, which are about 1,000 times lower than levels accepted in today's asbestos-related jobs. With such low exposure, environmental risks are negligible.
Due to natural erosion, high concentrations of chrysotile asbestos fibers may be found in some raw water supplies. Conventional water treatment methods can substantially reduce asbestos levels and there is no evidence that swallowed chrysotile fibers are a health hazard.
The people likely to have been exposed to asbestos include:
- Construction workers
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Boilermakers
- Shipbuilders
- Demolition workers
- School workers
- Iron workers
- Cabinet makers
- People who lived near to asbestos factories
- People who worked in places where asbestos was present.
- Family members of workers who worked with asbestos and brought the dust home on their clothes.
- Crane operators
- Maintenance Workers
- Inspectors
- Pipe Coverers
- Navy Personnel
- Laborers
- Brake Mechanics
- Auto Mechanics
- Millwrights
- Painters
- Plasterers
- Merchant Marine Seamen
- Pipefitters
- Cement Finishers
- Foundry Workers
- Carpenters
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- Sailors
- Navy Yard Workers / Yardbirds
- Paperworkers
- Electricians
- Bricklayers
- Boilermakers
- Machinists
- Lathers
- Insulators
- Welders
- Sheetmetal Workers
- Aircraft Mechanics
- Engineers
- Steamfitters
- Masonry Workers
- Longshoremen
- Plantworkers
- Powerhouse Workers
- Railroad Workers
- Papermill Workers
- Tapers
Mesothelioma is not contagious and cannot be passed on to other people. It is not caused by inherited faulty genes and so family members do not have an increased risk of developing it, unless they have been in contact with asbestos.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit - Note of Urgency
The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers were in 1929. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against asbestos manufacturers and employers, for neglecting to implement safety measures after the links between asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma became known (some reports seem to place this as early as 1898).
A good Mesothelioma attorney understands the unique complexities involved in this kind of litigation lawsuit, including asbestos product identification, specific asbestos-related medical issues, and specific time constraints that narrow the window of opportunity to file a claim.
It is important to find the right Mesothelioma lawyer before your state's statutes of limitations expires, leaving you and your family grieving and empty-handed. There's no time to wait - contact our mesothelioma lawyers today for a free case review.
We have helped many people get experienced legal and medical help for their mesothelioma claancer and asbestos cancer cases. We will actually walk you the process of contacting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer that we have worked with to get you the best possible settlement for your mesothelioma case.
It is not uncommon for there to be 10-20 parties that are named in a mesothelioma lawsuit that are located across the United States. For example, a worker in California may have been exposed to asbestos from asbestos products shipped from Libby, Montana or from an iron ore plant in St. Paul Minnesota. This is why it is very important to obtain an experienced mesothelioma lawyer knows all of the companies in each state who have responsibility for your asbestos exposure.
Digg
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Googlize this
Facebook
Wikio