An estimated 3,000 people each year are found to suffer mesothelioma, an often late-exhibiting form of cancer that primarily attacks the lungs. The main cause for the disease is clear - asbestos.
Although its use has sharply declined over the years, asbestos continues to claim lives today for a number of reasons. For one, some residential and commercial buildings still contain the known toxin. Also, the cancer caused by asbestos exposure has a latency period that can last up to 50 years - so someone who worked in a building containing the material in 1975, for example, might only now be showing symptoms of mesothelioma.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, time is of the essence and you should contact an asbestos-mesothelioma attorney for a free evaluation of your case. At Kline & Specter, PC, we represent mesothelioma victims and their families throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and nationwide. Please call us today at 800-243-1100.
The Institute of Medicine also said that asbestos appears to cause cancer of the larynx. The finding was contained in an IOM report analyzing laryngeal cancer and its potential relation to inhaled asbestos fibers. (Read the report.)
Make no mistake, asbestos-related cancer is deadly. In lung cancer cases, for instance, the average survival time from the date of diagnosis is one year. Symptoms generally begin with constant chest pain, with victims later experiencing difficulty breathing, weight loss and fever.
Asbestos is a flaky mineral substance widely used in the 1950s and 1960s in building materials, particularly insulation, wallboard, textile products and fireproofing materials. Microscopic-size particles of asbestos have a tendency to break up and become airborne. The particles are easily inhaled.
At greatest risk are people, generally older men, who worked in factories, steel mills, shipyards and other plants - especially those with old buildings - where they may have been exposed to asbestos on a daily basis. Also potentially at risk are people who worked with products made with asbestos, such as brake linings, floor tiles or fireproof mitts or aprons.
Schedule a Consultation with an Asbestos - Mesothelioma Lawyer
Kline & Specter PC, a Philadelphia-based law firm with 50 experienced attorneys, five of whom are also highly skilled doctors, has had success litigating asbestos lawsuits. Call us at 800-243-1100 to speak with an experienced mesothelioma attorney.