Lawsuits Involving Mesothelioma

Receiving a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma can be quite devastating, since there is essentially no cure for this disease. While treatment of the disease in its earlier stages can help prolong life for more than five years, the prognosis tends to be much shorter. Since the costs of treatment can be quite high, it is a good idea to explore any legal options one might have to help offset medical expenses and lost income.

Mesothelioma is typically caused by a long term exposure to asbestos, and this usually occurs in the work place. Since 1977, it has been public record that some corporations have known of the hazards of asbestos, but suppressed the information. In other cases, the corporation simply did not know of a hazard, but should have.

Asbestos in the Home - Where to Find It, What to Do About It, and Associated Health Risks

If your home was built between the 1940s and the 1980s, there's a very good chance that it contains asbestos. And if you're planning on doing any kind of renovation in your home today, you need to understand the health hazards associated with asbestos, as well as how to protect yourself from this toxic substance.

Asbestos is an organically occurring fibrous mineral, which has long been prized for its extreme ability to resist heat and fire, as well as its strength, durability, and flexibility. Since it can be woven into cloth or mixed with other materials to create building products, asbestos was widely used during the mid-20th century in a variety of commercial, residential, automotive and maritime applications. It was considered so useful, in fact, that at one time the United States military actually mandated its usage on Navy ships.

Most people, when they think about asbestos, think of insulation. Yet the material is used in many other places in the home, including door gaskets in furnaces, wood stoves or coal stoves; cement sheeting, millboard and paper used as insulation around furnaces and stoves; insulation for steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts; cement roofing, shingles and siding; patching and joint compounds; textured paints; acoustical tiles used on the ceiling or walls; spray-on soundproofing or decorative material used on walls and ceilings; floor tiles, vinyl sheet flooring and floor tile backings and adhesives.