Mesothelioma lawyers serve Texas

While mesothelioma is still a relatively rare form of cancer, public awareness of it is increasing. Workers who have been exposed to asbestos could develop this life-threatening disease. In many instances, they come in contact with this deadly material because of their employer’s negligence. If they have suffered an asbestos injury, they should contact a mesothelioma lawyer in Texas to protect their rights.

FAIR Act designed to help asbestos victims

The Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution (FAIR) reform proposal, Congress Bill 852, will create a $140 billion trust fund for sufferers of asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma. This cancer, which attacks the lining surrounding several different organs like the lungs and heart, is almost totally incurable even when caught early. It is also almost 100% caused by asbestos exposure, and usually affects people who have worked years with the substance.

An alliance of mesothelioma patients and 34 doctors is pressing Congress to reconsider its bill, and expand it to meet the needs of those with mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses. In a positioning paper, the Doctor-Patient Alliance for Responsible Asbestos Cancer Policy stated:

What is asbestos?

Often described as a mineral, asbestos is actually a term used to describe six different minerals (chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, tremolite asbestos, and actinolite asbestos) that share similar characteristics. They all occur as fibers, usually as fiber bundles, and are known for their strength, flexibility, resistance to heat and chemicals, and high electrical resistance.

Asbestos 'time bomb' ticking in Japan

In July 2005, corporations in Japan and the Japanese government started releasing a huge amount of information about the connection between asbestos and respiratory problems including the deadly mesothelioma cancer. One after another, companies released stats about the number of asbestos-related to deaths to workers over the years.

Asbestos-related diseases loom

The health hazards of asbestos has been well known since the 1930s when doctors began to see an increase in lung diseases that were directly linked to asbestos exposure. These diseases fall under one of three types: asbestosis, pleural disease (disease of the lung lining), and lung cancer.

Asbestos abounds in the home

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin membrane surrounding many organs including the lungs and heart. Although it is not commonly used today because of the danger in poses to human health, asbestos was used extensively in many home-building products up until the 1970s.

Asbestos: It’s best just to leave it alone

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that asbestos-containing building materials like floor tiles, wallboard, and pipe insulation are best left alone if intact. The hazardous fibers are usually well contained and pose no risk of becoming airborne. However during renovations and demolitions, removing these asbestos materials become necessary – and many do-it-yourselfers have no idea about the risks involved.

Naturally occurring asbestos can cause mesothelioma

A recent study by University of California – Davis researchers has found that exposure to ultramafic rock, the source of most asbestos, can lead to mesothelioma. This form of cancer invades the lining around the lungs, heart, or other organs. It is usually incurable and hard to detect, invading nearby organs and tissues, and ultimately spreading to other parts of the body.