If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should seek help immediately from a skilled and experienced attorney who truly understands the medical, legal and personal challenges that you face.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. It was once widely used in a number of industries in East Texas and across the country due to its fiber strength and fire-resistant properties.
When a person swallows or inhales asbestos, the fibers can become lodged in the mesothelium, or the tissue that lines the lungs, heart, abdomen and other organs and cavities. Over time, the asbestos fibers may cause tumors to form in the tissue. In fact, it may take anywhere between 15 to 60 years after a person’s asbestos exposure before symptoms start to appear.
The delay between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma symptoms can make it difficult to identify the source of one’s exposure.
The survival rate for a person diagnosed with mesothelioma will depend on many factors, including the extent to which the disease has spread throughout the body.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any form of mesothelioma, you may feel consumed with fear, grief and confusion about what to do next. Of course, you may also be highly concerned about the costs of medical care and treatment.
Turbines, pumps, boilers and valves, Fireproofing products, Insulation, Caulk, putty and spackling products, Gaskets and packings, Auto and railroad brakes and clutchesTiles, roofing and siding, Laboratory equipment.
These products were commonly used in industries that can be found throughout East Texas, including the oil and gas, petrochemical, shipbuilding, manufacturing and construction industries.
In fact, due to the heavy presence of these industries, the non-profit environmental advocacy group, EWG Action Fund, gave the nickname, “Asbestos Alley,” to an eight-county section of East Texas: Orange, Sabine, Jasper, Trinity, Jefferson, Newton, Hardin and Polk counties.
According to the group, the asbestos disease-related mortality rates within those eight counties are two to five times higher than state and national rates.
While workers in a wide range of occupations within East Texas may have been regularly exposed to asbestos while on the job, occupations with the highest rate of exposure include:
Oil and gas refinery workers, Power plant workers, Railroad workers, Construction workers, Insulators, Mechanics, U.S. Navy veterans / shipyard workers, Electricians, Plumbers, Firefighters
Many of these workers may have brought asbestos fibers home with them on their skin, hair and clothes, exposing their family members to the risk of developing mesothelioma.
Source : https://www.sloanfirm.com
What Is Mesothelioma?
If you or a family member suffers from mesothelioma, then you know that it is a highly aggressive form of cancer. What you may not know is that mesothelioma is directly linked to asbestos exposure. In the overwhelming number of mesothelioma cases, the asbestos exposure occurred in the workplace.Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. It was once widely used in a number of industries in East Texas and across the country due to its fiber strength and fire-resistant properties.
When a person swallows or inhales asbestos, the fibers can become lodged in the mesothelium, or the tissue that lines the lungs, heart, abdomen and other organs and cavities. Over time, the asbestos fibers may cause tumors to form in the tissue. In fact, it may take anywhere between 15 to 60 years after a person’s asbestos exposure before symptoms start to appear.
The delay between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma symptoms can make it difficult to identify the source of one’s exposure.
What Type of Mesothelioma Is Involved in Your Case?
Pleural mesothelioma
Pleural mesotheliomaThis is the most common type of mesothelioma, according to the American Cancer Society. It occurs when asbestos fibers become lodged in the pleura mesothelium that lines the lungs and chest cavity. The disease may spread to the heart, chest and diaphragm. A person with pleural mesothelioma may experience shortness of breath, chest pains, chronic coughing and a build-up of fluid in the lungs. Many people lose their appetite and suffer from a lack of energy as well.Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesotheliomaThis is the second-most common type of mesothelioma. It occurs when asbestos fibers become caught in the peritoneum that lines the abdomen after the fibers are inhaled or swallowed. A person with this form of the disease may experience a loss of appetite, significant weight loss, fluid build-up in the abdomen and sharp abdominal pain.Pericardial mesothelioma
Pericardial mesotheliomaThis rare form of mesothelioma arises from asbestos fibers getting caught in the pericardium tissue that lines the heart. Those who suffer from this type of mesothelioma may suffer shortness of breath, chest pains and heart palpitations. As with other types of mesothelioma, a person may lose a great deal of weight as the disease progresses.Testicular mesotheliomaTesticular mesothelioma
This is also a highly rare form of the disease. It attacks the thin membrane which covers the testicles, or tunica vaginalis. It is marked by pain and swelling in the testicles.The survival rate for a person diagnosed with mesothelioma will depend on many factors, including the extent to which the disease has spread throughout the body.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any form of mesothelioma, you may feel consumed with fear, grief and confusion about what to do next. Of course, you may also be highly concerned about the costs of medical care and treatment.
How Did Your Asbestos Exposure Occur?
At one time, a large number of manufacturers incorporated asbestos in products such as:Turbines, pumps, boilers and valves, Fireproofing products, Insulation, Caulk, putty and spackling products, Gaskets and packings, Auto and railroad brakes and clutchesTiles, roofing and siding, Laboratory equipment.
These products were commonly used in industries that can be found throughout East Texas, including the oil and gas, petrochemical, shipbuilding, manufacturing and construction industries.
In fact, due to the heavy presence of these industries, the non-profit environmental advocacy group, EWG Action Fund, gave the nickname, “Asbestos Alley,” to an eight-county section of East Texas: Orange, Sabine, Jasper, Trinity, Jefferson, Newton, Hardin and Polk counties.
According to the group, the asbestos disease-related mortality rates within those eight counties are two to five times higher than state and national rates.
While workers in a wide range of occupations within East Texas may have been regularly exposed to asbestos while on the job, occupations with the highest rate of exposure include:
Oil and gas refinery workers, Power plant workers, Railroad workers, Construction workers, Insulators, Mechanics, U.S. Navy veterans / shipyard workers, Electricians, Plumbers, Firefighters
Many of these workers may have brought asbestos fibers home with them on their skin, hair and clothes, exposing their family members to the risk of developing mesothelioma.
Source : https://www.sloanfirm.com