Mesothelioma is a disease in which a cancerous tumor grows on the mesothelium - the sac lining the internal body cavities. Although sometimes referred to as "asbestos lung cancer", mesothelioma is not the same as lung cancer and having a mesothelioma lawyer with experience can make all the difference for your case. Lung cancers occur inside the lung itself; mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lung.
Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Most people who were exposed worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos. Others were exposed to asbestos in a household environment, often without knowing it. Asbestos, once regarded as a miracle mineral, was popular due its lightweight but tough characteristics as well as for its heat-resistant properties. This naturally occurring mineral was used in many commercial and consumer products, from construction materials such as cement, roofing shingles and insulation, to consumer and industrial applications such as hair dryers, automobile brake pads and pipe insulation. Asbestos exposure means you need a mesothelioma lawyer to fight for your rights. It was used in multiple industries, including construction, shipbuilding, and the oil and plastics industry. The armed forces used asbestos extensively in the 20th Century, and because of the long latency period only now are many veterans getting mesothelioma. People were exposed in all branches of the service, in a variety of jobs.
Very little exposure can result in mesothelioma. Sometimes people who worked with asbestos for as little as one or two months get mesothelioma. The "latency period" refers to the time between asbestos exposure and diagnosis of the disease. For mesothelioma, the latency period can be decades long, and people exposed in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s are now being diagnosed and might be entitled to a settlement.
The major symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath caused by expanding pleural effusion
- Persistent dry cough
Other symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Fever
- Pain under the rib cage
- Swelling or lumps in the abdomen
- Unexpected weight loss
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a mesothelioma lawyer can fight for your interests, you may be entitled to compensation.
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