Frequently Asked Questions

• What Is Asbestos?
  
• Where is Asbestos Found?
  
• What is Mesothelioma?
  
• How Long Does It Take To Develop Asbestos Exposure Diseases?
  
• How Can I Prevent Asbestos Related Diseases?
  
• What Are the Health Effects of Asbestos?
  
• What Are the Problems With Asbestos?
  
• Who Is Most At Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?
  
• What Type of Treatment Is Available For Mesothelioma?
  
• Where Can I Get More Information About My Asbestos Legal Rights?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral that can only be identified under a microscope. Asbestos is found n the ground and is mined all over the world. In the past, asbestos was added to different products as insulation and for fire resistance. When asbestos fibers are taken into the body it can cause ailments like mesothelioma and other problems. Extended exposure to asbestos is usually needed to develop into a serious problem.

Asbestos is the most dangerous when it is airborne. The lightness of the asbestos fibers allows them to stay airborne for long periods of time and to travel a far distance. There are professional abatement services that will remove asbestos if you need to have it removed from your home or workplace. Attempting to remove the asbestos without professionals is not safe and should not be considered.

The three most common types of asbestos are:

• chrysotile
  
• amosite
  
• crocidolite

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Where is Asbestos Found?
Asbestos is found in more than 3,000 products that are in use today. To make sure your products do not contain asbestos you can call the manufacturer. A list of products that may contain asbestos include:-

• pipe and duct insulation
• building insulation
• carpet underlays
• roofing materials
• wall and ceiling panels
• artificial fireplaces and materials
• toasters and other household appliances
• furnaces and other furnace door gaskets
• patching and spackling compounds
• electrical wires
• textured paints
• brake pads and linings
• pot holders and ironing board pads
• hair dryers
• floor tiles
• cements

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What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks cells, called mesothelial cells, which make up membrane lining in the chest and abdominal cavity. The tissue called mesothelium, which is formed by the mesothelial cells, help protects the organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows the organs to move without irritating nerves.

Almost always mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos but some researchers believe the virus SV40 can also be a factor. While mesothelioma affects the lungs, it is not a lung cancer. Smokers are at risk for lung cancer, which in effect could lead to contracting other asbestos-related diseases. Lung cancer is more common and arises in the lungas inner tissues opposed to mesothelioma that develops in the tissue that covers the lung.

Mesothelioma is most commonly located in the pleural and peritoneal regions of asbestos exposed workers. pleural mesothelioma is cancer of the pleura, the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma is cancer of the peritoneum, the lining of the abdomen. Pleural mesothelioma can usually be diagnosed earlier than peritoneal mesothelioma. Both pleural and peritoneal cancer involves serosal membranes, which are delicate membranes composed of connective tissue. Mesothelioma normally begins in the lungs and spread to the abdominal lining, which worsens the condition. The invasive nature of the tumor on heart and lungs are usually the ending factor in the patient.

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How Long Does It Take To Develop Asbestos Exposure Diseases?
There is a latency period between the time of exposure to asbestos and the manifestation of asbestos diseases that usually varies between several years and several decades. Many asbestos cancers will not appear in a victim until 20 years or more after their first exposure to asbestos. Typically, asbestosis or pleural plaques will not occur until at least ten to twenty years after first exposure. The time will vary depending on the extent of exposure and the individuals susceptibility.

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How Can I Prevent Asbestos Related Diseases?
By avoiding exposure to asbestos you can avoid asbestos related diseases. If you have been exposed to asbestos, early screening should be done by a chest x-ray to the asbestos-exposed people.

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What Are the Health Effects of Asbestos?
When inhaled asbestos can have very serious effects on your health. The greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the risk for an asbestos- related disease there is. Currently, there is no known level of asbestos exposure deemed safe. It is unknown the levels of asbestos that is considered safe.

Asbestos causes asbestosis and mesothelioma, but because of the latency period between the time of exposure to asbestos, the diseases do not surface for 20-40 years. Asbestosis is the scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure. Workers who manufacture or use asbestos products and have high exposures to asbestos are often affected with asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the chest and abdomen lining.

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What Are the Problems With Asbestos?
Asbestos companies knew about the dangers of asbestos for many years before warning the public of the risks. They have been compared to tobacco companies, knowing more about the harm than the readily admitted to. In the mid-1960s the first warnings of workers exposed to asbestos surfaced. Since people who work around asbestos cannot see the fibers, years of exposure passed without the workers ever knowing they were surrounded by it. The air they were breathing in was full of fibers. The fibers are extremely toxic and dangerous and they hook themselves into the lining of the lungs or other parts of the respiratory tract. Once in the body the fibers remain there forever since there is no way to get them out. The long exposure to the asbestos resulted in illnesses including mesothelioma.

Today, asbestos is normally combined with other materials that contain strong bonding agents. The materials are made to contain the asbestos fibers, but when the bonding becomes loose the asbestos fibers become airborne. Cutting, scraping, filling, sanding, or removing materials that contain asbestos can often cause the release of the asbestos fibers.

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Who Is Most At Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?
The people who have been exposed to asbestos and work in the building, construction, shipbuilding, railroad, and automotive industries have a very high risk for developing mesothelioma. Because the industries involved consist mainly of men, over 80% of patients with mesothelioma are male. Any type of exposure to the toxic mineral will increase a persons chance for developing mesothelioma.

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What Type of treatment Is Available For Mesothelioma?
There is no standard treatment regimen for treating mesothelioma. The FDA has not articulated a treatment regimen for the disease. How and why the disease develops is not known. Early diagnosis of mesothelioma allows a greater number of treatment options including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, experimental therapies and drugs, complementary medicine and therapies, and lifestyle modifications.

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Where Can I Get More Information About My Legal Rights?
If you have any questions about your legal rights involving exposure to asbestos, please contact an Asbestos Lawyer.