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Arkansas Mesothelioma Lawyer

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During asbestos's heyday, roughly between the 1930s and the 1980s, it was considered one of the best and most versatile building materials around, because of its non-conductive, heat- and flame-resistant properties. It's also lightweight, durable, strong and inexpensive. Additionally, asbestos can be added to many other substances such as cement or concrete, wallboard and plaster, insulation, fabric and plastics, in order to lend its near-miraculous qualities to items made from those substances. At one point, asbestos was found in hundreds of thousands of buildings, as well as commercial and consumer products. It may still exist in many of those products and structures, doing damage to people's health from behind the scenes.

Asbestos fibers can be both ingested and inhaled. The fibers become airborne when the asbestos-containing material is disturbed or damaged, and can remain in the surrounding air for a long time. When we breathe in the asbestos particulate, these microscopic fibers can become embedded in our soft tissues, particularly a thin protective membrane called the mesothelium, which lines the body's cavities and surrounds its organs. They can cause scar tissue to develop on our lungs, pockets of fluid to form in the lining and tissues of the body cavities, and can eventually lead to a malignant tumor in one of these areas. Mesothelioma may not manifest itself until decades later. Most people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are elderly.

Asbestos has been widely used in a number of industries, including factories and plants, forges and metalworking facilities, oil and other chemical refineries, shipbuilding, and automotive manufacturing. Arkansas is home to a number of factories and facilities that had widespread asbestos usage. Anyplace where high heat or fire would have been a concern is a likely destination for asbestos materials.

Most oncologists agree that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, but the odds of contracting mesothelioma do increase with repeated or prolonged exposure to the fibrous mineral. Therefore, anyone who has worked in industrial occupations or the family members of those workers, because secondhand exposure to asbestos also occurs should understand the symptoms and peculiarities of the disease, and make sure their doctor is aware of their risk factor.

Some of the symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty drawing breath, persistent or bloody cough, fatigue or exhaustion, and wheezing or hoarseness. These symptoms may easily be confused for signs of another illness or condition, however, which is why it's important that your doctor know that you may have been exposed to asbestos in the past. As with most cancers, the earlier mesothelioma is detected, the greater the chances of effective treatment. If the cancer is caught early enough, surgery to remove a non-metastasized tumor may be an option; otherwise, radiation and chemotherapy may be employed to stop further spread of the disease and to minimize the patient's pain.

The survival rate for mesothelioma can be as low as eight percent for the worst or most progressed cases. In addition to those who are already afflicted, more than 3,000 people are diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma each year, with that number expected to rise over the next decade. The worst part about this situation is that asbestos-related mesothelioma could have been prevented if the people in charge of these facilities had paid attention to safety guidelines when they were issued. Because of this negligence, more than eight million people have been put at risk.

If you or a loved have developed mesothelioma following long-term asbestos exposure at the workplace, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Arkansas mesothelioma lawyer or attorney to start the process to recover damages and compensation. Although it cannot change the fact that the cancer has developed, knowing that there is a way to get help and punish those responsible can help you through the situation. The financial burden of mesothelioma can be extreme. An Arkansas mesothelioma lawyer/attorney can help you get a settlement from the company that put you at risk of asbestos exposure.

Your Arkansas mesothelioma lawyer/attorney will also guide you through the lawsuit and litigation processes and tell you what to expect at each step along the way. Pursuing legal action will not only help to enforce your legal rights, it can also help to provide financial security for you and your family. Help yourself and your family and contact a Arkansas mesothelioma lawyer/attorney today.