Legal•Info

Michigan Mesothelioma Lawyer

Call (888) 473-4416 to speak with an attorney.

Mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive form of cancer that affects the mesothelium the thin lining that surrounds the lungs, heart, and gut. The disease is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. The most common type of mesothelioma affects the pleura the body cavity that surrounds the lungs. Asbestos fibers enter the lungs and are moved to this body cavity by the immune system, which, unfortunately, can not destroy them. There, they damage DNA and turn healthy cells into cancerous ones.

Before the Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of asbestos, it was a very common building material. Its high resistance to heat and electricity made it extremely useful in construction materials. High voltage wires, pipes, hot water heaters, and anything else that might involve high temperatures or voltages were commonly insulated with asbestos. Houses, commercial and public buildings, and schools were frequently insulated with asbestos. Unfortunately, this put all of the construction workers of these buildings at risk for asbestos exposure. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of buildings across the country still have asbestos insulation in their walls, ceilings and tiles. This asbestos poses no risk for the inhabitants and users of the buildings. However, if it is disturbed as it is by construction workers performing demolition or repair work it can be released into the air and immediately become a health risk.

Automobile manufacturing within Michigan is an important part of the local economy. Many of the larger American car companies, including Ford Motors and GM, maintain their headquarters and a large bulk of their operations within the state. Automobile manufacturing is a very big part of not only the Michigan economy but that of the United States as a whole, and it is important to note that there are a number of places within automobile manufacturing where the threat of asbestos exposure existed for a very long time. In addition to any standard use of asbestos in manufacturing plants for insulating or heat-shielding purposes asbestos was commonly used in automobile parts that had to resist the high heat and wear of intense friction. Brakes, gaskets, and clutches were all made with asbestos.

If you are currently considering hiring an attorney to help you with your mesothelioma lawsuit then it is imperative that you do so as soon as possible. The reason for this is that time is often a very big factor in these types of lawsuits there is often a statute of limitations that states that a case must be filed within a certain period of time. The more time your attorney has to prepare your case the better off you will be.

In 2001 and 2002, a record number of asbestos-related cases were brought against General Motors, Ford Motor, and Daimler Chrysler. These cases rolled in in such high numbers that the state of Michigan created the inactive asbestos docket which increased the efficiency of handling the asbestos lawsuits. This made it so that the patients who were most affected by the disease were heard before healthier ones. This enabled speedy trials for sick patients that needed money quickly to pay for treatments and keep their families out of bankruptcy.

There are a few resources you can take advantage of when trying to find a mesothelioma lawyer. Online directories are very exhaustive about the qualities and the records of various lawyers. You can also try focus groups for mesothelioma as many members of those focus groups are likely to have filed their own lawsuit. If neither of those ideas appeal to you then a simple look through a phone book in your area will give you a number of names, addresses and phone numbers to look through.