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Utah Mesothelioma Lawyer

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The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that 700,000 commercial and public buildings throughout the United States contain asbestos products. Asbestos was a material that was banned in the United States during the mid-1970s, because it was clinically linked to the development of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare but very aggressive type of cancer. For some types of mesothelioma, the survival rate is only 8 percent. Three-thousand new cases of asbestos-related mesothelioma are reported every year. This number is expected to drastically increase during the next decade.

If you are a resident of the state of Utah and have negligently been placed at risk for asbestos exposure, it would be wise to contact an attorney. An attorney can process your claim and tell you how much monetary compensation you may be owed. Your employer or manufacturer may be at fault, especially if you have developed mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos was used in buildings, schools, railroads, ships, and private homes during the past several decades. It was the ideal material for construction because it was flexible, durable, had a low conductivity to heat, and was resistant to fire. Asbestos was therefore frequently used in insulation materials. Workers who were employed at construction sites, factories, manufacturing facilities, railroad facilities, shipyards, railroads, and mines that produced or used asbestos were put at high risk of asbestos exposure. Also, roofers, masons, plumbers, carpenters, sawyers, and power plant operators were at risk for having handled asbestos-laden products.

Since asbestos has been banned, new construction materials are used to build similarly insulated structures, and they pose a much lower risk than the use of asbestos. However, workers are at risk if they tear down old buildings that contain asbestos products, or if they replace worn out asbestos materials. This allows for a whole new generation of workers to become affected by asbestos exposure. Family members who handle an asbestos worker's clothing can also be at risk of developing mesothelioma from exposure to the fibers that were trapped in the fabric.

Asbestos is deadly because it causes mutations in DNA that can cause cancer. Our bodies are not able to break down or process the fibers, so once we breath them in, they can stay there, causing damage over an entire lifetime. When asbestos fibers are inhaled through the mouth or nose, the fibers embed themselves in the lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. If a person swallows asbestos fibers, the fibers will settle within the abdomen. Over many years, often decades, these fibers are known to cause the development of mesothelioma.

In mesothelioma, mutations in the DNA of the cells of the mesothelium cause them to begin to divide without any order or control. Mesothelioma can occur anywhere that mesothelium tissue exists, including in the chest, abdomen, heart, or lungs. It is usually hard to diagnose because mesothelioma imitates other types of cancer in its early stages. This is why the survival rate for mesothelioma is so low it is usually not diagnosed until it has reached advanced stages.

Mesothelioma can only be diagnosed by a licensed physician. If a doctor suspects mesothelioma, he or she may ask questions about a patient's previous work history. The answers given will let the doctor pinpoint when exposure may have taken place, and how much asbestos the patient may have been exposed to. A chest x-ray will show any fluid that has developed, mineral deposits, or an unusual thickening of the lungs, which are all signs of mesothelioma.

Thousands of individuals have passed away due to asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma. These deaths could have been prevented if employers would have followed stricter safety guidelines. If you are a resident of the state of Utah and have been exposed to asbestos, you should contact an attorney. A qualified lawyer may be able to get you the compensation you deserve.