I have a friend who I believe to be knowledgable on the matter who claims that asbestos-related mesothelioma is a scam dreamed up by personal injury lawyers; I can't find a lot of information on the web that isn't directly related to soliciting business for said lawyers. Does anyone have any sources of information about the cancer that I'm not finding on Google?
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The NIH article has some interesting facts that could certainly help one come to the "scam" conclusion.
Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust.
About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.
These numbers seem to indicate an overall low likelyhood of contracting the disease, though the risk increases with asbestos exposure. As an employer, though, I don't have the luxury of saying the risk from a little asbestos is minimal. I've got to act as though some employee will come back on me thirty years from now and sue me out of my old-folks home. If I'm insensitive enough to leave the business to my son, he could be sued into oblivion for something that happened before he was born.
Asbestos related disease are awful, but greedy lawyers are evil.
I would look at the lawsuits not the cancer. They are dragging in everyone who ever supplied anything to a construction project for the last 30-40 years. I kid you not (and we can discuss details privately).
I'd take a look at the legislative background of the recent Congressional bill for more "official" info.
I'm sure that there's some scam involved, but I don't doubt that there were actual injuries suffered as well. My father's autopsy report is consistent with asbestos-induced injuries, which is not surprising, since he worked as a welder during and after World War II on ships--and was almost certainly exposed to asbestos. I doubt that it played any part in his death. In theory, as his descendants we are parties to a class-action lawsuit. I would be surprised if any money ever comes out of it.
My father died of mesothelioma of the pleura, he was a plumber and came in contact with it due to his work. It is a horrible way to die, and a very specific disease. It can hit the chest area or the peritoneal area as well. Mesothelioma is not a common illness in comparison to other cancers but it is absolutely asbestos caused. If anyone has further questions please feel free to e-mail me. There are some good attorneys that work these cases, but many do not have the expertise required to take these cases.
Ann Samuelson