The history of asbestos dates back to around 2000 thousands years ago. However, it may surprise you to know that the dangers of asbestos have been known as far back as the Roman empire, when it was linked to lung disease in the slaves that were forced to mine the mineral for commercial use.
In more recent history, in 1918, the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics published a report that linked the deaths of asbestos workers to the inhalation of asbestos.
Then in 1924, a 33 year old woman named Nellie Kershaw died from the world's first diagnosis of asbestosis in the UK. She worked in an asbestos plant for the world's largest asbestos conglomerate named Turner & Newall (T&N). T&N denied any responsibility or compensation. Decades later, documents at the Manchester Metropolitan University exposed the scandalous fact that T&N had known all along that asbestos was a lethal carcinogen.
Despite the known dangers of asbestos, the asbestos industry exploded all around the world, peaking in the 1970's at over 5 million tons/year. Today, the world is still producing over 2 million tons/year even after its use has been banned in over 60 countries around the world.
So why was asbestos used on such a widespread global basis when it was a known fact that it was toxic. The answer is profits. Asbestos is a deadly but amazing mineral that has incredible physical properties that allow for its use as a light weight fire retardant material.
Since the lethal nature of asbestos was public knowledge by the 1930's it has been proven in court that corporations knew of the deadly nature of asbestos and still willingly exposed the public and their employees to it. Many victims of asbestos have received compensation for their medical bills, lost wages and other expenses. On February 27, 2008, one of the largest court settlements was awarded in New Jersey. The amount of $30.3 million was awarded to the widow and three daughters of Mark Buttitta from General Motors. The interesting fact about this case was that Mr. Buttitta claimed his exposure to asbestos was from his father and brother who brought home asbestos contaminated clothing from their jobs at General Motors.
There is a massive legal industry that is growing to obtain compensation for mesothelioma patients. Many legal precedents have been set in courts around the world which make it much easier to prove that employers knew of the dangers surrounding asbestos exposure. It is relatively easy to find a lawyer in your area that specializes in mesothelioma litigation especially if you live in a big city. Simply use a Google search and type in something like,"mesothelioma lawyer New York". Your visit to the lawyer will more than likely be short lived as most mesothelioma lawyers will be respectful of your health and emotional challenges and will do all that they can to handle the case with as little of your time as possible.
Paul Folkmann is a mesothelioma cancer researcher. To learn more about mesothelioma and how to receive compensation, visit: Mesothelioma Oracle. There you will also find information on mesothelioma treatments, stories of hope, and the latest news.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J._Folkmann
mesothelioma treatments | asbestos exposure | budwig diet
Friday, April 23, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Mesothelioma Class Action Lawsuits
When people with similar claims join forces to seek monetary compensation through litigation, we talk about a class action lawsuit.
This process can be highly time and cost efficient, for both, the claimants and the courts. Mesothelioma is a fatal disease, and along with asbestosis and certain kinds of lung cancer, is caused by exposure to asbestos particles. A cure is yet to be found and even though the available treatments can help to improve a patient's quality of life, they are very expensive. I am a cancer patient, too, and so is my wife. Therefore, we know that our unwanted 'hobby' cancer can leave a person with a huge bill. But Mesothelioma treatments are on the extreme side and for that reason, filing for a compensation claim might result in the needed financial funding to keep up with the medical expenses. Of course, a mesothelioma patient needs to have the legal grounds before he is eligible to file a claim.
Mesothelioma class action lawsuits are complex and may therefore go on for a long time. Quite frequently we see a whole group of asbestos lawyers or a law firm taking on the litigation for the claimants. Finding the best legal representatives is imperative. They can make sure that the filing process will be handled quickly plus they can help you with the entire administrative burden. If you ever had to deal with completing any kind of legal paper-work, you probably know what I'm talking about. A mesothelioma class action lawsuit needs to be authorized by a judge, who will evaluate the claim, taking into consideration the number of claimants, the scope of the claim and the similarity of the individual cases to validate that everything can be handled in one bundled lawsuit.
Mesothelioma class action lawsuits are not always the best option for an asbestos victim who seeks to get compensated for his pain and suffering. Strategically, it might make more sense to pursue legal action individually as opposed to a group approach. It all depends on the circumstances and this is why the advice of a reputable and accredited mesothelioma lawyer is absolutely crucial. The single most important aspect is to consult with a legal expert as soon as the diagnosis is conclusive, since the statue of limitations sets forth a timeframe in which a claimant has to file his case. Rules and regulations may vary from state to state and jurisdiction.
The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers go back to the 1960s. Former workers in the shipbuilding, mining and construction industries, who got sick because their employers either failed to warn or adequately protect them from asbestos exposure, decided to gather their efforts and file one combined class action lawsuit.
Since then, nearly 800,000 asbestos lawsuits have been filed, either through mesothelioma class actions or individual claims.
The author Tony Ulrich was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2009. In his research on what his cancer could have been caused by, he came across with data that suggests a strong link to environmental toxins, such as asbestos. Please visit his Kidney Cancer and Mesothelioma Litigation website for more details.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Ulrich
This process can be highly time and cost efficient, for both, the claimants and the courts. Mesothelioma is a fatal disease, and along with asbestosis and certain kinds of lung cancer, is caused by exposure to asbestos particles. A cure is yet to be found and even though the available treatments can help to improve a patient's quality of life, they are very expensive. I am a cancer patient, too, and so is my wife. Therefore, we know that our unwanted 'hobby' cancer can leave a person with a huge bill. But Mesothelioma treatments are on the extreme side and for that reason, filing for a compensation claim might result in the needed financial funding to keep up with the medical expenses. Of course, a mesothelioma patient needs to have the legal grounds before he is eligible to file a claim.
Mesothelioma class action lawsuits are complex and may therefore go on for a long time. Quite frequently we see a whole group of asbestos lawyers or a law firm taking on the litigation for the claimants. Finding the best legal representatives is imperative. They can make sure that the filing process will be handled quickly plus they can help you with the entire administrative burden. If you ever had to deal with completing any kind of legal paper-work, you probably know what I'm talking about. A mesothelioma class action lawsuit needs to be authorized by a judge, who will evaluate the claim, taking into consideration the number of claimants, the scope of the claim and the similarity of the individual cases to validate that everything can be handled in one bundled lawsuit.
Mesothelioma class action lawsuits are not always the best option for an asbestos victim who seeks to get compensated for his pain and suffering. Strategically, it might make more sense to pursue legal action individually as opposed to a group approach. It all depends on the circumstances and this is why the advice of a reputable and accredited mesothelioma lawyer is absolutely crucial. The single most important aspect is to consult with a legal expert as soon as the diagnosis is conclusive, since the statue of limitations sets forth a timeframe in which a claimant has to file his case. Rules and regulations may vary from state to state and jurisdiction.
The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers go back to the 1960s. Former workers in the shipbuilding, mining and construction industries, who got sick because their employers either failed to warn or adequately protect them from asbestos exposure, decided to gather their efforts and file one combined class action lawsuit.
Since then, nearly 800,000 asbestos lawsuits have been filed, either through mesothelioma class actions or individual claims.
The author Tony Ulrich was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2009. In his research on what his cancer could have been caused by, he came across with data that suggests a strong link to environmental toxins, such as asbestos. Please visit his Kidney Cancer and Mesothelioma Litigation website for more details.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Ulrich
mesothelioma treatments | asbestos exposure | budwig diet
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