This past summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted a new rule that once again permits the use of asbestos products in construction. The rule bypasses the need to evaluate the effects of asbestos exposure in the air, ground or water.
Asbestos, now banned in over 60 countries, poses deadly health risks to exposed workers. It is a known cause of lung cancer and mesothelioma, which kills approximately 40,000 Americans each year. Asbestos exposure also causes larynx and ovarian cancer and asbestosis. If consumers, including real estate developers, once again permit using this material in new construction, we will undoubtedly see a resurgence in asbestos-related diseases and cancers, including mesothelioma.
What Is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is an aggressive and usually-deadly cancer. It grows in the very-thin lining that covers most of your internal organs, the mesothelium. There is no cure, only treatments to lessen the pain and slow down the progression.
Because most people breathe-in the asbestos fibers while working with asbestos products, cancer shows up in their lungs. However, it also appears in the stomach, heart, testicles and other organs.
Possible Symptoms
Depending upon where in the body the cancer is developing, the symptoms can vary:
- Lungs: Pleural Mesothelioma develops in the tissue surrounding the lungs. Symptoms can include:
Chest pain near the rib cage
Painful coughing
Strange-looking lumps under the skin on your chest
Weight loss that you can’t explain
- Stomach: Peritoneal Mesothelioma is mesothelioma that develops in the tissue in your abdomen. You may experience:
Abdominal pain and swelling
Lumps under the skin of your abdominal area
Unintended weight loss
- Other areas: Mesothelioma in areas other than the lungs and stomach is rare. Nonetheless, the disease is just as serious. You may experience:
Breathing difficulty and chest pain if you have Pericardial Mesothelioma
Swelling around the testicles or a growth on a testicle if you have Mesothelioma of Tunica Vaginalis
If you have ever worked with or lived near asbestos-containing materials, you should see your doctor immediately, even if you have no symptoms. Additionally, consult with one of our Texas mesothelioma attorneys because national funds may be available for your care and for your pain and suffering.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
We are always here to help you obtain compensation for the health risks you face now and in the future. Contact a skilled mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible to arrange a consultation and learn about your rights.
