Rare and incurable, mesothelioma has only one confirmed cause: exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made of thin, microscopic fibers with no smell or taste. The fibers are resistant to heat, corrosion, and electricity, properties that made asbestos popular as an insulator in homes, Navy ships, schools, commercial buildings, and hundreds of other applications.
Asbestos is mined, today mostly in Russia, Canada, and a few small former Soviet countries. It is illegal in many nations. However, it is not banned in the U.S. The use of asbestos in the U.S. has dropped drastically since the 1970s. Today, millions of tons of it are destroyed every year as old buildings are torn down and replaced.
Unfortunately, asbestos is also highly toxic and carcinogenic. When a person inhales the fibers, they become trapped in the body forever, eventually causing inflammation, scarring and, most troubling, genetic damage of body cells.
This genetic damage is what many experts believe causes mesothelioma tumors to occur.
Over the years, doctors noticed that mesothelioma patients often had similar types of jobs. While not all mesothelioma cases are work-related, on-the-job asbestos exposure continues to be the most common cause of this type of cancer. It frequently occurs in people whose jobs involve:
While asbestos exposure is the only confirmed cause of this cancer, there are several other factors that could play a role in mesothelioma development.
If you or someone you love has mesothelioma, talk about what you believe caused it with the lawyers of Ted B. Lyon & Associates in Dallas, Texas. You may have a valid legal claim and be entitled to compensation. Find out more during a free attorney consultation with a mesothelioma lawyer. Get yours by calling 877-Ted-Lyon / 877-833-5966 or contact us online anytime.
