New Orleans Asbestos Blog

Mesothelioma is a difficult disease to live with, and it is also a difficult disease to detect. Cancer that affects the lining around the lungs and stomach resembles many other ailments, especially in the early stages, which leads to its later detection.

• How do doctors detect mesothelioma?

Many of the physical warning signs are similar to other problems, like musculoskeletal distention or chest pain. As a result, physicians generally do not suspect mesothelioma unless a patient history includes exposure to environmental causes.

• What are the causes that generally indicate mesothelioma?

Liability in cases of illness is not always easy to prove. It may feel like a case of food poisoning after going out to eat. The cause may seem obvious to you, but it may not hold up in court.

This is because liability is the important issue when looking for financial damages after an illness or injury. Did someone have a responsibility to keep consumers safe and failed to fulfill it? Was someone able to stop the problem and didn't take the opportunity?

The word asbestos has become a byword for something suspiciously dangerous. The last five decades have featured the substance on lists of hazardous materials. But much of human history before then featured asbestos cookware, insulation or industrial materials.

In many ways, the advantages of asbestos in materials science are the same reason it is dangerous to humans. The word covers a variety of materials that are strong, long-lasting and resistant to fire and heat. But the crystal fibers that break loose from solid tiles or panels are long-lasting enough to stay in the lungs and other thoracic organs of the human body.

Like others here in Louisiana and elsewhere, you may think that concerns about asbestos no longer exist. After all, no one uses it anymore, right? Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. If you work in certain industries, you could still suffer from exposure without the proper equipment, training and personal protective gear.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration continues to warn employers and employees of the dangers of breathing in or swallowing asbestos dust or fibers. The problem with this toxic substance is that it can take decades for any associated illnesses to manifest. This is one reason why some people receive diagnoses asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma, now when they were exposed decades earlier at work.