Anderson, SC Mesothelioma Lawyer

Anderson, SC Mesothelioma Attorney

Dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis can be a life-altering situation. You may be feeling overwhelmed, betrayed, and enraged at the world for allowing you to end up with such a miserable disease.

With the help of an Anderson, SC mesothelioma lawyer, you can file asbestos exposure claims to seek compensatory damages for your diagnosis. That way, you can ensure that the proper parties are held accountable for exposing you to asbestos, which remains the only way to get mesothelioma.

Statistics for Mesothelioma

Between 1999 and 2015, over 45,000 people in the United States passed away as a result of complications due to mesothelioma, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Since 2015, the mortality rate for mesothelioma in the United States has tended to average around 2,500 people per year, largely due to the active attempts to remove asbestos from older buildings while trying to protect public welfare. If you do develop mesothelioma, your prognosis will depend on your medical history.

How Do You Contract Mesothelioma?

The only known way to actually contract mesothelioma remains the inhalation of asbestos fibers that are present in asbestos dust. There is no other known way to get the disease. The condition develops after asbestos fibers latch onto the thin tissue lining of certain internal organs. Since the incubation period for the disease is considerable, sometimes taking well over three or four decades, symptoms may not even begin to show until long after the internal damage has already been done.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers that caused your condition may have happened completely without your knowledge. The fibers are microscopic, and you may have inadvertently breathed in asbestos dust without knowing how dangerous it was or that it was even around you. If you develop mesothelioma and want to know more about how you came into contact with asbestos fibers, an experienced lawyer can help you determine the origins of your exposure.

Treating Mesothelioma

Treating mesothelioma can prove difficult as well, as can diagnosing the disease early on. Many people who are suffering from mesothelioma may be totally unaware that they even have it until the symptoms begin to show later in life. That can also prove troublesome, as some of the symptoms of mesothelioma may resemble other medical conditions that aren’t as serious, such as a random infection or a bad flu.

Asbestos Dust: The Cause of Mesothelioma

When asbestos is disturbed, destroyed, moved around, or starts to deteriorate, the little fibers that are present in the dust that emerges from the mineral can cause all sorts of chronic illnesses and lifelong medical problems. Asbestos that isn’t disturbed may not crumble into dust until it starts to deteriorate, which is why government entities, like the EPA and the CDC, are working to get asbestos removed from many older buildings.

If you inhale that dust, the worst possible thing that can happen is a case of mesothelioma, asbestosis, or some other form of cancer, such as lung, ovarian, or uterine. Mesothelioma comes about when the asbestos fibers attach themselves to the thin tissue lining certain organs, such as the stomach, testes, heart, and lungs. The form of mesothelioma that you may develop depends largely on which organ the fibers attach to. Some versions of the disease can be rarer than others, which can be difficult to treat.

Sources of Asbestos

According to the Asbestos and Silica Claims Procedure Act of 2006, asbestos was a significant component in building materials throughout the 20th century. It was known to be resistant to heat and acted as a strong insulator, which made it a good foundation for certain building materials, such as insulation, adhesives, and cement. It wound up being used in the construction of thousands of buildings across the country, including homes, offices, schools, shopping malls, and factories.

Since mesothelioma is often diagnosed later in life, it can be safe to say that those who contract the disease were likely exposed to asbestos fibers early in life. Many companies throughout the country, including South Carolina, have been at the center of claims from employees and employees’ families who may have been exposed to asbestos at work, such as Anderson’s Stauffer Chemical Plant, Equinox Mill, Daniel Construction Company, and Monsanto Chemical Plant.

Possible Prevention Methods for Mesothelioma

Even if you inhale asbestos fibers at some point in your life, that is not an automatic guarantee that you will develop mesothelioma. In fact, most people never get it. It only affects a small percentage of the population in Anderson, SC. However, if you are exposed to asbestos fibers, there are no guarantees that you won’t get the disease either. The only definitive way to never get mesothelioma is to never set foot in a building that contains asbestos, but that may not be practical.

There are still thousands of buildings throughout the United States that still contain significant amounts of asbestos or even just trace amounts, but that can be enough.

Asbestos Mitigation in the Home

Living in an older home, particularly one that was built between 1930 and 1990, could make you worry about the possible dangers of asbestos. If you want reassurance, you might want to consider reaching out to a removal professional, as they can tell you if you have asbestos and give you an estimate on removing it.

While it is being removed, everyone in your household should either stay with friends or family or stay in a hotel, including pets. Anyone who breathes in asbestos fibers could be seriously hurt in the future. Do not attempt to remove the asbestos on your own. If you damage the material, you could risk releasing fibers into the air.

Seek Out an Experienced Mesothelioma Lawyer Today

Facing a mesothelioma diagnosis on your own can be overwhelming and demoralizing. With the help of an experienced lawyer, you can hold the party that is responsible for exposing you to asbestos accountable for their actions and seek compensatory damages from them. Contact the attorneys at Wallace & Graham, P.A., to learn more about how we can help you develop your case.