Myrtle Beach, SC Mesothelioma Lawyer

Myrtle Beach, SC Mesothelioma Attorney

Only one thing can cause mesothelioma to develop in your body: prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. Inhaling asbestos dust can be very bad for your health, as it can cause you to develop many different kinds of chronic illnesses, from asbestosis and various cancers to mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that develops when asbestos fibers latch onto the thin tissues that line your organs.

A Myrtle Beach, SC mesothelioma lawyer experienced in asbestos exposure claims can help pursue compensation for this affliction.

Statistics Related to Mesothelioma

The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, have reported over 45,000 deaths from mesothelioma in the United States between 1999 and 2015. Since 2015, the mortality rate for mesothelioma has averaged around 2,500 deaths per year, largely due to the active removal of asbestos from many buildings that contain this substance, which may be starting to deteriorate or represent other risks to the populace.

How Do You Get Mesothelioma?

The only way to contract a case of mesothelioma is by inhaling asbestos fibers that are present in asbestos dust. There is no other known way to develop a case of mesothelioma other than those fibers attaching to the thin lining of tissue around your internal organs.

The incubation period for mesothelioma is considerable, with the disease often taking decades, sometimes over thirty or forty years, to fully develop in the body. Symptoms may not show until the damage has already been done. How mesothelioma will affect someone depends on the constitution of the person being diagnosed.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers that likely caused your mesothelioma to develop in the first place may have happened entirely without your knowledge. After all, the fibers are very small, and you may have breathed them in while unaware that you were surrounded by asbestos dust. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you determine the exact nature of how you came into contact with asbestos.

The asbestos fibers that cause these chronic illnesses to develop are present in the asbestos dust that comes from asbestos being disturbed, removed, broken, or deteriorated over time. Asbestos that has not been disturbed or has not yet started to deteriorate may pose no immediate threat, as the fibers are relatively contained. As long as it is not broken or drilled into, it may not be anything to worry about for now.

Treating Mesothelioma

Treating mesothelioma can prove difficult, as can diagnosing the disease in its early stages. Many people who are suffering from the disease may be unaware that they even have it until symptoms start to show later in life. Another issue that can arise is that some of the symptoms of mesothelioma may resemble those of other conditions that are not nearly as serious, such as flu, bronchitis, or other localized infections.

There are several different forms of mesothelioma. The kind of mesothelioma that you may develop will largely depend on the area of your body that the fibers attach to, as they may travel to the thin tissue lining of your lungs, testes, stomach, or heart. Some forms of the disease are rarer than others, and those may be difficult to treat when the time comes.

Where Do Asbestos Fibers Come From?

Asbestos was a major component of building materials throughout the 20th century, according to the Asbestos and Silica Claims Procedure Act of 2006. Since those with mesothelioma are often diagnosed later in life, at least some time after inhaling asbestos fibers, it is reasonable to assume that they were exposed to asbestos at some point in their youth.

Asbestos is a considerably strong insulator and quite resistant to heat, which once made it an ideal ingredient for building materials like adhesives, cement, and insulation. It was so ideal, in fact, that it was used in constructing thousands of buildings throughout the nation, including factories, office buildings, shopping malls, homes, and schools. Even today, many of these buildings still contain asbestos, as attempting to remove it could possibly make the situation much worse.

Many companies throughout the state of South Carolina have faced substantial claims from workers and workers’ families who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related health conditions due to poor working conditions and constant exposure to asbestos. One notable company in Myrtle Beach, SC was Cool Cote LLC, whose owner was sentenced to prison for violating anti-asbestos laws.

Prevention Methods That Could Help

There is no way to definitively ensure that you won’t develop mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos. The only sure way to guarantee that you will never develop an asbestos-related disease is to simply avoid asbestos entirely, but that may not be a realistic goal. There remain thousands of buildings around the country that still contain asbestos as part of their construction.

Mitigating Asbestos in the Home

If you are living in an older home that was built at some point in the 20th century, you may be concerned about the potential presence of asbestos in your home. That’s understandable. Reaching out to a removal professional could provide you with peace and certainty. If that professional finds asbestos and you wish to have it removed, they may be able to provide that service as well.

While the asbestos is being removed from your home, you cannot be in the house. The destruction of asbestos is what releases the deadly fibers. Make sure you, your family, your roommates, and your pets are out of the house. Stay with friends and family if you can, or get to a hotel. Do not attempt to perform the asbestos removal on your own. If you crack the material, you could release fibers into the air and risk possible inhalation.

Reach Out to an Experienced Mesothelioma Lawyer Today

It can feel demoralizing to learn that you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. It can be heartbreaking to have to adjust your entire life for a disease that you got because of a handful of dust you may not even remember breathing in. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer, like those at Wallace & Graham, P.A., can help you figure out your next steps, pursue a case against the liable party, and represent your interests throughout your case. Contact us to schedule a consultation.