In recent years more and more people have become aware of the dangers of asbestos. This is a naturally occurring material that has been mined since ancient times, however it was not heavily used in industry until the late eighteen hundreds. From then until the eighties asbestos was used in buildings as well as brakes, flooring products, textiles, roof shingles, and cement. Many industrial workers have been exposed to asbestos over the years as well as miners. People who live with these workers and miners as well as people who live near these mines can also be exposed to asbestos. This is such a problem because prolonged asbestos exposure is directed linked to a cancer called mesothelioma. Starting in the late twenties and continuing until today many workers who have gotten this disease as a result of occupational exposure have filed a mesothelioma claim.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is both hard to diagnose and treat. It often looks like a respiratory disease or another type of cancer until it is in its terminal stages.

The cancer attacks the outer walls of all the organs in the abdominal cavity such as the lungs, stomach, or liver.

Most often the lungs are the organ that are the most affected. Sufferers will often complain of shortness of breath, fatigue, chest wall pain, and may even spit up blood. But because there is no set screening process for mesothelioma a lot of cases initially go undetected.

Even with that being said, the disease doesn’t occur that often; there are around forty cases per million in industrialized nations like Britain.

The first lawsuit for mesothelioma due to long term asbestos exposure was actually filed in the twenties, but there were very few cases again until the late seventies.

That is when direct links were formed between asbestos exposure and cancer. Today, it is still hard to prove a concrete link between the workplace and this mesothelioma.

That is why lawsuits are often filed on behalf of a large group of sufferers and their families against a single employer. That way other forms of asbestos exposure can be ruled out. Unfortunately, the fruits of these lawsuits are often just enough to take care of huge medical bills. The only good thing about a mesothelioma claim is that it raises awareness about the dangers of long term exposure to asbestos in the workplace.

Jo Wilson is an expert in accident claims. If you want more information about types of mesothelioma claim or are looking for a reputable law firm please visit http://personalinjury.ffw.com