Banning Asbestos

Asbestos Law suits

By Archana Sarat

Isn't it time Asbestos is banned completely?

The mining, manufacture and use of asbestos leads to a variety of diseases like fibrosis, asbestosis, asbestos warts, lung cancer, Pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening and the most dreaded disease, 'mesothelioma'. Asbestos has been in use right from the time of ancient Greeks itself. Even Romans and Persians have used it. It was used to make lamp wicks and was also woven into the clothing worn by the slaves.

The Greeks first realized that something was wrong with asbestos. They found that the lungs of slaves who wore asbestos woven clothes became diseased. It was only in the 1900s that the medical researchers woke up to the harmful effects of asbestos. In the 1930s, the diseases caused by asbestos were identified one by one. However, mesothelioma was identified only in 1940s. England was the first country that banned the mining, use and manufacture of asbestos. After this, USA banned asbestos. Though slow in efforts, Japan too banned the mining and use of asbestos. Developed countries have banned or at least severely restricted using asbestos. However, developing countries are not showing as much effectiveness in banning asbestos.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is resistant to fire, resistant to chemicals and flexible. Thus, it is a very useful chemical for most people in the developing countries. Since they are ignorant about its harmful effects, they use it extensively. Thus the asbestos industry is one flourishing industry in most developing countries. The asbestos industries are owned by wealthy politicians or by media. So, they cover up research reports and do not release any information about the harmful effects of asbestos. Moreover, they even argue that scientific evidences about mesothelioma’s harmful effects are absent. So, this harmful chemical is being produced and used in a widespread manner in many developing countries like India and China, Though India has banned all other types of asbestos, it has not imposed any ban on white asbestos. In India alone, around I0000 cases of mesothelioma occur every year.

Another issue faced is that the latency period of mesothelioma is very high. That means, the time gap between exposure to asbestos fibers and the onset of mesothelioma may be even up to 20 to 30 years. So, people shift many jobs within this time period and so, they do not link mesothelioma to they’re working in or living near asbestos industry. Sweden is the first country to show a decline in incidence of mesothelioma after a ban on asbestos. It has around 20 cases per million population per year.

As mesothelioma has a huge latency period, medical researchers expect that a vast majority of people would suffer from mesothelioma between 2020 and 2040. In the developed countries alone, it is expected that more than a million people would die of mesothelioma in the next few decades. If this were the case in developed countries, then the situation in developing countries, which have neither banned asbestos nor given any occupational safety or precaution, is frightening.
A complete ban on the mining, manufacture and use of all types of asbestos, in all countries, is the best solution for this problem.

The writer is a research expert at a medical research firm.
Webmaster http://www.rarehope.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Asbestos Law suits

Asbestos Lawsuits - 3 Things You Should Know

Asbestos Law suits

By Eric Head

Asbestos related illnesses, most commonly mesothelioma cancer, are illnesses that result from exposure to asbestos fibers or dust. The problem with these illnesses is that the symptoms don’t always become apparent until years after the initial exposure (sometimes up to 20 years later).

Asbestos lawsuits result out of the fact that many of the victims were exposed to the harmful asbestos fibers during their residency in apartments, employment in a job that put them in direct contact, or a multitude of other situations where a person (the defendant) was responsible for exposing the victim (the plaintiff) to the cancer causing asbestos.

If you were diagnosed with asbestos illnesses or mesothelioma, it is important to get an attorney right away. Here is some legal advice for those seeking legal action:

Take Action Now:

Once you are diagnosed, don’t hesitate for a second. If you wait, you could surpass the statute of limitations and not be able to file an asbestos lawsuit. Find a lawyer who specializes in asbestos related illnesses, such as mesothelioma. Do this immediately, as the time limit varies for each state.

You Only Pay If You Win:

When you file an asbestos lawsuit, the majority of lawyers will not charge you unless you win the case. This is a major advantage to asbestos lawsuits. You have nothing to lose in taking the defendant to court to collect compensation for your loss of wages due to being out of work. Or for your medical bills that have accrued from seeking treatment for the illness.

Take Care In Choosing Your Lawyer:

Be sure to research the asbestos lawyer that you decide to represent you. It is recommended that you find a lawyer who has experience in dealing with asbestos related lawsuits.

You may want to shop around for a lawyer before deciding who to go with. Have a consultation with more than one lawyer to get a feel for which one seems to be the most experienced and knowledgeable about handling asbestos lawsuits.

If you would like more information on Asbestos Law Suits, be sure to check out the great resources and information at: [http://www.asbestos-law-suits.org]http://www.asbestos-law-suits.org.

You can also learn more about [http://www.prostrate-cancer.net]Prostrate Cancer by visiting [http://www.prostrate-cancer.net]http://www.prostrate-cancer.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com


Asbestos Law suits

Frequently Asked Questions About An Asbestos Law Suit

By Nathalie Fiset

Asbestos Law suits

Asbestos litigation is one of the longest-running and most expensive mass torts in the history of the United States. For those who do not know the term, "mass tort" refers to a class-action lawsuit. This means that a mass tort is a lawsuit which involves a group of people instead of just one individual.

Currently, asbestos litigations involve more than 600,000 people suing more than 6,000 claimants. If you are one of the people who think that a company has put your life in danger and who wishes to gain justice by bringing that company to the court, then there might be a few questions you want answered. Here is a list of the Frequently Asked Questions by people regarding Asbestos law suits:

How soon after I am exposed to asbestos should I file a law suit?

Many people are frequently unsure regarding whether or not the time is right to file an asbestos law suit. This may be because they are yet unsure regarding whether or not they will be able to claim damages. One of the best pieces of advice that people can give you would be to consult a doctor first. This is because exposure alone to asbestos cannot serve as grounds for litigation. You need to show that your health has been adversely affected by exposure to asbestos before you can start a law suit. An asbestos law suit should definitely have a strong base if it is to go far. You need to remember that some asbestos-related illnesses can be hard to diagnose. This means that you need to be very sure before you attempt to file an asbestos law suit.

If you have been exposed to asbestos but have not yet developed symptoms, then you should definitely try to monitor your health very carefully. Some asbestos-caused illnesses like mesothelioma actually only show about 20-50 years after the person has been exposed to the substance. Watch for any telltale signs of illnesses and then contact a doctor right away. This is because some states have a statute of limitations which prevents people from suing a company when a certain time period has passed after they learn about the disease.

What is a contingency fee?

If you plan to go ahead with an asbestos law suit, then you may be thinking hard about how to pay for it. Most firms actually understand how hard it must be to face the disaster caused by asbestos in your life and they do not want to further add to your burden by charging you for every hour of their advice. In fact, most firms today accept payment in the form of contingency fees.

What exactly are these fees? Well, a contingency fee is a fee that the law firm collects only after the case is finished. A contingency fee is actually based on the amount of damages that you will be receiving as this is often stipulated in contract as being a percentage of the total proceeds of the case.

You have to be careful when agreeing to contingency fees. Some firms take the contingency fees out of the gross proceeds of the case. That is, they take the agreed upon percentage out of the total amount and then subtract the legal fees from your share. This means you will only keep a very small percentage of your cash. Try to look for a firm which deducts the fees from the net proceeds. By doing this, they will bear an equivalent share of the legal fees that you have incurred during the case. If you wish to know the percentage which you might have to part with as a contingency fee, most firms actually charge 1/3 or 33.33 percent.

How much money do litigants get?

This question cannot really be answered without enough information regarding your case. The amount of cash which a company will be willing to part with in your case depends on the particulars of the case. Some people can be hurt because of the fact that the damages that a person receives in an asbestos law suit often depends on how important his or her case is in the light of other people's complaints. This is because to every person, especially those whose lives have been shattered because of their exposure to asbestos, their case is the biggest one.

What is the first step in filing an asbestos law suit?

Always consult a lawyer first. The lawyer will be able to help you by handling all of the details which you may need to complete in order to get on with the asbestos law suit. When you consult a lawyer, you would then be required to cooperate in the information-gathering process. That is, you would be required to disclose any information which is possibly relevant to the case. There are steps following these, but the two described above ought to get you started in an asbestos lawsuit.

For more complete information on mesothelioma please go to: http://freemesotheliomalawyer.com/asbestos-law-suit-faq/ http://freemesotheliomalawyer.com http://www.drnathaliefiset.com

Asbestos Law suits

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Asbestos Lawsuits - Taking Legal Action

Asbestos Law suits

About Asbestos and Asbestos Lawsuits

By Eric Head

The use of asbestos was a popular material that was used frequently in construction during the 1980’s and before. This was mostly due to the fact that asbestos was very resistant to heating and fire damage. It wasn’t until over time that the adverse side effects of asbestos began to become apparent. The most common negative side effect being mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibers and dust.

As a result of this cancer causing substance, it has become necessary for many to file asbestos lawsuits, that is lawsuits for asbestos-related illnesses. The defendant in these lawsuits are typically the ones who created the toxic asbestos environment in which the victim became exposed.

One trouble that many victims of asbestos-related illnesses have is finding out where to find good legal advice or a lawyer to help in filing their asbestos lawsuit. Below are some guidelines for taking legal action with an asbestos lawsuit:

File Lawsuit Immediately:

The first thing to do when filing an asbestos lawsuit is to file your lawsuit right after you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or the other asbestos related illnesses. There are laws in many states that have time limits for when your asbestos lawsuit can be filed.

Find a Lawyer:

There are many mesothelioma groups that will be able to provide you with information on mesothelioma or asbestos lawyers in your area. They will also be able to provide you with useful information on asbestos lawsuits in general.

The benefit of contacting and working with a mesothelioma lawyer is that they have network connectios with others who suffer from this disease. They are “in the loop”, so to speak.

Use the Internet:

There are a multitude of websites with information on asbestos-related illnesses. Some of these websites include forums, where you can discuss your situation and get useful feedback from others who have already been through the process. Learning from other’s experience in the legal issues for asbestos lawsuits can be priceless information in regards to your case.

If you would like to learn more about asbestos lawsuits, there is a wealth of information at Asbestos Law Suits

A good website on prostate cancer can be found at Prostrate Cancer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Asbestos Law suits