Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog
A recent article by Time Magazine reports that in the next 20 years, asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, will surge in Asia based on a recent report from the World Health Organization. And 7,000 people will turn 65 years old a day in the United States, perhaps the next wave of those affected by mesothelioma in Boston.
While asbestos is rarely used in the United States anymore, it has never officially been banned. And third-world countries continue to import asbestos for insulation and other uses even though it has been linked to devastating illnesses. They may well learn what the United States has long ago learned — that asbestos causes fatal illnesses. The World Health Organization estimates that about 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos at the workplace and 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related illnesses because of workplace exposure.
Boston Mesothelioma Lawyers have seen clients struck down by mesothelioma and other deadly asbestos-related illnesses. Many times, exposure to asbestos could have been prevented and businesses and companies should be held liable for harming their employees. A diagnosis of mesothelioma can take 30 to 40 years, which makes it difficult to pinpoint when someone was exposed, but our law firm will help. Mesothelioma is devastating because it is a fatal and incurable form of cancer. More than 7 percent of Boston’s population identified itself as Asian in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, so, if you or a loved one are exposed to asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, call today so we can discuss your case.
According to the Time article, Asia accounts for 64 percent of global asbestos use, five times higher than it did in the 1970s. And perhaps that’s because decades ago, the United States stopped being such a heavy user of asbestos. Asbestos has been used to make peat moss, ceiling and floor tiles and was commonly used in the construction of houses and commercial properties.
The U.S. Military was one of the largest importers of the material because it was used in the construction of many Navy ships, U.S. Army tanks and Air Force planes, among other uses. And baby boomers may be the next group to be affected. According to AARP, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, more than 7,000 people will turn 65 years old each day.
More than 70 percent of the country’s asbestos came from a mine in Libby, Montana, where the natural mineral vermiculite, which can contain asbestos, was mined. It was shipped to plants across the country, including Massachusetts, where workers processed it and manufactured products that were sent across the country. The plant operated from 1919 to 1990 and in that town, thousands have gotten ill and hundreds have died due to exposure.
People get sick when microscopic asbestos fibers are ingested, travel through the bloodstream and attach to the walls of major organs, such as the lungs and heart. They stay for years and sometimes decades before the signs cause a person to get checked, which leads to a diagnosis. By then, it’s often too late.
Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers provide representation of mesothelioma victims who have been unlawfully exposed to asbestos in Boston and the surrounding areas. Call (617) 777-7777 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
Additional Resources:
Asbestos on the Horizon in Asia, by Tara Thean, Time Magazine
Approaching 65: A Survey of Boomers Turning 65 Years Old, by Jeff Love, AARP Research & Strategic Analysis