Washington 5/25/2011 4:09:46 AM
News / Health & Wellness

Mesothelioma is not just an occupational disease

By: Daun Lee

Mesothelioma is mostly thought of as an occupational disease caused by exposure to asbestos but many times it becomes a domestic disease as well. Housewives are often exposed to the carcinogenic mineral brought home on the clothing of their husbands.

Asbestos was highly prized for its fire resistant attributes and was used in a number of industries. Asbestos was commonly used in homes and buildings as ceiling tiles and insulation for plumbing. It is also commonly used by oil refineries.

Asbestos became heavily regulated when the detriments it caused to human health were discovered. There are a number of lung conditions which are caused by inhalation of asbestos. Mesothelioma is a particularly aggressive form of incurable cancer, which requires a combination of costly treatments.

Women whose husbands worked in industries that use asbestos can come into regular contact with the material through their clothing. Asbestos is often in powder form and will coat a person’s work clothes. After years if shaking out clothing and breathing in the substance, the wives of industrial workers are just as vulnerable to contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Industrial workers and their spouses who develop mesothelioma are entitled to compensation form companies that expose their workers to asbestos. A mesothelioma attorney can seek compensation for victims of the fatal cancer.  Because mesothelioma lawyers have extensive knowledge of asbestos and its harmful effects, they often obtain large settlements for people who are suffering from exposure.