The residents of Libby Montana who have developed conditions caused by exposure to asbestos have been awarded additional medical benefits from Medicare.
The town of Libby had been the site of a vermiculite mine which essentially covered the town in the asbestos. The mine began operation in the 1920s and continued until 1990. The Environmental Protection Agency declared the town a hazard to human health in July of 2009. Libby has been a Superfund clean-up site since then and is considered to be relatively safe now. However, many asbestos- related diseases can take years to decades to manifest in people.
Asbestos is known to cause a variety of pulmonary diseases in people who inhale the fibers. Mesothelioma is one such disease, which causes cancerous tumor to grow on the linings of internal organs, typically the lungs, but can also afflict the abdominal cavity and the heart. Patients of this disease will often need financial compensation, obtained by mesothelioma attorneys, for their medical treatment.
Medicare will provide additional benefits for Libby residents who have developed health conditions linked to asbestos exposure. Under the Affordable Healthcare Act’s “Environmental Health Hazards” provision, those affected will be eligible for benefits not normally covered by Medicare.
Asbestos was used prevalently until the mid-80s. Use of the dangerous mineral has been heavily regulated since that time, but people are still becoming ill from exposure to asbestos. Patients who are diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases can contact a mesothelioma lawyer to seek compensation from businesses that use asbestos.
In numerous cases, mesothelioma attorneys have won million dollar lawsuits for clients who have developed the deadly cancer.
