Many years ago, a popular building material called asbestos was found to cause cancer and other illnesses, and those who are affected by such diseases will often seek the legal advice of an asbestos law firm. Before it was banned in the mid 1980s, asbestos was widely used in commercial and residential buildings, because it is a good insulator. It can be found in insulation blankets, fireproofing, stoves, joint compound, vinyl tiles, and many other products made before the ban.
There are several different diseases caused by asbestos, though the average asbestos law firm deals largely with the most common illness, which is called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is almost exclusively associated with exposure to asbestos. This disease is characterized by the formation of malignant tumors on the mesothelium, which is a coating that covers most of the internal organs, shielding them from harm. Often, mesothelioma attacks the lungs first, and then proceeds to the rest of the organs if it is not treated.
Other diseases that an asbestos law firm may handle include asbestos warts, pleural plaques, and diffuse pleural thickening. Asbestos warts are growths that form around pieces of asbestos that have lodged into the skin, and they are not malignant in nature. Pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening are both characterized by benign growths on the surfaces of the lungs. While pleural plaques do not cause any harm to the person affected by the illness, diffuse pleural thickening can possibly have an ill effect on the function of the lungs, and may reduce a person’s overall quality of life.
The goal of any asbestos law firm is to provide people who suffer from such illnesses with some form of compensation that will help to alleviate the financial, physical, and emotional effects of the condition. There are many firms that specialize in the litigation of such cases. When selecting among them, one should research the previous cases handled by the particular asbestos law firm, the percentage of favorable judgments, and the fees associated with the processing of the case.
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