The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has been researching the global asbestos trade since 2009. As you are likely well aware, asbestos is the cancer-causing mineral that is a leading cause of mesothelioma, a devastating form of cancer. While asbestos is restricted in most industrialized nations, it is still distributed and somewhat aggressively marketed in developing countries.

In conjunction with BBC’s International News Services, the ICIJ launched an advanced documentation campaign in Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia and the United States to research and distribute information about the asbestos industry. In a new article published through “Dangers in the Dust: Inside the Global Asbestos Trade,” the project’s website, reporters addressed head-on the widespread use of asbestos in Indian construction and manufacturing today.

Sheets of asbestos are cost-effective for use in construction, and entire dusty factories in India are dedicated to producing this highly demanded, yet lethal time bomb of a product. Experts believe the foundation has been laid for an emerging epidemic for illnesses related to asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, throughout India. The government is aware of these dangers, but it is against politicians’ best interest to interfere with a trade that provides needed materials and jobs in India’s rapidly growing economy. India now maintains the second largest asbestos market worldwide, behind China. Products containing asbestos bear no warning labels, and the lobbyists and activists fighting for change have had little success because the asbestos market legitimately serves the livelihoods of tens of thousands of residents, many of them poor.

Meanwhile, asbestos has been strictly limited or banned in 52 developed nations— its use is completely banned in the European Union. Believe it or not, the mineral is still utilized legally in the United States for the manufacture of designated products including car brakes and gun parts. For more information about asbestos exposure in consumer products and workplaces, and the ways mesothelioma develops via asbestos exposure, consider contacting a qualified  mesothelioma law firm.

Asbestos had, from antiquity up through the 1970s, been prized for numerous properties.  For one, it’s incredibly lightweight.  When mixed into concrete, it makes that concrete lighter and increases its tensile strength, which makes it easier to transport and means construction companies don’t have to use as much of it.  It was also used extensively in other industries, including the field of shipbuilding, to serve as insulation for pipes, boilers, and throughout buildings, since it’s a very poor conductor of heat.  It’s also an excellent fire retardant.  It comes in two forms, serpentine and crocidolite.

Due to all these attributes, California lawmakers were proud of the possibilities of the mineral, of which it had considerable quantities.  In 1965, serpentine was named the state rock in order to help bolster the burgeoning asbestos mining industry.  Now, according to an article reported in AP, lawmakers are considering stripping serpentine of its privileged status.

It’s hard to disagree with the reasons put forth by Democratic state Senator Gloria Romero, the legislator spearheading the call.  According to her, California has the highest rate of death from mesothelioma in the nation, and it just doesn’t seem right to be celebrating a rock known for containing the lethal mineral.  Indeed, a large part of the reason why serpentine was originally designated the state rock was because of its asbestos content, so one can certainly see Romero’s displeasure at the current state of affairs.

Historically, the rock was crushed to release its asbestos fibers.  Doing so might release the fibers into the air, where they can be inhaled by workers or can settle on their clothing to be inhaled by someone in the home.  Once inhaled, asbestos fibers cannot be broken down by the body, leading, after a latency period of anywhere from 10 to 50 years, to uncontrolled growth of mesothelium cells.  Once this uncontrolled growth starts, the disease spreads rapidly and devastatingly.  After the onset of mesothelioma, victims’ life expectancies are often measured in months.

Chances are, if you’ve found this blog, you already know some asbestos facts.  Chief among them is that exposure to it can cause mesothelioma.  That’s why you’ll often see the two linked when you read articles about mesothelioma settlements and the like.  But do you know how the two are linked?  Below are some facts about this mineral, and what it can mean for those who are (unfortunately) exposed to it.

Asbestos is a mineral that is found naturally in a fiber-like form.  Due to this form, it’s very lightweight and is a very good insulator and a poor conductor.  These properties have caused it to be historically prized as a construction or industrial material, and it’s been used as insulation for pipes, boilers, buildings, and ships.  Furthermore, when asbestos is mixed with concrete, it increases that concrete’s tensile strength, which means less concrete needs to be used and transported.

Asbestos can be categorized by the two forms (sepentine and amphibole) that it comes in.  Amphibole asbestos can be further broken down into different types, which include crocidolite and amosite.

While asbestos can be found all over the world, the historical leader of mining production for the mineral has been Canada.  Today, other nations, including Russia, Australia, China, and South Africa all produce large quantities of asbestos and compete with Canada.

Back to the previously mentioned fiber-like form of asbestos: when the mineral is disturbed, the fibers very easily break down into dust clouds of miniscule particles which can become airborne.  From there, they’re very easily inhaled or swallowed.  The body, unfortunately, cannot break down the inhaled fibers.  After many years of dormancy, these fibers can start to eat away at the lining of the lungs, a devastating process which can cause many diseases.  Chief among these are lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

That, right there, is the sad connection between the two.

Vermiculite and asbestos are two minerals used for similar purposes.  Both have been historically used as excellent insulators, since they have highly effective heat resistance properties.  They are also both wonderful fire retardants, which makes them useful in the construction and shipbuilding industries.

That could be where the similarities end, however, because vermiculite is generally considered to be harmless to humans who are mining or working with it, while asbestos exposure can lead to many life-threatening diseases.  These diseases include mesothelioma, which has no known cure and can kill someone with terrifying quickness once symptoms manifest themselves.

Vermiculite is mined all around the world, with particularly large concerns operating in China, Brazil, South Africa, the United States, and Zimbabwe.  Within the United States, the largest mines are in the Appalachian mountain range, especially around Virginia.  It resembles mica, another mineral sometimes used for insulation in electronic devices, and has a brownish, vaguely metallic and glassy hue.

Since vermiculite has some similar properties as asbestos, it is often associated with mesothelioma.  However, there does not appear to be any evidence linking the mineral with the brutal cancer, or with any other diseases typically associated with asbestos exposure.  The major causal association between vermiculite and mesothelioma, at least in this country, appears to have stemmed from the asbestos-tainted vermiculite mines of Libby, Montana.  The case of asbestos in Libby, Montana is a well-documented and devastating one which has affected the lives of many in the area.

Due to the fact that vermiculite is generally considered harmless, it’s still used for construction today.  However, vermiculite from the Libby mines is considered suspect, since much of the mineral mined there also contains traces of asbestos.  That isn’t considered harmless.  If you have been exposed to vermiculite from Libby, Montana, there’s a chance that you might have also been exposed to asbestos.  If that’s the case, it might be a good idea to contact a mesothelioma lawyer with a proven track record of success.

Since there’s so much at stake when one is diagnosed with mesothelioma, understanding mesothelioma victims’ rights can be an important part of dealing with the issue with dignity, understanding, and respect.

We often talk about the grievous physical damage mesothelioma inflicts on its victims because that’s the most visible aspect of the devastation it wreaks.  There are good reasons for that visibility.  First, mesothelioma attacks the body in a particularly cruel fashion, lying dormant for years or even decades before snapping out of its latency period and advancing with terrifying rapidity.  Along with that fearsome onset, there is no known cure for the disease, even though there are several treatments that might look promising out there.  After it’s detected, mesothelioma moves quickly, and the life expectancies of its victims are often measured in months, not years.

What’s talked about less often is the economic aspect of being diagnosed with this savage cancer.  Due to the quickly damaging impact mesothelioma has on the body, it often puts workers out of commission at the exact time money is most urgently needed.  Experimental treatments and expensive, exhaustive traditional ones can cost incredible amounts of money, financial burdens that are often compounded by the fact that many victims are already retired or might not have adequate (or any) health insurance.

When faced with all these unforeseen calamities all at once, it can be tough to face up to all of it.  A mesothelioma law firm might be just the help that victims need, especially if they’re qualified and experienced with similar cases.  The right law firm might be able to provide you with valuable information for securing a favorable mesothelioma settlement in less time than might be possible otherwise, which is an important consideration, especially when taking the brief average life expectancy of mesothelioma victims into account.

Causes of mesothelioma are usually pretty well-known among those who spend a significant amount of time dealing with mesothelioma litigation, and to any regular visitor of this blog, or its parent site, the Mesothelioma Help Network, this post likely won’t open any new eyes.  Nevertheless, we like to make sure that new visitors are caught up to speed about what makes this devastating, largely incurable disease strike.

There may be other causes of mesothelioma, but the one it’s most commonly associated with, especially as it pertains to mesothelioma law, is asbestos exposure.  Asbestos exposure was prevalent for centuries because, during that time, it was highly prized for its properties as an insulant and a fire retardant in the shipbuilding and construction industries.  The mineral’s fibrous form also made it much lighter than other alternatives, which was another reason it was so coveted.  However, its lightweight, fibrous nature allowed it to become airborne easily by workers mining for it.  And, once airborne, asbestos is easily inhaled.  It also settles on clothing, which can transport the fibers to a worker’s home, where his family members can inhale them.

Once inhaled, the fibers travel to the mesothelium, which is the lining of the lungs or the stomach.  There, the asbestos fibers cannot be broken down, so they remain, where they often cause the mesothelium cells to divide and subdivide unchecked.  Following a latency period lasting anywhere from 10 to 50 years, the cancer in the mesothelioma starts to rapidly advance, causing shortness of breath and a lingering cough.

Once the symptoms of mesothelioma begin to manifest themselves, the disease advances with what can be alarming rapidity.  The life expectancy of someone diagnosed with this brutal disease is often measured in months, not years.  Sadly, though promising treatments are being developed on a regular basis, there is no cure.

Another mesothelioma lawsuit has recently been settled in the plaintiff’s favor.  According to a blog post published today (May 24) on Asbestos.com, a 59-year-old man in the Miami area has been awarded over $14 million because of asbestos exposure he was subjected to while working.  This asbestos exposure later caused the man to develop peritoneal mesothelioma.  (The “peritoneal” element of this particular mesothelioma indicates that this cancer had attacked the lining of his abdomen, not necessarily the pleural lining of his lungs.)

The judgment decided against the defendant, Union Carbide, who was found to be negligent for selling asbestos fibers to companies, such as construction equipment companies, who then used the fibers in the manufacturing of their products.  The man came into contact with these asbestos fiber-laden products in the 1970s, when he worked for his family’s construction company.

Though mesothelioma is an incredibly rare disease, it much more strongly affects those in an certain industries, especially the fields of shipbuilding and construction.  That’s because asbestos used to be a prized ingredient in many of the products used in those areas.  Asbestos uses in these disciplines was varied.  The mineral has excellent insulation and flame-retardant properties, and its light density set it apart from other similar additives.   Unfortunately, when inhaled, it also causes mesothelioma, a grievously lethal disease for which there is no cure.  In addition to workers in the aforementioned industries, the families of those laborers also were at higher risk of coming into contact with asbestos fibers, since they often got trapped in hair and clothing and taken home.

Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can remain relatively harmless in the lungs for anywhere from 10 to 50 years before triggering mesothelioma. Despite such a long latency period, however, once the disease is diagnosed, life it advances rapidly.  The life expectancy of a mesothelioma victim is often measured in months, and as previously mentioned, there is no cure for this devastating disease.

Asbestos exposure has been a widespread, well-documented, and sadly devastating concern in the isolated mining community of Libby, Montana.  The issue began in 1919, when a vermiculite mine, called the Zonolite Company, opened in the area.  The mine soon grew to become a primary employer in the area, with many of the area’s population employed in the mining of vermiculite, and, in 1963, the mine was purchased by W. R. Grace and Company.  Unfortunately, the vermiculite that was proving to be a boon to the people of Libby also appeared to contain asbestos fibers, which, unbeknownst to the local populace, was causing an abnormally high number of deaths from asbestos-related ailments, including mesothelioma.

Once the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ran a series of articles (called, collectively, “A Town Left to Die”) linking the unusual number of asbestos-related deaths in the area to the mine formerly run by W. R. Grace and Company, federal investigators stepped in to determine the veracity of some of the claims made.  Their investigation turned up a disheartening result: there was an alarmingly high level of asbestos fibers found in air samples taken from around the area.  The authorities subsequently linked this finding to the asbestos-related illnesses that plagued the town.

Once the connection was made, the wide-ranging nature of Libby’s asbestos problems was made clear.  Nearly 300 deaths in the town and its surrounding are suspected to be related to asbestos.  This figure, already shockingly high, is even more tragic when taken in context of the town’s population of under 3,000.  Subsequent criminal charges were brought against employees of W. R. Grace & Company, all of whom were found not guilty on all counts.

Nothing can undo the disaster that transpired in Libby, Montana, a good mesothelioma lawyer—or, more likely, a  team of them—could theoretically help intercede on their behalf.  Let’s hope that environmental disasters such as this one neither transpire nor go unpunished in the future.

Mesothelioma lawsuits have traditionally been high-stakes, but the outcome of a recent trial in California might be uncharted territory, as far as payout size is concerned.

According to an article found on the Surviving Mesothelioma site, jurors in a recent case involving a woman who allegedly contracted mesothelioma by washing her husband’s asbestos-tainted clothing ruled in her favor, awarding her $208.8 million in total damages.  Of that total, $8.8 million was compensatory, while $200 million was punitive.

The article states that Bobby Evans, a worker for the L.A. Department of Water and Power from 1974 to 1998, had to, among other things, had to cut asbestos cement pipes as part of his job’s duties.  These pipes, manufactured by CertainTeed Corporation, released asbestos fibers into the air when cut.  These fibers then settled into his clothing, which were then apparently released into the air when his wife, Rhoda, washed them.

Unfortunately, there is nothing new about this claim.  Many industries, but primarily the shipbuilding and construction ones, historically used asbestos as an insulator and a fire retardant.  It did both jobs well, and was a remarkably light material to boot, so it was highly prized.  Unfortunately, it also causes devastating lung diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other debilitating cancers.  It decimated workers in those very industries that used it most.

What’s more, the lightweight fibers did have a tendency to get stuck in clothing and hair, which could then be disturbed in workers’ households and inhaled by his family.  Hence the very real possibility that this is indeed what happened to Rhoda Evans.

Though $208.8 million seems like a staggering payday, there’s a good chance that the final amount will be lowered in an appeal.  What’s more, mesothelioma is an absolutely ravaging disease, one that, as of now, has no apparent cure.  Despite constant improvements in mesothelioma treatment, the life expectancy of a victim is often measured in months, not years.