Mesothelioma Information Washington DC Blog | Parker, Dumler and Kiely LLP

Asbestos, a known carcinogen, can have a wide range of different effects on the body, depending upon where the fibers lodge. Asbestos-related diseases can range from nonmalignant to malignant, including asbestosis, nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders, lung cancer, mesothelioma of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium or testicular lining, and other malignant cancers. The effects of asbestos on smokers is estimated to increase the risk of disease as much as 90 times that of non-smokers.

Asbestos fibers can accumulate in body tissue with repeated exposure. Trapped fibers can cause scarring and inflammation, which in turn can cause difficulty breathing. Over time continued inflammation can cause other problems including one or more of the following:

• COPD
• Asthma
• Chronic bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Asbestosis (fibrotic tissue/scarring throughout the lungs), which restricts lung expansion and reduces its ability to function normally
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening
• Mesothelioma
• Increased risk of lung cancer

Secondary to the diseases above, pulmonary effusion (fluid between the pleural layers) can develop. Fluid buildup compresses the lungs and reduces the ability to breathe effectively. This fluid can become infected, cause inflammation and scarring of the pleura, which in turn can cause adhesions in which the scar tissue binds the two pleural layers together with scar tissue.

Peritoneal mesothelioma can cause bowel obstruction, anemia, weight loss, blood clotting abnormalities, abdominal pain and swelling, fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity similar to that of pleural effusion, and fever.

According to the National Cancer Institute, some studies indicate an increased risk of colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers, cancer of the throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder, though the evidence is inconclusive.


If you have any of these asbestos-related diseases or symptoms, please contact the experienced asbestos lawyers in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP for a free consultation.

The emotions one feels when receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma have been described as shocked, helpless with no control over their life, hopeless, despair and grief as though their loved one had already died, to name only a few. Much is written about coping with the disease from the patient's point of view, but equally important are the family members and friends, and how the death of a loved one from this devastating disease affects them. Asbestos attorneys Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP can help alleviate many concerns for victims of asbestos-related diseases in the Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. area.

As with the death of any loved one, family and friends will experience all of the expected phases of grieving. But when an asbestos-related disease causes death, there is more to cope with due to the fact that the death might have been avoidable. Since the majority of cases are caused by on-the-job exposure due to employer negligence in providing protection from asbestos, family often cope with lengthy litigation, stress, and prolonged involvement dealing with their loss.

Supporting one another during this time is especially important. In addition to the funeral services, holding a special memorial, joining support groups, forming support groups, and volunteering to help others who struggle with these diseases can be very healing. The feelings of helplessness and betrayal are often relieved by being able to help others learn how to relieve pain, stress, give comfort and assistance, and especially to cope with their difficult emotions.

For information on how you can recover financial damages you must act quickly to remain eligible. Please contact the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP to schedule a free consultation. Your loss has been great enough. You should not have to suffer financial losses, too.

It isn't surprising that good nutrition for mesothelioma patients is a high priority, but the fact is that many aspects of this disease preclude patients from benefitting from mesothelioma nutritional therapy. Mesothelioma is a cancer. The nature of cancer is that it is often a factor that causes the weight loss. This is compounded by how treatments affect a patient's appetite in addition to the risk of destroying healthy muscle and organ cells. These combine to defeat the goals of maintaining a healthy weight, elevating nutrition from nourishment to an additional treatment.

You'll make many changes in your life whether you caring for yourself or you are caring for a family member with mesothelioma. Good nutrition is one of the more important ones. It is necessary to help rebuild cells destroyed both by the cancer itself and by the treatment. So it makes sense to be as well nourished before treatment begins as possible. Good nutrition as a preventive measure helps rebuild cells, prevent infection, and reduce side effects.

Nutrition for mesothelioma patients, like other cancers, means eating more protein, particularly eggs, cheese, and milk, more fat and more carbohydrates. Gravies and sauces are encouraged, not discouraged, as are snacks. Because fiber can be an irritant to side effects such as diarrhea or mouth sores, it may be better to reduce the amount of fiber in ones diet. So, while salad dressings are encouraged, salads may be discouraged, at least if they exacerbate problems.

If you are under treatment for mesothelioma you may be entitled to reimbursement and other damages, but you do need to act within the time limits set by the Statutes of Limitations. Please contact Parker, Dumler, & Kiely, LLP, the Mesothelioma Lawyers serving Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., the lawyers experienced in mesothelioma claims.

When Help Harms

The Hill-Burton Act was passed to ensure that there was adequate infrastructure in place to provide medical care to all communities. Hospitals were encouraged to expand services and build new additions or modernize existing facilities. It seemed that hospital construction was going on everywhere until the mid 1980s when new building efforts began to slow down.

While facilities were under construction employees often had to travel through dusty construction areas in the course of their work. Patients often had to be moved through these areas to get treatment or diagnostic testing in an area away from their rooms. Visitors and outpatients, as well as vendors and construction workers were openly exposed to the dust. In fact, the "Pardon Our Dust" signs were a common sight during those years.

The Irony of Intervention

Who could have guessed that this was not something to be so easily dismissed? Because so many of the buildings that needed renovation were built when asbestos use was not questioned, no doubt millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos dust in more than minimal-risk measures. If you find yourself with an asbestos related diagnosis, but no idea where you were exposed, you may want to see an experienced asbestos attorney for more information.

Beware of Small Construction Projects

Recently a small, older grocery store paid about $100,000 to have their older floors sanded down to the concrete foundation according to an article the Union County Leader in Clayton, NM, March 11, 2009. Shoppers purchasing products immediately after completion of this project may have been contaminated with asbestos from the dusty cans and packages they purchased in the weeks following. Unless they washed them immediately, the dust may still be contaminating others who enter their homes, and especially those who use these products.

Home Renovation and Asbestos Exposure

As the economy tightens, and older buildings get older yet, we may see more and more home renovations and less new construction. Older buildings need more repairs and maintenance, and that creates a situation that could release asbestos fibers into the air. You can find companies that are qualified to dismantle those parts of your home that are at risk, but they won't be cheap. Knowing the risks to the health of your family you don't want just the lowest bid, but quality work by knowledgeable professionals.

It’s Not Just Employees at Risk

It’s obvious that we can't always know when we've been exposed to this deadly mineral. So, it may come as a surprise that people who are not employed in an asbestos-related field such as mining or manufacturing could be susceptible to asbestos caused diseases.

If you would like to learn more about your options, please visit the website of Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP, the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. for more information, or to schedule a free consultation.