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

Many jobs still involve working with asbestos. Job site exposure to asbestos has been reduced significantly because EPA, OSHA and other regulatory agencies set strict requirements for work practices that affect the environment or employees.

Workers commonly exposed to asbestos in decades past have a higher risk of developing an asbestos-related disease than workers entering the same industries today.

Two other high-risk areas are the construction industry and the automotive industry, particularly working with brake linings. Both industries use asbestos extensively.

Asbestos Exposure from Other Sources

The most common non-employee exposure to asbestos is to family members who worked with asbestos, especially prior to current safety regulations. Another very common exposure site is the community. Fibers escaped asbestos mines and manufacturing plants sites rained out over communities, exposing everyone living nearby.

Common community exposure sites include buildings constructed during the late 1800s and early 1900s, such as government buildings, office buildings, older homes, schools and hospitals.

The risk of non-industrial asbestos exposure is highest for people who renovate buildings. Exposure to deteriorating walls, flooring, countertops, ceiling tiles, insulation, etc. can, be deadly. Experts recommend sealing these areas to prevent fibers from becoming airborne until you can hire a professional to make the repairs.

The experienced asbestos lawyers of Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP, invite you to please contact them for more information about asbestos exposure liability in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

The organs, body cavity, and their mesothilial sacs are as follows:

• Lung
• Chest Cavity
• Pleura
• Abdominal Organs
• Abdominal Cavity
• Peritoneum
• Heart
• Chest Cavity
• Pericardium
• Testicles
• Scrotum
• Tunica Vaginalis

There are two layers to the mesothelium, the inner (visceral) sac, and an outer (parietal) layer that lines the respective body cavity. The layers secrete a fluid that allows the organs frictionless movement within the cavity. In all four types of mesothelioma the disease begins in the elastic mesothelial sac that encases one of four body organs.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma begins in the pleural sac. The early symptoms of mesothelioma appear as the tumor grows causing pleural inflammation causing effusions and infections that cause shortness of breath and other breathing problems.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma begins most often in the stomach or intestines. Asbestos fibers are believed to enter the stomach either by ingestion or the lymphatic system. Fibers can be swallowed from food or drink that was contaminated with asbestos, or from swallowing contaminated lung secretions.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Researchers have not established how the fibers get into the pericardial mesothelium, but speculate that they may break down in the lung tissue and enter the blood stream where they travel to the heart and become lodged in the pericardium.

Testicular Mesothelioma

With fewer than 100 cases reported, testicular mesothelioma is the rarest. To date, no one knows why mesothelioma develops in the testicles.

Please contact the law offices of Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP, the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Estimates are that 90% of all cases of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos. Research by the Mayo Clinic identified the cause of mesothelioma to be genetic mutation that causes the cells to become cancerous. Asbestos appears to have the capability of initiating this mutation.

Other causes of mesothelioma suggest that the Simian virus (SV40) is one cause of the disease. The SV40 virus was discovered when polio vaccines were being developed during the mid-1950s to early 1960. Some of the vaccines were contaminated with the SV40 virus.

Other cases are associated with patients who were injected with thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), once used in some x-ray tests. Thorium dioxide appears to increase the risk of developing mesothelioma.

But the majority of cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure in asbestos industry workplace, direct contact with people who worked there while they still had the fiber dust on their clothes, bodies or hair, or direct contact with their clothes as with people who did the worker's laundry.

If you believe you have an asbestos-related claim, please contact Parker, Dumler, & Kiely, LLP, serving Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. to arrange an initial consultation.