Causes
-
Most mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos from ten to forty years ago, with most of the cases diagnosed today reflecting exposure to asbestos in shipyards, industrial plants, construction sites, or schools before the general public was aware of the risks of asbestos ingestion. Mesothelioma is a cancer that develops slowly and is hard to diagnose. Many patients have had the cancer for ten years or more before the diagnosis is made.
The asbestos industry and insurance companies have been aware of the health risks of asbestos exposure for about a century, and from the 1930s on they were generally successful in keeping these hazards out of the public view. The knowing exposure of workers and their families to serious asbestos diseases is the general basis of liability in a mesothelioma claim.
Because of the long lag time between exposure and manifestation of the cancer, one of the main challenges in mesothelioma litigation is to trace the source of the asbestos to one or more particular defendants or their successor corporations twenty to forty years after the fact. At Matthews & Associates, our familiarity with the asbestos industry and the proof of mesothelioma claims can give your case for damages a significant advantage. For more information about our ability to help you and your family, contact us in Houston for a free consultation