There are few things more traumatic for a victim and their family than a cancer diagnosis, especially when that diagnosis reveals one of the most dangerous and highly lethal forms of cancer, mesothelioma. The cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure and it can happen even when the exposure is very brief and the particles are very tiny. Unfortunately, because mesothelioma tends to develop slowly, symptoms often don’t show up until it has fully developed in the body, often many decades after the asbestos exposure that caused it. There are actually three types of mesothelioma, all of which develop in the protective lining of the internal organs of the body.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma occurs when a person has inhaled asbestos fibers and they become trapped in the lungs; more specifically, between the pleural cells, which make up the protective lining of the lungs, where they lead to the growth of cancerous cells. This can lead to a number of symptoms, including night sweats, breathing difficulty, chest pain, lumps appearing just below the skin of the chest, chronic coughing, sometimes including coughing up blood and inexplicable and sudden weight loss.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
This type of mesothelioma develops in the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity, which serves to protect most of the body’s organs. Among the most common symptoms for this type of mesothelioma include fatigue, the sudden presence of abdominal lumps, abdominal pain and cramps, constipation or diarrhea or sudden inexplicable weight loss.
Pericardial Mesothelioma
This is the rarest form of mesothelioma, only affecting 1-5% of all victims of the disease, but it’s also the deadliest and most incurable form, in part because this version occurs when asbestos fibers become trapped between the layers of the pericardium, which is the membrane that surrounds and protects the heart, but also because it takes a very long time for symptoms to appear. By the time they do appear, the disease has advanced to the point that it can’t be treated effectively. Among the most common symptoms include chronic coughing, chest pain, breathing difficulty or irregular heartbeats and palpitations.
There are a number of ways that asbestos can get into the lungs or abdomen and cause someone to contract mesothelioma. It is believed that the cause of all forms of mesothelioma is the inhalation or swallowing of airborne microscopic asbestos particles, which means that anyone who has ever worked with or around asbestos is at risk, which is why workers in the construction or contracting industries, railroad workers, factory workers are among those most commonly afflicted. In addition, veterans also face a higher risk because many military ships, vehicles, and tools contained asbestos, which was considered an excellent and very durable material used in construction at one time.
Asbestos was used very widely for a very long time and it is believed that a great many people from all walks of life were exposed, but the dormancy period for the disease is so long that many people may not even realize they’re sick until it’s too late. If you believe that you may have been exposed to asbestos or you are now beginning to experience symptoms of mesothelioma, you should be diagnosed by a medical professional as soon as possible.
Corpus Christi, Texas Mesothelioma Lawyers
If you are then diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should act quickly to find an experienced and skilled injury attorney in Corpus Christi to handle your case as soon as possible, so that you can file a injury claim before the Texas statute of limitations runs out. It’s also important to begin the process of establishing your work and exposure history because you will be the key witness in your own case. Please contact the Texas Mesothelioma Attorneys at the Gutierrez Law Firm as soon as possible, so that we can put our experience to work for you.