Exposed to Asbestos? Get Help With Your Claim From a South Carolina Mesothelioma Lawyer

Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. For decades, industry executives used their power to cover up the health hazards of asbestos. Your walls were lined with poison while their pockets were lined with profit.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and are looking for some answers, you can find them below. If you’d like a free evaluation of your mesothelioma claim, you can get live assistance here.

What Is Mesothelioma and What Causes It?

Mesothelioma is a form of deadly cancer that typically affects the tissue surrounding the lungs. As it spreads in the chest, it puts pressure on the structures there, causing breathing complications and chest pain. Death typically results from respiratory failure.

About 8 in 10 people with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is found in certain soil and rocks across the world. Unfortunately, when asbestos fibers in the air are inhaled in too great a quantity, they can get into the lungs, injure your cells, and cause mesothelioma.

And mesothelioma is not the only asbestos related disease affecting South Carolinians – contact with the substance is linked to other types of lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease, as well.

Other risk factors that are believed to increase the chance of developing mesothelioma include:

• zeolite minerals
• radiation
• SV40 virus
• age
• gender
• gene changes

The Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos was once used in many products because it is fire-resistant. It was also used as insulation in many older homes and public buildings. Researchers began to uncover a connection between asbestos and lung cancer in the 1930s. Despite that, asbestos manufacturers continued to grow from 1940 to 1980, while keeping the public in the dark on the dangers of asbestos.

Hundreds of commercial products still contain asbestos. As recently as 2006, OSHA was warning auto mechanics that asbestos-lined brakes and clutches had still not been completely eliminated in new car models.

Who Is Most at Risk for Mesothelioma?

The primary way people are exposed to asbestos, the main cause of mesothelioma, is on the job – sometimes many years after initial exposure. These jobs, among others, can have a heightened exposure to asbestos:

• Ship builders and shipyard workers
• Miners
• Factory workers
• Insulation manufacturers and installers
• Railroad and automotive workers
• Plumbers
• Construction workers (or anyone working frequently with walls or roofs)

Did You Know? Those exposed to asbestos on South Carolina job sites can bring home asbestos fibers on their clothes, putting their family members at risk.

South Carolina Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma

Even as asbestos began to be phased out in the 80s and 90s, some South Carolinians continued to be impacted. From 1999-2013, there were over 600 asbestos-related deaths in the state.

A notable example of asbestos exposure for South Carolinians was the Charleston Naval Shipyard. A study that looked at the risk of mesothelioma among shipyard workers found that those exposed to just a moderate amount of asbestos were about four times more likely to die of mesothelioma.

In addition, vermiculite ore, which can contain amounts of asbestos, is still mined in South Carolina today.

Military Service and Mesothelioma

The U.S. military used asbestos extensively from the 1930s to the 1970s. In addition to the activities listed above, any veterans that engaged in milling, demolition, carpentry, or manufacturing during service may be at greater risk. It is believed that actor Steve McQueen developed mesothelioma while serving in the United States Marines, and his asbestos exposure occurred while working on board naval ships and in shipyards.

According to Military.com, veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in the region could have been exposed to asbestos. This may have occurred when older buildings were damaged and asbestos was released into the air. If you served in the military, either abroad or in the U.S., and received a mesothelioma diagnosis, you may be able to seek compensation.

What Is the Survival Rate for Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is an unforgiving illness. The median overall survival rate for a patient with the disease is only about 15 months. This can depend on the stage that the patient is diagnosed at and how well the patient responds to treatments.

Younger patients have a higher mesothelioma survival rate than older ones, but mesothelioma primarily affects men over the age of 65.

As medicine continues to advance, treatment options can provide hope. A 2016 study found that chemotherapy tripled the survival rate of some patients. A 2018 study showed that a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation led to a one-year survival rate of nearly 80% for certain mesothelioma patients.

In October of 2020, the FDA approved an immunotherapy treatment combination for pleural mesothelioma. Research found a median survival rate of 18.1 months for patients who received the immunotherapy duo.

I Have Been Diagnosed with Mesothelioma. Do I Need a Mesothelioma Lawyer?

While you and your family focus on medical care or grieving the loss of a loved one, an attorney can help you navigate through the potential claims process. Depending on your situation, an attorney may be able to seek potential compensation on your behalf through a settlement, a liability verdict in court, and/or filing a mesothelioma trust fund claim. A South Carolina lawyer can investigate your mesothelioma claim and who may be at fault for your illness and what the best path is for you to try and get fair compensation.

Contact the South Carolina Mesothelioma Lawyers at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Today

This debilitating disease can take decades to develop, but you only have a limited window to fight for the mesothelioma compensation you may deserve. The statute of limitations in South Carolina is generally three years from your diagnosis for personal injury lawsuits and three years from the death of a loved one for wrongful death lawsuits.

If you need a South Carolina mesothelioma attorney to advise you of your rights regarding your mesothelioma claim, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin can help — even if your finances are tied up with medical bills. To help facilitate justice, our firm works on a contingency fee basis.²  That means no retainer, no hourly rate, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover for you.

We have the experience and resources to help mesothelioma victims.

Do you have a mesothelioma lawsuit? Call, click, or chat to find out more.

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The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin consults with a national network of attorneys on product liability, defective drugs, and defective products cases in an attempt to provide the best representation we can for our clients. Depending on the details of your case, our firm will likely refer your matter to another law firm with which we associate. We will only do this if we believe it is in your best interests and if you agree.