Catherine A. Murphy
Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure litigation is now big business in Alabama. The extent of the volume of litigation cases now pending in the legal system have led to asbestos lawyers to resort to creative advertising by asking prospective clients if they “have a million dollar lungs”. This may seem funny, but mesothelioma is no joke business. Alabama is home to some of the highest volumes of mesothelioma cases due to its industrial past.
Due to its proximity to the south coast of America, Alabama has been blessed and cursed by its location. Alabama is home to no less than eight power plants, six steel mills, four refineries, a major paper pulp manufacturer, several dry docks, and cement asbestos manufacturing company. All of these companies are all major employers within the state thus resulting in many of their employers being exposed to asbestos particles.
A dangerous marriage was made when it was discovered that when asbestos is added to cement if creates a material that is resistant to both cold and heat, extremely durable and flexible. As a result, this combination has been used to make miles and miles of asbestos pipes that are used to transport water to many houses and schools within Alabama. However, when concerns were raised about the leeching of asbestos into the water system, the idea was ridiculed. Now they are stuck with many unexplained cases of mesothelioma in children that goes against all previous research of the incubation period of mesothelioma.
After the effects of asbestos exposure came to the fore, legislators resorted to put in place laws that will protect the level of industrial investment within the state. For this, they established a statute of limitations that gives mesothelioma a specific period of time within which they must file an asbestos claim. If they exceed this period, they have actually forfeit their right to sue or make an asbestos claim. Hence, mesothelioma patients within the state of Alabama must be proactive and solicit the services of an asbestos lawyer as soon as they are diagnosed.
Based on all established research information, the normal incubation of mesothelioma is thirty to forty years. As a result, most of the individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma are those who became exposed to asbestos before prior to the regulations introduced during the seventies. These individuals by now would have been retired and due to the disease be experiencing significant difficulties taking care of themselves.
Because of their restricted motor skills, these individuals are unable to work and meet their financial commitments. This is where an asbestos lawyer can make a difference. Once the individual has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, they can then make an asbestos claim of the organization they deem as the source of their asbestos exposure. With its industrial past, Alabama is ripe for the picking as asbestos was widely used in the construction of homes, ships and in many of the industrial installations within the state during the sixties and seventies.