{"id":353312,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:48","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/product-liability\/mesothelioma-and-asbestos.html"},"modified":"2025-09-17T09:20:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T14:20:00","slug":"mesothelioma-and-asbestos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/product-liability\/mesothelioma-and-asbestos.html","title":{"rendered":"Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Illnesses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Illnesses<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Oni Harton, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Asbestos exposure can lead to serious illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, often decades after initial contact. Mesothelioma is especially aggressive and difficult to detect early, making timely diagnosis and treatment critical. Those with an asbestos-related illness can file a lawsuit seeking damages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Asbestos is a mineral fiber naturally occurring in rock and soil. Because of its strength and its heat resistance, manufacturers use it in many construction materials. Companies also use it in many household products. But asbestos can cause serious illness if you inhale or somehow ingest its dust and fibers.<\/p>\n

For years, it was customary for contractors to use asbestos-containing products such as roofing shingles and cement. However, in 1978, the Environmental Protection Agency<\/a> (EPA) banned the use of asbestos in public structures. Unfortunately, the government didn\u2019t restrict the use of asbestos in consumer goods.<\/p>\n

Asbestos exposure<\/span> causes severe illnesses, such as cancer. Experts have linked a particular type of cancer<\/span> called\u00a0mesothelioma<\/a>\u00a0to asbestos as well. In this section, you\u2019ll learn why asbestos exposure<\/span> is harmful and the types of illnesses it can cause.<\/p>\n

This section also explains what to do if you come into contact with asbestos and the symptoms and treatment for asbestos-related illnesses.<\/p>\n

If you believe that asbestos fibers<\/span> or dust caused your asbestos-related injuries, contact a personal injury lawyer<\/a> immediately. Your attorney can help prove that asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma<\/span> or other disease you are living with. You are also at risk of mesothelioma<\/span> if someone in your household has been exposed to asbestos.<\/p>\n

What Products Contain Asbestos?<\/h2>\n

You likely won\u2019t encounter asbestos in nature since companies must mine it before use. It is one of those carcinogenic elements that is hard to detect.<\/p>\n

While manufacturers and builders primarily use asbestos as insulation and fire retardant in buildings and homes<\/a>, it\u2019s also in many consumer and household goods.<\/p>\n

Since manufacturers typically fuse asbestos into finished products, you may not recognize asbestos when you encounter it. The CDC<\/span> and other agencies have confirmed that asbestos may be lurking in many products, including:<\/p>\n