If you or a loved one suffers from mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that occurs due to asbestos exposure, you should contact an experienced Texas mesothelioma lawyer and seek retribution for your suffering. Mesothelioma victims in the state of Texas should contact a Texas mesothelioma attorney and file a suit against the known asbestos contaminated company in which they worked, in order to compensate for the suffering that they themselves and their families have to go through due to the negligence of the company. Most companies that used asbestos did not safeguard their employees from the hazards of this toxic mineral, and in the event cost the employees their health, and even at times their lives.

Texas ranks fifth among all the states in the US, with the greatest death rate resulting from mesothelioma, a rare form of asbestos induced lung cancer. Workers and residents of the state have been exposed to the toxic mineral through various work sites and locations where asbestos is used or processed for industrial and other purposes. Some of the industries and work sites that make significant use of the mineral endangering the health and lives of employees, as well as residents living in the vicinity include, steel mills, power generation plants, chemical manufacturing industries, oil refineries, petrochemical industrials and associated plants, automotive production and assembling plants and various other factories and industries making use of asbestos in their operations and productions.

Asbestos and mesothelioma risks:

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and it has been extensively used in industries and even in homes and schools due to its insulation properties. This material is also very cost effective and there was a time it was deemed a “magic mineral”. When asbestos is disturbed or removed from a place, it has a tendency to get airborne in the form of minute fibres [1].

Mesothelioma cancer generally occurs in people who work at asbestos contaminated work sites for a long period of time where they are exposed to the risk of inhaling or ingesting fibers of the mineral. These fibers are very fine and minute and can easily enter the human respiratory system damaging the fine lining covering vital organs of the body [2]. People working at sites such as ship breaking industries, asbestos processing mills, repairs and maintenance works, insulation materials and automotive companies are most likely to be exposed to these fibers. It is a fact that not only are the workers and employees of sites contaminated with asbestos at the risk of developing mesothelioma, but their families and other people living in the community may also face the same threat because these fine fibers can adhere to the skin, clothing and hair of those who are directly exposed to it and place the lives of others in jeopardy. Residents living around asbestos contaminated sites are also at risk of developing meosthelioma and other asbestos related conditions such as lung cancer and asbestosis (lung scarring) as asbestos gets easily air borne when disturbed. If you suffer from mesothelioma cancer due to asbestos exposure at a job site, you should contact a Texas mesothelioma lawyer and file a case against the company for their negligence.

Prevention of asbestos exposure:

There is a way to avoid the inhalation or ingestion of these asbestos fibers, and also to prevent them from clinging onto clothing and skin. Employees working at sites contaminated with asbestos can protect themselves using special protective garments and gears which work by filtering these minute fibers and hence allowing them to breathe clean air freely without any risks of inhaling asbestos. This way, workers and employees can cut down the risk of developing mesothelioma cancer and other dangerous diseases associated with exposure to the toxic mineral. But not all employees were aware of this fact, and this is why many workers at asbestos contaminated jobsites developed mesothelioma and other asbestos related conditions.

Locations in Texas that have asbestos contaminated jobsites:

Nearly 368 cities in Texas have been reported to cause asbestos contamination and exposure and the number is likely to increase in the future if the usage of the mineral is not properly regulated and reduced by the government authorities. The city that contributes to the greatest percentage of all asbestos contamination occurring in the state is Houston, which alone is home to a staggering 429 sites confirmed for being contaminated with the harmful mineral.

Job sites with known asbestos exposure include the Abitibi Consolidated Paper Mill in Lufkin, Air products plant in Conroe, the Lyondell Steam Cracking Plant, Corpus Christi Petrochemical in Corpus Christi, and the Abitibi Consolidated Paper Mill Company in Sheldon among others. Houston Texas has the most asbestos contaminated sites in the entire state.

There are many companies that do not warn their workers about the risks of asbestos exposure and in the case of disease development due to working in such sites, the company or persons responsible for causing asbestos contamination can be sued and a lawsuit can be filed against them. For this reason, it is important to immediately consult a professional Texas mesothelioma attorney as soon as the disease is diagnosed.