Asbestos Practice Overview

Since 1972, the attorneys of Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C., have represented thousands of people struck by fatal and life-threatening asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and other types of cancer linked to exposure, including cancers of the colon and larynx.

Dedicated To Asbestos Victims

Two of our partner attorneys, Ed Beachler and Craig Coleman, focus exclusively on asbestos-related disease cases. With more than 50 years of combined experience, our dedicated asbestos lawyers have a wealth of knowledge and insight into:

• Scientific research on asbestos and its effects
• The history of asbestos use in the United States including but not limited to Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio — including known asbestos manufacturers and suppliers as well as at-risk occupations and job sites
• People affected by asbestos, in various locations and under various circumstances
• The range of legal options for victims

• Medical treatment options for asbestos disease victims, including recent developments and their often staggering costs

Questions about your potential asbestos claim? Visit our Asbestos FAQ or contact us at 866-466-5789 to speak with an attorney.

Asbestos Can Cause Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Colon Cancer And Other Diseases

Not only are people who worked in an industrial setting at risk to develop asbestos-related diseases, but their family members are also at risk. Mesothelioma and lung cancer are the most common diseases caused by asbestos, but other cancers can result.

Mesothelioma Is Only Caused By Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma is a cancerous tumor that’s only known cause is asbestos exposure. There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year. Malignant mesothelioma involves cancerous tumors that develop most commonly in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), but sometimes in the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma) or heart.

Lung Cancer

Asbestos exposure has also been conclusively linked to lung cancer. It has been determined that the longer the exposure and the greater the amount of exposure, the higher the likelihood that asbestos caused the cancer. Although smoking and other factors also increase this risk, it is incorrect to believe that a cancer victim who has also been a smoker has no legal recourse. We have succeeded in litigation for asbestos-related disease victims who also smoked.

Minimal Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma

In approximately 80-90 percent of the mesothelioma cases there is a history of asbestos exposure. There is a dose-response relationship, i.e., the more exposure an individual has to asbestos the more likely it is that a mesothelioma will develop. Small amounts of asbestos can cause a mesothelioma. There is a latency period from the first exposure of the asbestos to the development of the mesothelioma. This latency period can be 40 to 60 years from first exposure to asbestos to when the mesothelioma develops.

Despite evidence of its risks and medical research dating back to the 1930s, millions and millions of people — in a vast range of occupations, and even in their homes — continue to be exposed to asbestos. People associated with the construction, steel, textile, automobile, power and other industries are at risk. In addition, the families of these workers and people unrelated to these occupations also have a risk of asbestos exposure. We have represented workers, spouses and even children of workers who developed mesothelioma.

Other Types Of Cancer May Also Result

Once asbestos fibers enter the body, they can also cause other extremely serious forms of cancer including colon (colorectal) cancer and laryngeal or throat cancer. As with other asbestos-related diseases, it can take many years after exposure for symptoms to appear.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is not cancer, but a breathing disorder that results from inhaling asbestos fibers. The resulting scarring of the lungs makes breathing difficult. Scars known as pleural plaques, detectable by X-ray or CT scan, are the most common indicator of asbestos exposure. Asbestosis is often a precursor to the types of cancer described above, as well as heart problems and other lung damage. Anyone diagnosed with asbestosis should be closely monitored for development of mesothelioma or lung cancer.

History Of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a very rare disease. Approximately 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and is the only established cause of mesothelioma in humans. In 1943 a study in Germany by Welder reported a case of diffuse mesothelioma in a person with asbestos exposure. Pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma associated with asbestos was reported in the German literature in 1953 and 1954.

In 1960, Wagner reported 33 cases of mesothelioma in South Africa. Thirty-two (32) of the individuals had exposure to asbestos. Wagner JC. The discovery of the association between blue asbestos and mesothelioma and the aftermath. Br J Ind Med 1991; 48:399-403. In 1964 and 1965, Dr. Irving Selikoff and his colleagues at Mt. Sinai Hospital reported finding asbestos-related deaths from mesothelioma in asbestos institution workers who worked with asbestos pipe covering, block and cement. Selikoff IH, Churg J, Hammond EC. Relation between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma. N Engl Med 1965; 272:560-565. Selkoff IJ, Churg J, Hammond EC. Asbestos exposure and neoplasia. JAMA 1964; 188:22-26.

In 1965, two English physicians, Newhouse and Thompson, reported that women developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos when they shook out and laundered their husband’s asbestos contaminated work clothes. They also reported that mesothelioma were diagnosed in London in a neighborhood close to an asbestos factory. Newhouse ML, Thompson H. Epidemiology of mesothelioma tumors in the London area. Ann NY Acad Sci 1965; 132; 579-588.

Treatment Of Mesothelioma

There is currently no known cure for malignant mesothelioma, but traditional and experimental, nontraditional treatments are available.

The traditional treatment for a pleural mesothelioma may include the insertion of talc to reduce the recurrence of pleural effusions. Surgery can also be performed. The surgery can include a pleurectomy/decortication, and an extrapleural pneumonectomy. You should consult with your surgeon about these treatment options and secure a description of what is done in these surgeries, the risks and the benefits of these surgeries.

Other traditional treatments include chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells and can be used as the primary treatment for mesothelioma or used in conjunction with other treatments. Chemotherapy can be administered and you should consult with your oncologist about what the protocol is, as well as the risks and benefits of the chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy uses high-dose X-rays in an attempt to kill the cancer cells. This may be done in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy or alone.

Some non-traditional mesothelioma treatment options include photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy. These treatments are considered experimental and you should always discuss with your physician and oncologist your plan for treatment.

The Amount Of Exposure That Causes Mesothelioma Or Cancer Is Unknown

Experienced doctors know that the more exposure a person has to asbestos, the greater the chance that he or she will develop serious asbestos-related diseases. All asbestos exposures are significant. It is the total and cumulative asbestos exposures that cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, colon cancer, laryngeal cancer and asbestosis.

Working directly with asbestos-containing materials is not the only cause and risk factor for mesothelioma. We now know — and successful lawsuits have reinforced — that second hand exposure to asbestos (such as regularly washing someone’s asbestos-tainted clothes) can have serious and deadly consequences. People who handle asbestos and those in the area of its use can develop asbestos-related diseases.

• Workers who did not handle asbestos-containing products directly, but were commonly exposed to asbestos dust in the workplace
• Family members of a father, mother, spouse or other household residents who unknowingly brought asbestos dust into the home on their clothes, hair and skin

Targeting Companies That Provided Dangerous Asbestos Products

There are many benefits to seeking counsel from attorneys who understand all the possible avenues of recovery in asbestos disease and other complex personal injury litigation. For example, having represented many victims in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and across the country we have prior knowledge of many manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos products.

We will exhaustively research potential parties who were responsible for your asbestos exposure. Our firm will tirelessly work to file claims to hold these parties liable for your losses. You do not have to be concerned if you do not know which asbestos products caused your mesothelioma or other cancer. Please contact an asbestos litigation attorney at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C. Our lawyers are prepared to visit you and your family, explain legal and medical options and begin an investigation to find the answers you deserve.

Call Today For A Free Case Evaluation

The Answers You Need, The Service You Deserve

Attorneys Beachler and Coleman have represented thousands of asbestos victims, and we take pride in the fact that many of our cases are referred to us from families we have helped in the past. We encourage you to contact us now for a free consultation to discuss your asbestos-related disease. Please call our Pittsburgh office at 866-466-5789 toll free, or send us an email using our contact form.