Mesothelioma is an asbestos-induced cancer of the membrane surrounding and protecting the internal organs. Mesothelioma most commonly strikes the lining of the lungs, but can also affect that of the abdomen, heart or testicles. Severe symptoms of mesothelioma of the lung include shortness of breath, chest pain and cough. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our firm to speak with an experienced asbestos attorney about your legal rights.
Mesothelioma Resulting from Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately many individuals continue to be diagnosed with this fatal disease. The law firm of Summers and Wyatt has proudly represented mesothelioma and asbestos victims and their families now for over 30 years. Unlike many firms, Summers & Wyatt has never advertised for this type of work, nor has it ever advocated for the mass screenings of certain employee groups (like labor unions) in an effort to drum up business. Although the majority of Summers & Wyatt clients over the years were exposed to asbestos while working in some of the larger local industrial plants like DuPont, Combustion Engineering, and some of the T.V.A. facilities, Summers & Wyatt has represented many clients whose exposure to asbestos came from other settings including military, railroad, or exposure in the home through a loved one who worked at a job site where asbestos was used. In doing so, Summers & Wyatt has handled cases originating from exposure to asbestos from throughout the country including particularly southeast Tennessee, middle Tennessee and northwest Georgia.
Please know that if you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, a lawyer based in Chattanooga will speak with you and give you sound legal advice about your situation. Summers & Wyatt is NOT a 1-800 number -- as you unfortunately see often on TV -- where you are likely to be connected to a law firm in some far away state that has no intention or ability to advise you or actually handle your case. These 1-800 number law firms often are pure "case brokers", who will simply farm your case out to some other law firm.
Instead, if you contact Summers & Wyatt, a knowledgeable and experienced attorney will speak with you, evaluate your potential case, and, if feasible, pursue legal justice for you. If you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, you will not be some random number and you will not have difficulty speaking on a regular basis (in person even if you like) with an attorney about your case. Rather, your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case will receive the personalized attention, from an attorney, that it deserves. That is the way Summers & Wyatt has been handling mesothelioma and asbestos cases now for over 30 years, and that is one of the reasons why we have been successful in doing so. The fact that other law firms associate and refer cases to us speaks volumes as well about our standing in the mesothelioma and asbestos legal community.
Summers & Wyatt continues to receive calls and accept new mesothelioma and asbestos clients based on the great reputation and solid results that Summers & Wyatt has historically achieved for its clients. That is the only form of advertising that Summers & Wyatt utilizes. If you appreciate and share these values, and if you want an experienced attorney to review your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, please contact Summers & Wyatt as soon as possible.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease and would like to speak with an attorney about your rights, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you have not yet been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease, but you have concerns or questions because you know you have been exposed to asbestos, our attorney will be happy to speak with you about that as well. To speak with or schedule a free consultation with a lawyer at our firm, call 423-933-2738, or contact us by e-mail.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Q: What is asbestos?
A: A microscopic threadlike fiber, asbestos is a common mineral found throughout the world. It is mined and used in consumer products and construction materials because of its strength and flexibility and its heat-resistant properties. If asbestos becomes airborne and dust like, it can be breathed into and lodged in the lungs. Asbestos particles in the lungs can cause terrible - even fatal - diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer that can take decades to develop after asbestos exposure.
Q: Who are the typical victims of asbestos diseases like mesothelioma?
A: Most typically, victims of asbestos disease and injury are people exposed to high concentrations of asbestos in industrial settings over extended periods. Workers in the following industries and professions have been historically at high risk: asbestos mining; manufacturing of asbestos-containing products such as insulation, piping, and ceiling and flooring materials; shipbuilding; welding, plumbing, pipe fitting and steam fitting; railroads; building demolition; and construction. These occupational exposures have declined drastically since the 1970s when the federal and state governments started heavily regulating asbestos.
Asbestos: An Invisible Killer
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been used as insulation and a fire retardant in a wide variety of products. Asbestos can produce dust that, when inhaled, becomes deposited in the lungs. Asbestos in the lungs can cause or contribute to the development of illnesses, especially mesothelioma (a malignant form of cancer in the lining of the chest or abdominal cavities), asbestosis (a fibrous scarring of the lungs) and lung cancer.
Federal regulation of asbestos began in the 1970s. Due to health concerns, all new uses of asbestos in the United States were banned in July 1989. That year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule, entitled "Asbestos: Manufacture, Importation, Processing, and Distribution in Commerce Prohibitions," which eventually led to banning about 94 percent of the asbestos used in the US (based on 1985 estimates). Most asbestos uses established before that date are still allowed, but now are strictly regulated by the government.
If you have an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma or an asbestos contamination problem in your home or business, talk to an experienced, skilled asbestos attorney. Contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to learn more about your potential legal solutions.
Mesothelioma Basics
Mesothelioma, a relatively rare condition, is a deadly, aggressive cancer almost always linked to contact with asbestos. Typically, people suffering from mesothelioma have a history of asbestos exposure that was heavy, repeated and concentrated in an industrial setting. However, the heavy exposure may have been for a period as short as a couple of months.
Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of two other major diseases: asbestosis and lung cancer. Asbestos also heightens the risk of stomach, gallbladder, larynx and kidney cancer. Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, often manifesting after retirement from an industrial career that involved asbestos exposure. Governmental regulation of asbestos has tightened significantly since the 1970s, so asbestos exposure has been greatly reduced.
Legal Redress for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Injuries
In the past century, thousands of people were exposed to harmful, airborne asbestos fibers in industrial settings and through the use of asbestos-containing products and construction materials. Sometimes the dangerous, often fatal, diseases from breathing or ingesting asbestos fibers are not manifest for even up to 50 years. Even now, people exposed decades ago are developing asbestos-induced illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Common Aspects of Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral used in construction materials and consumer products for its fire-resistant and strengthening properties. When asbestos is released into the air in microscopic, dusty and threadlike fibers, it can be breathed into the body and lodged dangerously in the lungs, where it can lurk for decades before producing severe, even fatal, diseases, such as mesothelioma.
Asbestos and Mesothelioma Resource Links
Asbestos Exposure: Questions and Answers
National Cancer Institute Web site providing information on asbestos; illnesses caused by exposure, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer; and other useful information.
National Cancer Institute: Malignant Mesothelioma
Information center on malignant mesothelioma providing links to information on the disease, its causes and treatment options, statistics, research, clinical trials and more.
American Cancer Society: Asbestos
Web site devoted to asbestos with detailed information on what asbestos is, its links to mesothelioma and other illnesses, how people become exposed to it, preventing exposure and more.
American Cancer Society: Malignant Mesothelioma
Cancer reference center providing an overview of malignant mesothelioma, risk factors and prevention measures, symptoms, treatment options and links to more information on the disease.
United States Environmental Protection Agency: Asbestos
Federal government gateway resource on asbestos: where it occurs, where an average person may encounter it, the types of products it may appear in and other information on the harmful substance.
