What is mesothelioma ?

Mesothelioma is a rare and malignant cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that lodge in the lining of the lungs

The most common symptoms include coughing, pain in the chest or abdomen and fluid around the lungs and researchers have not found a definitive cure for cancer.

The Causes

Exposure to asbestos is the main cause of cancer.

Mesothelioma develops when a person ingests asbestos, and it causes changes to a person’s DNA & Changes in our genes may cause cells to divide out of control and may lead to cancer.

Development of Mesothelioma

• Over time, tumors begin to form on the damaged mesothelium, which is the lining of the abdomen, lung, heart, and testes.
• The embedded fibers damage the mesothelial cells and cause inflammation
•  Tumors begin to form on the damaged mesothelium, which is the lining of the abdomen, lung, heart, and testes.
• The asbestos fibers become lodged in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.
• A person inhales or swallows airborne asbestos fibers
• Chest Pain

Symptoms

mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Dry coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Respiratory complications
• Pain in the chest or abdomen
• Fever or night sweats
• Pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs)
• Fatigue
• Weakness in the muscles

These mesothelioma symptoms usually do not show until tumors have grown and spread. Mesothelioma latency is 20-50 years. That’s how long it takes from initial exposure to accurate diagnosis. For that reason, many people with mesothelioma are in their 60s or 70s.

You should talk to a mesothelioma specialist soon if you have a history of asbestos exposure and experience these symptoms. An early diagnosis may improve your prognosis and life expectancy.

Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawyer

Tennessee is one of the nation’s largest producers of electrical power. However, its prominence in the power generating, construction, and chemical industries are linked to deaths

Tennessee’s Asbestos Problem
Most cases of asbestos exposure in Tennessee occurred in various industrial work sites. For the better part of the 20th Century, asbestos was used as insulation, re retardant, and anti-corrosion protection in factories, power plants, public buildings, and even private residences. Even though asbestos’ benecial traits reduced the danger from re and heat wherever they were used, the brous minerals did more harm than good. Many workers developed lung cancer, asbestosis, and malignant mesothelioma as a result of prolonged exposure to asbestos or materials that contained asbestos.

 Tennessee Job Sites with Known Association with Asbestos Use

• Tennessee Valley Power Plant, Memphis
• Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Nashville
• Crump Lime and Cement, Memphis
• Memphis City School District, Memphis
• Atomic Energy Commission Plant, Oak Ridge
• Union Carbide Chemical Plant, Oak Ridge
• Memphis Street Lighting Department, Memphis
• Chicago Bridge and Iron Manufacturing Plant, Memphis 
•  Bowater Paper Mill, Calhoun
• Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, Bristol
• Chickasaw Ordnance Works, Millington
• E.I. DuPont De Nemours Chemical Plant, Old Hickory
• Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Coffee County
• Calhoun Paper Mill, Calhoun
• Dixie Foundry Company, Cleveland
• Douglas Dam, Sevier County
• Gallatin Power Plant (coal red), Gallatin
• Mueller Company Plant, Chattanooga
• Combustion Engineering, Chattanooga
• American Smelting and Rening Company, Knox County
• Allied Chemical Plant, Chattanooga
• Lookout Boiler Company, Chattanooga

Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Cases in Tennessee

limitations when ling an asbestos-related lawsuit. Although many states allow from three to six years to le an asbestos- related suit, in Tennessee, a plaintiff must le within one year of the initial diagnosis or within one year in which the disease should have reasonably found out

Getting Medical Help in Tennessee

The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) in Nashville is the state’s leading cancer-treatment facility.

 VICC has been providing cancer treatment to patients with asbestos- related cancers, including lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. In addition to offering various types of oncology treatments, VICC is also involved in advanced cancer research to develop more effective cancer ghting techniques

Tennessee Asbestos Laws

The following are among a few of the guidelines set forth by the state of Tennessee in regards to asbestos abatement :

1. The state also requires that the contractor and property owner maintain a “Waste Shipment Record” that the state les to keep track of hazardous material.
2.  The state has comprehensive rules regarding certication regarding asbestos removal via their hazardous waste management courses.
3. the contractor must give written notice, which must be accepted at least 10 days before the work begins. Keep in mind, however, that this rule only applies when the asbestos abatement project exceeds 260 feet of linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet of asbestos-affected property, or 35 feet or more of property land.

 Contact the Tennessee Air Pollution Control at 615-532-0554 for further information and resources