Future of . Rates Expected to Peak in 2010 According to recent mesothelioma information released by the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH), annual death rates related to mesothelioma have been rising and are expected to peak in 2010, despite EPA and OSHA asbestos rules and regulations that have been in place since the 1970s.
Why does mesothelioma continue to take so many lives nearly 40 years after asbestos regulations were put in place? The biggest culprit is the disease's latency period; mesothelioma can develop 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years after exposure to asbestos.
Even with current regulations, people across the country and around the world continue to be exposed to asbestos. Asbestos in older buildings is accidentally or negligently released during demolitions, asbestos-containing products are still being manufactured today, and people and companies fail to comply with regulations - and so the tragedy continues.
Any amount of asbestos can cause mesothelioma so as long as asbestos continues to exist in buildings and products the potential for mesothelioma exists as well.
Over the past 10 – 15 years, a disturbing animo in mesothelioma litigation has emerged: more and more companies that have negligently exposed workers to asbestos are seeking to avoid financial responsibility for their actions by filing bankruptcy and forming trusts.
What's even more disturbing is some of these big name companies were still solvent at the time of bankruptcy and had the funds to compensate victims. A change in tort and bankruptcy laws allowed these companies to form trusts that pay only a few pennies on the dollar for each mesothelioma lawsuit they've lost—leaving victims' families crushed under a mountain of debt from medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Additionally, these companies work to address victim's claims on a bulk basis - offering a flat and very low payout that does not take into account the factors of the individual victims' case.
To add insult to injury, a movement to limit the individual's right to seek compensation in court is pushing forward. This movement is called Tort Reform and its advocates, as you can guess, are big corporations and big insurance companies, among others. One of tort reform's goals is to cap the amount of damages an perorangan can receive. It also seeks to limit an perorangan's right to a jury trial.
As mesothelioma victim advocates we have joined the fight against tort reform and we're proud to work with some of the leading voices in opposition against this movement.
The future of mesothelioma depends on a number of factors such as corporate and individual responsibility; changes in asbestos regulation; and clinical trials discovering better treatments for the disease. Let us hope and work together for a better future.
Why does mesothelioma continue to take so many lives nearly 40 years after asbestos regulations were put in place? The biggest culprit is the disease's latency period; mesothelioma can develop 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years after exposure to asbestos.
Even with current regulations, people across the country and around the world continue to be exposed to asbestos. Asbestos in older buildings is accidentally or negligently released during demolitions, asbestos-containing products are still being manufactured today, and people and companies fail to comply with regulations - and so the tragedy continues.
Any amount of asbestos can cause mesothelioma so as long as asbestos continues to exist in buildings and products the potential for mesothelioma exists as well.
Over the past 10 – 15 years, a disturbing animo in mesothelioma litigation has emerged: more and more companies that have negligently exposed workers to asbestos are seeking to avoid financial responsibility for their actions by filing bankruptcy and forming trusts.
What's even more disturbing is some of these big name companies were still solvent at the time of bankruptcy and had the funds to compensate victims. A change in tort and bankruptcy laws allowed these companies to form trusts that pay only a few pennies on the dollar for each mesothelioma lawsuit they've lost—leaving victims' families crushed under a mountain of debt from medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Additionally, these companies work to address victim's claims on a bulk basis - offering a flat and very low payout that does not take into account the factors of the individual victims' case.
To add insult to injury, a movement to limit the individual's right to seek compensation in court is pushing forward. This movement is called Tort Reform and its advocates, as you can guess, are big corporations and big insurance companies, among others. One of tort reform's goals is to cap the amount of damages an perorangan can receive. It also seeks to limit an perorangan's right to a jury trial.
As mesothelioma victim advocates we have joined the fight against tort reform and we're proud to work with some of the leading voices in opposition against this movement.
The future of mesothelioma depends on a number of factors such as corporate and individual responsibility; changes in asbestos regulation; and clinical trials discovering better treatments for the disease. Let us hope and work together for a better future.
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