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Asbestos Awareness Week 2014

April 1-7 is Asbestos Awareness Week, an opportunity to join together and spread the word about asbestos, a deadly group of minerals. As a Northwest Ohio mesothelioma lawyer, Charlie Contrada believes that it is important to raise awareness of this fatal cancer and the pain and suffering that it brings to tens of thousands of individuals every year.

Diagnosed with Mesothelioma

Attorney Charlie Contrada has handled countless mesothelioma cases and deals with both the individuals who have been diagnosed with the disease, as well as their family members. Unfortunately, this form of cancer is generally so advanced at the time of diagnosis that the individual themselves may have lost their battle with mesothelioma during the course of the legal process, resulting in their family members carrying out the lawsuit on their behalf. There are, however, some very recent treatments that have proven to be helpful if the mesothelioma is diagnosed early enough. 

Asbestos Exposure: Facts & Statistics

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization outlined the top five facts about asbestos in the U.S. in an August 2012 presentation.

  1. Asbestos is a human carcinogen and there is no safe level of asbestos exposure – a statement that is agreed upon by The World Health Organization, International Labor Organization, Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Surgeon General.
  2. Asbestos has not been banned in the United Sates – although more than 10,000 Americans die every year from asbestos-caused diseases, this carcinogen has yet to be banned in the United States.
  3. Asbestos increased from 2010 to 2011 – there is a difference of 140 metric tons of asbestos used between 2010 and 2011.
  4. Roofing products accounted for 41% of U.S. asbestos consumption– chloralkali industry diaphragms, 28%; coating and compounds, 2%; plastics, less than 1%; and other uses, 29%. 
  5. Construction workers are 11 times more likely to develop mesothelioma – this increased risk of mesothelioma is due to the asbestos exposure that exists at construction sites.

There is no “safe” level of exposure to asbestos and according to the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, there are up to 30 million homes and business that are insulated with vermiculite that contains asbestos.

The issue of asbestos exposure is far from being resolved due to the dependency of imports to meet manufacturing needs. However, there is progress being made in awareness regarding the dangers that are related to asbestos and the fatal cancer that it causes.

In 2012, the U.S. Senate Resolution S.389 designated the first week of April as “National Asbestos Awareness Week.” The Senate urges the Surgeon General to educate people of the hazards of asbestos exposure as a public health issue.

The law firm of Contrada & Associates believes that by continually spreading awareness and supporting the victims of asbestos-related diseases, progress will be made. There are substitutes to asbestos that are safer than this hazardous group of minerals that offer the same functionality. It is imperative that the U.S. moves toward banning the use of asbestos, as over 50 countries have done so already.

If you would like to find more information regarding Asbestos Awareness Week, visit the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s website. You can also read the Surgeon General’s 2013 statement regarding Asbestos Awareness Week on SurgeonGeneral.gov.

To speak to a mesothelioma lawyer regarding exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis of mesothelioma to yourself or a loved one, call 419.841.4400. Attorney Charlie Contrada will speak with you directly, discuss your personal situation, and outline the options that you have regarding a mesothelioma lawsuit. 

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Attorney Charlie Contrada has been practicing law since 1979, focusing his career on personal injury, car accident, and mesothelioma cases. Over the years, Charlie has helped thousands of clients throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan to receive the settlements that they deserve.

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