Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs when the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and start to divide out of control. The mesothelium is essentially a protective sac that covers and protects many of your internal organs. While mesothelioma was once considered a very rare type of cancer, it has become more prevalent in the past few decades. Doctors and scientists attribute that fact that they are seeing more cases of mesothelioma to the fact that millions of workers were exposed to asbestos in decades past as part of their work in construction, textile, automotive and other trades. Although scientists were aware of a potential connection between exposure to asbestos and cancer as early as the beginning of the 20th century, regulations were not enacted until the 1980’s to protect workers from inhaling the potentially deadly particles.
One of the unique characteristics of mesothelioma, and what makes it most troublesome, is that there can be a lapse of 20 to 30 years from the time you are exposed to asbestos and the time symptoms appear and a diagnosis is made. So what can you do if you have recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma and you believe that the cause may be exposure to asbestos in your work environment many years ago?
Normally, tort claims (injury claims) must be commenced within two years from the date of the injury or incident under California law, according to mesothelioma lawyer Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. In the case of exposure to asbestos, however, the statute of limitations (time within which you must file a lawsuit) works a little differently in order to take into account the very long incubation period of the cancer. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.02 reads as follows:
(a) In any civil action for injury or illness based upon
exposure to asbestos, the time for the commencement of the action
shall be the later of the following:
(1) Within one year after the date the plaintiff first suffered
disability.
(2) Within one year after the date the plaintiff either knew, or
through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that
such disability was caused or contributed to by such exposure.
.
What this means for anyone that has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma is that they may still be able to file a lawsuit for the injuries they have suffered or are continuing to suffer as a result of exposure to asbestos. If you were exposed to asbestos in the workplace, you may be entitled to receive compensation from your employer or the manufacturer of the products that contained asbestos. As you may already know, the cost of treating mesothelioma can be quite expensive. If your illness was caused by exposure to asbestos, shouldn’t the culpable party be held accountable and at least help to pay for your treatment?
If you have additional questions about your legal options, please contact California mesothelioma lawyer Emery Ledger at Ledger & Associates. Schedule your free detailed evaluation by calling 1-800-300-0001 or visit him online at www.ledgerlaw.com.
