Once asbestos was found to be heat and fire resistant, it has been widely used. Unfortunately, as we later found, it can cause a myriad of health problems, including cancer.Asbestos has been in widespread use since the late 1800’s. It is heat and fire resistant, and very versatile, making it very attractive to manufacturers regardless of the long-term health risks. Limitations were placed on the manufacture of new products containing asbestos in the 1980’s but it can still be found in older homes and buildings, older products, and some new products. Symptoms of asbestos related illness often do not show up for 10 to 50 years after exposure, and once they do, illness can progress rapidly.

Asbestos related illnesses
Asbestos causes illness hen the fibers get into your body, usually by inhalation, but they can also be ingested. Health problems caused by asbestos include:
· Asbestosis (scarring of the lungs)
· Heart failure
· Kidney cancer
· Larynx cancer
· Lung cancer
· Mesothelioma
· Other cancers

Mesothelioma is cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It affects the lining around your organs. Pleural mesothelioma affects the membrane lining the lungs and is the most common form of mesothelioma. It is not the same as lung cancer. Mesothelioma is fatal, there is no cure, and it is excruciatingly painful.

Symptoms of asbestos related illness
After asbestos exposure, symptoms can take 10 to 50 years to appear. According to the National Cancer Institute, symptoms of asbestos related illnesses include:
· Shortness of breath
· A cough or a change in cough pattern
· Blood in the fluid coughed up from the lungs
· Pain in the chest or abdomen
· Difficulty in swallowing
· Prolonged hoarseness
· Significant weight loss

Who is at risk?
Anyone can be exposed to asbestos. It is in the materials our homes and schools were built with. It is in many common household items. Due to its heat and fire resistance, it is use more heavily in certain industries. Jobs, industries, and work environments which carry an elevated risk of asbestos exposure include:
· Appliance manufacturing
· Asbestos removal
· Construction
· Demolition
· Mining
· Oil refineries
· Shipyards
· Steel mills
· Power plants
· Railroads
· Automotive manufacturing and repair

Thousands of products contain asbestos, possibly over 5,000. Many are common household items including:
· Oven mitts
· Ironing board covers
· Toasters
· Hair dryers
· Chalkboards
· Potting soil
· Rope
· Yarn
· Fake snow

Remodeling you home Remodeling your home can release asbestos fibers that were sealed and contained. This is most likely to happen in older homes. When asbestosis is sealed, it does not cause harm. When you tear into construction materials containing asbestos it can let loose a shower of fibers instantly exposing you and your family. If you suspect that your home may contain asbestos, talk to an asbestos abatement professional before remodeling your home and do not try to remove the asbestos yourself.

What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for several commonly found fibrous magnesium-silicate minerals. Due to their durable and versatile nature, asbestos materials were used widely in construction and manufacturing for most of the 20th century. Today, it is widely understood that asbestos is an extremely harmful substance. However, this was not always known. Even minimal inhalation of these asbestos fibers can develop into serious, and even fatal, conditions. In 1918, The United States Department of Labor issued a bulletin stating that there was an “urgent need for more qualified extensive investigation” into the severe harm caused by asbestos. Nevertheless, many industries kept using asbestos.For decades, construction workers, vehicle mechanics, shipyard workers, electricians, and others employed in the building trades did not realize the danger, as they were exposed to asbestos on a daily basis. Even now, workers renovating or demolishing old buildings may encounter asbestos. The danger was not limited those who directly handled the asbestos. If a worker had substantial exposure to asbestos, his or her co-worker or spouse also was vulnerable to asbestos-related illness.

Eventually scientific research confirmed the life-threatening risks caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. However, companies still ignored the danger, and continued to make and use products containing asbestos, until it was banned during the latter part of the 20th century. Asbestos was used widely in heavy industry, as well as insulation in hair dryers, electrical wiring, cement, paper, roofing materials, floorboards, and hundreds of other common items. Despite the legal ban on new uses, over one million Americans are endangered by exposure to existing asbestos sources every year.

Asbestos Removal
Asbestos still exists in many older buildings, including schools, hospitals, airports, and factories across Michigan. From skyscrapers to residential buildings, asbestos continues to threaten the health of unsuspecting citizens.

Removal of asbestos is a complex process. Special precautions are necessary, to avoid release of asbestos fibers into the surrounding environment. Otherwise, the asbestos will endanger anyone in the area, who inhales or ingests its odorless and tasteless microscopic fibers. The danger is great, because any amount of asbestos can be harmful. For these reasons, there is a conflict between those who push for removal of asbestos from existing structures, and those who oppose it, if it is unlikely to enter building ventilation systems.

Some companies and government agencies arrange for asbestos removal to prevent public exposure, while others do so to avoid potential litigation. Still other projects are driven by legislation or public outcry for asbestos removal from public buildings, including many older schools across the country.

Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases
Three serious health conditions may result from exposure to even a small amount of airborne asbestos fibers. All three conditions result from inhaling the fibers, which become embedded in the lungs or other parts of the body. It can take years for symptoms of any of these asbestos illness to appear. Some experts believe that no symptoms appear for more than a decade after exposure. In some cases, it takes even longer for the illness to become evident. The following is information about the three major conditions resulting from asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma
The medical profession used to consider this type of cancer as quite rare. While still uncommon, the number of workers diagnosed with mesothelioma has risen. Now, about 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported in the United States every year. The incidence of this disease is increasing at an even higher rate in Europe. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer, usually caused by asbestos fibers that actually penetrate lung tissue. It is also possible for mesothelioma to develop after these fibers penetrate the heart or the abdomen. While doctors have found many different causes for other forms of cancer, the only definitely identified cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

Asbestosis
Sometimes, this term is used incorrectly to refer to all ailments resulting from asbestos exposure. However, it is actually a very specific condition. Asbestosis (also known as interstitial fibrosis) develops when inhaled asbestos fibers cause scarring of the lung tissue. Over time, this scarring reduces the capacity of the lung. Individuals with asbestosis may suffer disabling lung impairments, and must be monitored closely because they are at increased risk of even more serious asbestos-related conditions.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is all too common in our society and has many possible causes. However, there is evidence of a link between asbestos exposure and lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer is even higher for an individual who has been exposed to asbestos, and also smokes cigarettes. Mesothelioma Treatment Options “Staging” is a term that medical professionals use to define the spread and extent of cancers like mesothelioma. In general, the least serious “first stage” only involves the lining of the lung. By the most serious “stage four,” cancer has spread to other organs of the body.

Medical researchers continue to improve treatment for mesothelioma. The most common form of treatment is still chemotherapy. With new combinations of drugs, such as pemetrexed and carboplatin, chemotherapy may slow the progression of cancer in some victims. Radiation or surgery is the an appropriate treatment for other mesothelioma patients. In addition, some experimental treatments are yielding promising test results and offer hope for future victims.

Mesothelioma is still regarded as a deadly form of cancer. The average life span after diagnosis is only one to two years. However, the stage of the disease when it is discovered, and an individual’s response to treatment are significant factors in determining life expectancy. Due to medical progress, 20% of those diagnosed at an early stage of mesothelioma have at least 5 more years to live.

Mesothelioma Symptoms and Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Men are many times more likely to develop mesothelioma than women. This may be due to the higher percentage of men who work in factories and construction, where there is an increased risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Older men are more likely to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. This is not surprising, because of the relatively long period of time between asbestos exposure and the onset of this cancer.

Physicians may have difficulty diagnosing mesothelioma, because initial symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest or abdominal pain, can be confused with other conditions. There are tests to rule out mesothelioma, including a thoracoscopy or a peritoneoscopy. If you have symptoms and believe that you may have past asbestos exposure, see your doctor immediately. If you or a loved one suffer from asbestos related cancer or mesothelioma cancer, talk with an experienced asbestos lawyer today.

The Law Offices of Samuel I. Bernstein, our Michigan personal injury and medical malpractice law firm, has championed the cause of seriously injured Michigan victims for three generations.

Asbestos has long been known to be tied with mesothelioma, a rare but deadly cancer that spurs the development of tumors on linings surrounding vital organs. Asbestos, while not used in construction today, is still known to be contained within numerous old structures, among them schools and older factories. Although not dangerous in a non-agitated state, its still a bit worrisome knowing that many buildings still contain the dangerous material, whose fibers can be dispersed into the air during lackluster constructions projects or accidents (such as fires or earthquakes).If you know your home or your business structure contains asbestos, it might be time to remove it. The asbestos removal process is quite lengthy and complicated. Special steps are taken to completely eliminate the possibility of asbestos fibers being release into the air. If such an event would occur, the asbestos fibers would put everyone in the immediate vicinity in danger of contracting mesothelioma. This fibers are difficult to detect as they are microscopic and aren’t accompanied by any particular taste or smell. The dangers that the removal process entails have recently been subject to controversy. Many are against removing asbestos from older buildings as a result of the problems which could ensue as a result of improper removal.

Many companies worldwide have already taken the initiative to remove asbestos from older buildings. Even the government has been involved in contracting with companies to remove asbestos. The controversy surrounding removal is not likely to subside anytime soon. However, people will soon need to begin understanding that the risks involved in removal may far outweigh those involved in keeping the asbestos as-is. In the end, it is the choice of a the specific owner of a structure whether he or she wishes to remove the asbestos that may be contained within the structure. While this decision is not always straight-forward, it is agreeably necessary.

You have probably seen ads from on the television from lawyers regarding asbestos and how it is dangerous to your health. Many lawyers have filed lawsuits regarding workers who were injured while working around it.Many people do not have any idea what it is and where it can be found. In actuality it is found in many places and chances are you have been in buildings where it was used.

Those tiny microscopic fibers can cause quite a bit of damage if they are disturbed. That is why it is of the utmost importance that you know how it works, where it can be found and how you can safely remove it from your building, school or house. In this article we will cover the basics of asbestos and hopefully you will find the information that you are looking for.

Where is asbestos found?

Asbestos is found naturally in some rock formations but you are probably more interested in the applications that it is used in such as for building materials. It can be found in tiles, acoustic rooms, insulation, asbestos concrete and clothing.

It is used where places need to be heat resistant, sound resistant or chemical resistant. It has a wide application of uses and is found in many buildings that were built prior to the 1990’s when information about the deadly effects of asbestos became known.

Is it harmful to my health?

Yes, it is very harmful to your health. When the asbestos containing material becomes damaged it releases the asbestos fibers into the air. You then breathe in these fibers into your lungs. There are three different types of problems that can then arise from breathing in these particles: mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

These are serious problems that can prove deadly quickly. All three come as a direct result from breathing in the asbestos fibers when the asbestos material has been broken down.

How does the EPA regulate asbestos?

The Environmental Protection Agency has several ways it regulates asbestos materials found in homes, offices, schools and public buildings. It may be through the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances or it could be through the Office of Air and Radiation/Office of Air Quality Planning Standards. The EPA has several government offices that can step in to regulate how it is used and more importantly how it is removed and disposed of properly.

Is asbestos really found in schools?

Modern school buildings do not contain asbestos containing materials but older buildings definitely do contain it. Many schools are making the change and removing asbestos containing materials from their school grounds as a way to keep kids and workers safer.

The same thing goes for older houses and public buildings. For those places that do not want to undergo the cost for asbestos removal or if the need still prevails for it to be used then a procedure for maintaining the building material is put into place. It is not harmful if it is not disturbed or damaged. Should it become damaged then removal would be the safest option.

Asbestos is a scary thing to find in your home or workplace because of the devastating effects it can have on your health. Even the smallest second hand exposure to this substance can cause mesothelioma, a terrible and often deadly cancer. Removal of this material is certainly not a job you want to do on your own, but knowing what is involved in cleaning it up is helpful. In all, professionals go through three main steps to eliminate this substance.Gathering Protective Suits And Safety Equipment

Protective suits such as the right Tyvek suit and other safety equipment are extremely important when it comes to protecting professional cleanup personnel. A suitable respirator will protect the lungs of the expert while vented eye protection will keep their eyes clear. In addition to protective suits or a Tyvek suit, the expert will also need protective boot covers, rubber boots, and disposable rubber gloves.

Items such as rags, sealants, asbestos sealants, and tape are needed for the removal process. The experts will also need tank sprayers, detergent, ladders, putty knives, gyproc repair tape, and dust pans during the process. Lastly, you will find that professional removers rarely work on their own. Instead, you will notice that two of the experts wearing protective suits will do the actual removal. The third Tyvek suit-wearing expert will stand outside of the removal area to help pass supplies in and out of the contaminated areas.

Preparing For Removal

All of the small items need to be removed from the space and the area needs to be blocked off so that others not involved in the cleanup know to stay clear of the area. Heating and cooling systems also need to be sealed off to prevent spreading the fibers to other areas of the building. Next, the experts will take out anything the rogue fibers can be caught in. This includes fire safety equipment, lighting, and any other semi-permanent items in the room. Anything else left in the space will be sealed off with tape to prevent further contamination.

The next step for removal professionals is to contain the area and prepare it for cleanup. Any of the areas in the room that will not be worked on, including the ceilings, walls, windows, and doors, will be covered with a heavy layer of poly-plastic sheeting. A separate area will also be constructed temporarily to give the experts a place to change in and out of their protective suits.

The Elimination Of Asbestos Material From The Space

The single most important step for removing the harmful fibers is to ensure the entire area is well soaked with a mixture of water and detergent. This prevents the dry threads from flying through the air and spreading to other areas. This includes the contaminated area as well as the protective sheeting. The professionals will then use items such as scrapers and putty knives to peel the asbestos from the surface and drop it into a small pan that can be dumped into specialized disposal bags. Once the bulk of the material has been cleared away, the experts will thoroughly clean the area with a clean rag and toss them out in the same manner as the fibers themselves. Once the job is complete, any items that were used in the clean up including their Tyvek suit, safety equipment, and clean up tools are all disposed of in those specialized bags as well. This waste is then buried in a specific landfill designed specifically for these highly toxic items.

Getting even one of these dangerous asbestos fibers inside the protective suits and into your body can be deadly. Therefore, hiring a team of experts is the best way to remove this substance and ensure everyone is kept safe.

A personal injury lawyer who has dedicated his life to campaigning for compensation for asbestos victims today claims that a new High Court Ruling indicates a landmark victory for asbestos victims.Solicitor and personal injury expert Peter Hankins has given over 30 years of his life to the cause, fighting tooth and nail for the ex-employees of former Chalford-based asbestos firm Fibrecrete and their families.

Many became terminally ill after their jobs at the firm brought them into close contact with the dangerous substance. The families of workers at the factory were also put at personal risk through contact with contaminated workers, in addition to facing the pain of losing loved ones.

The case has been ongoing due to the slow appearance of the effects of working with asbestos, which can manifest themselves years later in the form of aggressive cancers.

The latest twist in the rollercoaster trail of legal successes and setbacks comes with this month’s test case judgment defeating insurers, who were reluctant to validate ongoing payouts to ill workers. “It is a milestone. I feel enormous relief for the families involved,” said Mr Hankins, consultant to Rowcroft solicitors AES Winterbothams.

“This is probably one of the most aggressively fought areas of injury and disease in my professional life,” he said.

“This is also a very important case for Stroud as the lead defendant insurer was BAI and six test case victims defeated the insurers.”

Mr Hankins maintains that the insurer, BAI, had gone along for years with the payouts to the ex employees of Fibrecrete, before arguing in 2007 that the payments should only begin once symptoms of the associated diseases began to manifest themselves.

For many victims, diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer which are caused by exposure to the dangerous asbestos particles do not develop until up to 30 years after the original contact, by which point the majority of insurance policies would have expired.

Luckily after 6 weeks of arguing, the High Court found in favour of Mr Hankins and the ex employees of Fibrecrete.

“If they’d won there would have been nothing more disappointing than finding that, after working through a case with either a very ill person or a widow, that there was no insurance policy to pay out their compensation,” Mr Hankins said.

“These men are totally innocent but die dreadful deaths with these illnesses. There are also the wives and daughters who washed their clothes for them and inhaled the asbestos particles. These women had not done anything wrong and yet they too are deprived of their health.”

Mr Hankins, who said he came into his profession on a vocation to “right all wrongs”, expects asbestos cases to peak in about 2015.

“During the test case litigation BAI admitted that over the last two years they had rejected 284 fatal mesothelioma claims, whose f families are consequently still awaiting compensation averaging £125,000 each, which is a total of a staggering £35.5 million,” Mr Hankins said.

When someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, they may find that they need an attorney to help them with their case. This is a disease that is rare, and there is little to be said about the condition. The rate of this disease is on the increase and there are new mesothelioma attorneys that are trying to settle many cases for different people. They have stepped in for the rights of the people to help them with their case.These lung cancer patients deserve to have the respect and the care that they deserve for all their duties while in the work force. It is important that these patients and their families have the necessary information that they deserve to be well informed about the entire process. Malignant mesothelima is a rare form of lung cancer that is brought on by asbestos.

Handling asbestos causes mesothelioma. This comes from working in an environment that is affected by this deadly material or by someone that is contracted to remove it. Most of the time, the workers are made clear of the dangers that can be caused by working with this type of material. However, some employers will allow little or no protection from the material when the employees are handling it. These workers are entitled to compensation for their work.

For most people, they will not get any better and will have to live with this type of problem for the rest of their life. When someone has to go through that much pain and suffering in their life because their company did not tell them that they were in danger, they will deserve a settlement for their time and their pain. Mesothelioma attorneys will fight for their patients to have all of their medical bills paid and to have a little extra money to help them with the rest of their life. This is an important procedure that will determine how well you settle out.

You need to be confident in your attorney so that the facts can be presented and the client will have a fair and good case. In some cases the patients will die before the case is settled. In these cases, the families of them will be entitled to the remaining settlement. They will have to live without their family member for the rest of their life due to this terrible form of cancer and they will deserve to be compensated well for that reason. Mesothelioma attorneys will help them fight for what their loved one wanted so much. In the end, the money and the settlement cannot make what is wrong turn right. It is not going to bring back the loved one. However, it will be telling these companies that they did something wrong and that they did not get away with it. You will be fighting for rights of the workers and the responsibilities of the employers.

What Is Asbestos?Asbestos disease, mesothelioma cancers, lung cancers and asbestosis are the diseases caused because of asbestos exposure. Asbestos constitutes different naturally occurring fibrous minerals in some rocks and soil. It has found widespread use in industries and building materials such as fireproofing, roofing shingles, electric insulation, furnace, hot pipe covering, and friction products.

Mesothelioma cancers are the cancers affecting these membranes. The names of the cancers depend on the tissue or linings they affect. Peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma are the names of cancers of linings of abdomen, lungs and heart, respectively. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of all mesothelioma cancers and is found in 70 % of the mesothelioma patients. Peritoneal mesothelioma constitutes 10% to 20% of the mesothelioma patients while third type pericardial mesothelioma, is rare.

Serious Effects Of Asbestos Disease

Mesothelioma is the most serious of several asbestos-related diseases detected so far. This is because of the carcinogenic effect of asbestos particles. Asbestos can cause cancer of the lungs, esophagus, colon, rectum, stomach, vocal chords, and kidneys. About 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases of asbestos disease mesothelioma - a rare type of cancer of the mesothelium, the membrane that covers and protects most of the body internal organs -are the result of asbestos exposure at work. Asbestos disease mesothelioma may not immediately manifest.

The asbestos particles can lie dormant in the body for several years and manifest later, when the prognosis is very grim. It is possible that by the time the disease is diagnosed, the cancer may have already spread significantly. In view of health concerns all new uses of asbestos in the manufacturing industries have been banned in the United States from July 1989 onward. In particular, the use of asbestos in hand-held hair dryers was voluntarily stopped in 1979. Schools are required to test for use of asbestos roofing and it is removed or covered up.

One alarming fact about the mesothelioma cancers is its extended latency period. These cancers may remain asymptomatic in the body for even up to 50 years. Chances of survival for mesothelioma patients are rare and the average survival period after diagnosis is not more than 12-24 months. Surgery if diagnosed early, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are some common treatments for all types of mesothelioma cancers. People suffering from mesothelioma cancers can file lawsuits to recover damages for medical expenses and other damages. They can file the lawsuits against the persons and companies responsible for causing asbestos exposure.

At the 2008 President’s Cancer Panel in September, medical experts demanded that the industrial manslaughter of millions of American workers be addressed including the use of asbestos that causes an incurable form of lung cancer known as mesothelioma. Most comments derived from a professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at SUNY Downstate Medical Center.Jeanne Mager Stellman, PhD, told the panel that “decades had been wasted on examining the problem of carcinogens” at work and caused health issues among US employees. Dr. Stellman also explained to the panel that the government was responsible for the “lack of the will to prevent occupational disease, death and disability” among workers across the United States.

The President’s Cancer Panel is made up of individuals who with to “improve the investment in preventing cancers” that harm US citizens; the panel is an extension of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

However, Dr. Stellman, who gave a deposition of industrial carcinogens claimed that the toxic effects felt by many workers had manifested through the years and eventually caused the development of cancer among thousands, and basically stated that the panel was not doing enough to protect workers from carcinogens such as asbestos in the workplace.

Where Is Asbestos Used?

Considered a carcinogen, asbestos has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Deriving from vermiculite mines, asbestos was used in the construction of millions of homes and products until it was banned in the 1970s and 1980s. NCI reports that the wide-spread use of asbestos cannot be reveresed:

* cement

* hot water pipes

* plastics

* insulation

* roofing

* fireproofing

* sound absorption

* boilers

* steam pipes

* vehicle brake shoes and clutch pads

* ceiling and floor tiles

* paints

* coatings

* adhesives

Mesothelioma As ‘Industrial Manslaughter’

Dr. Stellman described to the panel that the carcinogens that industrial workers were exposed to was “ongoing industrial manslaughter” and that through research and records obtained from insulators belonging to a trade union there were and are extreme “cancer risks associated with asbestos and to the widespread control of asbestos that now exists.” safe

The EPA is currently responsible for the safe cleanup and disposal of asbestos in American homes, offices, apartment buildings, universities, schools, hospitals, est. However, according to a Seattle Post Intelligencer article from 2007, the EPA has had a “flawed system of examination and cleanup” of several hundred factories that had at one point processed asbestos or contained asbestos-contaminated vermiculite.

Developing Mesothelioma Cancer

According to the NCI, individuals who are at risk for developing asbestos-induced illnesses include those “exposed to asbestos in their workplace, their communities, or their homes.”

It is imperative that those feeling they were exposed to asbestos contact medical assistance as soon as possible. Additionally, the NCI explains that several signs and symptoms that indivduals can watch for to determine if they may be developing mesothelioma include:

* fatigue

* anemia

* weight loss, loss of appetite

* swelling of the neck or face

* difficulty swallowing

* pain or tightening in the chest

* coughing up blood

* persistent, worsening cough

* shortness of breath

* continued wheezing and hoarseness

Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos fibers or asbestos dust are advised to contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney who can provide a free legal consultation as to the development of a mesothelioma lawsuit. Litigation that is developed surrounding the exposure to asbestos may be able to provide a return on monetary compensation to assist in paying expensive medical bills commonly associated with mesothelioma treatments.

A campaigning lawyer has stated that a new High Court ruling is a landmark victory for dozens of asbestos victims in the Stroud Valleys.Lawyer, Peter Hankins has looked at industrial injuries compensation for more than 30 years for ex-employees of former Chalford-bases asbestos firm Fibrecrete and their families, who were commonly made terminally ill having worked for the company.

Hankins said that the court ruling for insurance companies to pay out compensation for when a worker was exposed to asbestos and not when the symptoms appeared was a great improvement.

Hankins stated: “It is a milestone. I feel enormous relief for the families involved. This is probably one of the most aggressively fought areas of injury and disease in my professional life.”

Fibrecrete closed in 1971 but asbestos and similar illnesses have an incredibly long tail, or lead in time.

Mr Hankins commented: “If they’d won there would have been nothing more disappointing than finding that, after working through a case with either a very ill person or a widow, that there was no insurance policy to pay out their compensation.”

He furthered: “These men are totally innocent but die dreadful deaths with these illnesses. There are also the wives and daughters who washed their clothes for them and inhaled the asbestos particles. These women had not done anything wrong and yet they too are deprived of their health.”

Currently, it is thought that there are around 1,500 mesothelioma deaths a year in the UK, four or five of which are in Stroud.

Hankins said that he came into the lawyer profession on an ideal to “right all the wrongs” and he expects asbestos claims to increase in 1015.

Due to the BAI rejecting compensation claims many workers have suffered this work disease without court sympathy but BAI admitted that the rejection of hundreds of cases will lead to huge settlements.

Mr Hankins stated: “During the test case litigation BAI admitted that over the last two years they had rejected 284 fatal mesothelioma claims, whose families are consequently still awaiting compensation averaging £125,000 each, which is a total of a staggering £35.5 million.”

Asbestos cases can be difficult Many injury lawyers have found asbestos cases difficult, and until now, these cases were difficult to prove. Adrian Budgen, head of industrial disease litigation commented on his findings and on the new court ruling.

Budgen said that the number of work disease victims were huge: “It was hugely challenging because of the sheer scale of the litigation and the number of parties involved.”

Adrian then commented on the new ruling: “Mr Justice Burton found that the four insurers (BAI, Excess, Independent and MMI) were liable to provide an indemnity in respect of negligent exposure to asbestos during their policy periods.”

The new court ruling will hopefully give a new lease of life to the families who have lost loved ones to the disease.

Maureen Edwards who lost her father was happy with the decision: “My dad would have been proud that we have finally achieved justice for him, but he would have been disgusted by the lengths the insurers went to get out of paying.”

General-secretary of Unite, Derek Simpson stated it was a “hugely important victory for the victims of the deadly dust and for their families”.