Asbestos is a fibrous material that was used in home construction and the manufacture of vehicle brakes, plastics, paints and some paper products. Asbestos is harmful to human health. It causes many forms of diseases, some of them being fatal.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside the ribs, or around the abdominal organs. This form of cancer is very difficult to diagnose, and responds poorly to therapy. Mesothelioma is a malignant type of cancer and the survival time is less than a year. Malignant mesothelioma is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, and takes 20 or more years for the disease to develop. Thus, persons who were exposed to mesothelioma twenty years before are still at risk of getting mesothelioma.
In the last 20 or so years, professional and non-profit groups have tried to raise awareness about the ill effects of asbestos exposure. Asbestos laws have been enacted to protect people from the harmful consequences of asbestos exposure. OSHA enforces asbestos law. The law limits the permissible level of asbestos exposure in terms of fiber content and duration. Asbestos laws allow people to get compensation for medical expenses and lost income. The law is proactive, in that it allows anticipatory medical expenses.