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.
Exposure Still Occurring
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.
Future of Mesothelioma Laws
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.
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