Mesothelioma in the United States & Australia

[Mesothelioma Attorney] There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed per year in the United States. The relative incidence of mesotheliomas in the United States peaked in the 20-year pared from 1970 to 1990 and then stabilized.

Mesothelioma is less common in African Americans than in white Americans. The incidence of Mesothelioma increases with age. Most patients are male and over the age of 65. The disease is is 5 times more common in men than in women. Mesothelioma is rare in people under the age of 55.

Australia has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world. This is due to the high rate of asbestos use and mining in Australia over some years. Up to 600 mesothelioma cases are named each year in Australia. The high incidence of the disease is not expected to decline in the short term.

Asbestos fibre production began in the 1880's and Asbestos was extensively mined in Western Australia (Wittenoom 1938-1966) and New South Wales (Baryulgil 1940-1979). Asbestos fibre was also imported from South Africa and North America.

It is calculated that One in three homes built in Australia between 1840 to 1987 takes some form of asbestos and nearly all public buildings such as hospitals and schools. Over 3,500 products containing asbestos were readily available in Australia. While Asbestos production and use has largely ceased, asbestos can still be found in the following:

* Building stuffs such as asbestos-cement sheeting (fibro) and paints

* Motor vehicle parts such as break linings and gaskets

* Electrical products such as hair dryers and air conditioners.

* Some textiles such as felts

According to professor Henderson of Flinders University, the number of people diagnosed with asbestos linked up diseases will not peak until 2020 by then there will be 13,000 cases of mesothelioma and up to 40,000 cases of asbestos-related lung cancer, amounting to 53,000 cases of incurable cancer caused by asbestos over the next 20 years.

Medical research may offer some hope for sufferers of this incurable disease. Australia is one of the most active countries in mesothelioma research. Several research programs are currently being conducted nationwide. Recently, Australian research workers developed a new screening operation which could help people worldwide in the early detection of mesothelioma. Several Australian organisations which offer information and support for victims and their families of mesothelioma and asbestos linked up diseases. Source Mesothelioma Attorney

Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney Tips

Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney Tips

These pages provide consumer tips for how to deal with the financial aspects of selecting a mesothelioma attorney. They do not provide any information regarding the medical aspects of this serious disease.

Since so much is at stake, selecting the right mesothelioma lawyer is very important. According the Wall Street Journal, lawyers say a typical mesothelioma award in a mesothelioma settlement is $1 million, and attorneys get 40% of this amount. If the case actually goes to trial, the average award was $6 million in 2001, which was triple the amount awarded just two years earlier.

So, mesothelioma attorneys are very eager to find mesothelioma patients. And it's vital that patients select the mesothelioma attorneys that are best for them.

A Brief Background on Your Legal Rights Regarding Mesothelioma

Companies that manufacture products that contain asbestos have known for over 60 years that asbestos can cause serious diseases.

Unfortunately, because many of these companies wanted to increase their profits, they kept this information quiet, thereby seriously endangering their workers.

There are now laws that help protect the workers who have been harmed by their exposure to these asbestos-related products.

However, since representing mesothelioma can be so profitable to attorneys, it is important that people who have mesothelioma be especially careful selecting attorneys who are really qualified to represent them. Therefore, we have created a list of...

Important Questions to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney

Question #1 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney:

What is your personal experience in representing mesothelioma patients? Your goal is to find out how many cases the attorney has actually handled.

You also want to know: how many of these were settled, and how many of these went to trial? What were the results of each case?

You should ask the same questions about his or her law firm. You're goal is to find out about the firm -- is this an area the firm specializes in?

Next, you want to ask if the lawyer intends to actually handle your case him or herself. Many attorneys simply refer these cases to another law firm and receive part of the fee in exchange. This may not be in your best interest.

Question #3 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Lawyer:

A very important question to ask is how expenses and attorney fees will be handled for the case. The process is not fast -- preparation for the trial and then the trial itself -- will take many months (or even years).

During this time, there will be thousands of dollars of initial costs associated with preparing for the trial, such as travel, hiring expert witnesses, depositions, etc. Ordinarily, the attorney who represents you advances these initial costs that are associated with the preparation and trial.

Most attorney fees in these cases are based on contingency fee contracts. This means that the lawyers receive a percentage of the amount the victim recovers if the suit is successful. If the suit is not successful, then the attorneys earn no fee.

Question #4 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Lawyer:

The next thing to ask is what is involved in this kind of lawsuit. You want to get an overview of the process, and what your role will be in it. You also want to get a sense of how good a communicator the attorney is.

Finally, a lot is at stake financially in these lawsuits. Therefore, it is ordinarily a good idea to interview a number of attorneys before you make a final decision about who will represent you. Consider trying to get at least two or three recommendations so you can make the best decision for you..

Hope the tips gives will help you to get the best Mesothelioma Attorney in town.