The Maune Raichle Law Firm

Mesothelioma History

Asbestos has a history of being related to many illnesses; mesothelioma is just one of these. Although mesothelioma has been a diagnosed illness since the 1960's it was severely under- and misdiagnosed until recent years. Historically, mesothelioma was thought of in the medical community as a form of lung cancer or the result of spreading lung cancer. It was not until the mid 1970’s that asbestos bans throughout the country halted exposure to asbestos for most US workers. However, regardless of the bans, the effects of asbestos exposure were not over. Mesothelioma is cancer which can take decades to develop and many cases of the disease are now being diagnosed, over 30 years after the majority of asbestos exposure stopped.

The history of mesothelioma research and treatment is clouded by misdiagnosis and several attempts to lump mesothelioma in with lung cancers. The reason why distinction is so important is that mesothelioma, unlike lung cancer, is proven to be caused by asbestos exposure in about 90% of all cases. The diagnosis of mesothelioma for someone with previous exposure to asbestos is essentially proof that their mesothelioma was caused by asbestos exposure. Now that more information is known about mesothelioma, better diagnosis exists and more precise treatment is being made available to those who are diagnosed early.

Asbestos has a long history of being used by many companies despite large numbers of asbestos related illnesses. Medicine has known asbestos to be a health hazard for decades, even though it was not until the mid 1970's that its use within the United States was stopped. In many cases, employers knowingly exposed their employees to asbestos without warning them of the potential health effects and without providing them with proper protective devices. Courts the world over have found companies liable for the illnesses their employees developed following asbestos exposure in the workplace. Mesothelioma and its history is one of the asbestos related illnesses at the heart of these lawsuits.