News: A former marine machinist, Robert “Bobby” Hilt of Vallejo, California, won $7.5 million in a mesothelioma lawsuit

This article is about a mesothelioma patient that was diagnosed of asbestos related cancer in earlier 2008 and now he won $7.5 million in a mesothelioma lawsuit.

A former marine machinist, Robert “Bobby” Hilt of Vallejo, California, won $7.5 million in a mesothelioma lawsuit, which is one of the highest settlements for a patient as old as the 64-year-old Hilt in California courts’ history.

Bobby Hilt was diagnosed with mesothelioma earlier in 2008, nearly a year from his trial.

Mesothelioma is an almost always fatal cancer of the tissues lining the lungs. Currently there is no effective treatment for the disease, which is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. In most cases, mesothelioma does not develop until decades after exposure. Scientists are not sure why this is, but they do agree that asbestos exposure does lead to the cancer. Patients typically only survive for 12 to 18 months after their diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Hilt sued 11 defendants for causing his exposure to asbestos during his work as a machinist in the 1960s through the 1970s. He claimed that the defendants either made, supplied, or distributed the asbestos-containing materials around which he worked during his career.

Hilt’s career involved a stint at the Bayshore plant for Schlage Lock Company from 1963 to 1965. After that time, he moved to work at the Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard until 1972. During the early part of the 1970s, Hilt worked as a machinist in the nuclear reactor compartments of the Sturgeon submarines at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. It was during this decade of working at these places that Hilt feels he inhaled asbestos fibers that led to his mesothelioma. Since after his time at the shipyards, he went to work at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco from 1972 until he retired in 2004.

The trial began early in November 2008, but two weeks into the proceedings, there were no longer any defendants still in court as the last of the eleven had chosen to settle out of court. Hilt and his wife declined to make a statement on the settlement.

Source: www.asbestos.net

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Mesothelioma Lawsuit

A mesothelioma lawsuit is filed by a victim of mesothelioma in order to recover damages associated with their development of this asbestos related cancer. A mesothelioma case can help a victim seek reparations for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering. Mesothelioma develops almost exclusively as a result of toxic exposure to asbestos. This disease can remain latent in a victim for up to forty years; therefore people who were exposed to asbestos in the environment in the 1950s may still be at risk for developing this disease.

Who Is At Risk?

Asbestos has been used to make more than 5000 products in the last few hundred years. Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals that is used to make products such as vehicle brakes and building materials. Asbestos is added to these products because it aids in heat and corrosion resistance. The deadly effects of asbestos have been known for over sixty years, though it continues to be used in a variety of industries. People in the construction, automotive, factory, railroad, shipyard, and custodial industries may all be at risk for the serious health consequences resulting from toxic exposure to asbestos.

What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare but fatal cancer that is caused by this harmful exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma affects the mesothelium that surrounds and protects the internal organs of the body and can affect any organ in the body including the brain, heart and reproductive organs. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common and affects the lining surrounding the lungs. This lining can become cancerous when asbestos is inhaled at toxic levels. Many times the disease is asymptomatic, though symptoms may include a persistent cough, pain in the chest area or shortness of breath.

Mesothelioma also affects the peritoneal lining of the organs in the abdominal cavity. This type of mesothelioma can also remain latent and asymptomatic for several years. If mesothelioma symptoms do develop they might include pain and swelling of the belly, nausea, bowel problems, weight loss, swollen feet, and anemia.

More Common in Men

Mesothelioma affects men three to five times more often than it affects women. It is diagnosed in patients at an average age of 50 to 70 years. Once diagnosed, mesothelioma is fatal. The average survival time after diagnosis is only one year, because the cancer is usually in its advanced stages by the time it is discovered. For people who are diagnosed earlier, about one half survive for two years and twenty percent make it to five years.

Why File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit?

A mesothelioma lawsuit can be filed in the legal system in order to seek reparations for medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering associated with the development of this disease. Employers and manufactures of asbestos containing products can be held liable for the injuries that develop as a result, especially when they were aware of the risks associated with the level of exposure they caused or permitted. Contacting a qualified lawyer is often the first step in discovering what your legal rights and options might be in a mesothelioma lawsuit. For more information on a mesothelioma lawsuit, please Contact a Mesothelioma Attorney who is familiar with other mesothelioma cases.

Source: www.asbestosnews.com

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