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Case Study For Mesothelioma Attorney Oklahoma

Asbestos Exposure from a Steel Mill in Oklahoma

Mrs. Jones lost her husband to Mesothelioma about a year back. Her husband had been working in the steel mill industry in Oklahoma for the past forty years when he had been diagnosed with the disease. He had suddenly developed pain in the right side of his chest that had gradually worsened before a diagnosis of cancer had been made. At the time of diagnosis his disease had spread extensively to other organs of his body and the cancer had been very difficult to treat. His cancer had followed a short and rapid course ultimately resulting in Mr. Jones death. Mrs. Jones who herself was a heart patient had been in a lot of distress since the diagnosis and death of her husband. Although her children had been very supportive she still felt very alone.

There were a lot of questions in her mind. And she didn’t know where to turn. The consultant at the hospital had told her that during the course of his job at the steel mill he had been exposed to asbestos. This substance was a known carcinogen and its fibers after being inhaled accumulate in the lung tissue and cause asbestosis. After a latent period of 30-50 years the asbestos causes cancer of the pleura that is the lining of the lungs or the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen. Cancer of the pleura was more common as compared to cancer of the peritoneum. The thought that had been coming into her mind again and again was that if asbestos was potentially carcinogenic then why were the workers not warned about the risks involved?

She expressed this view in front of her daughter who agreed with her mother’s opinion. After doing some research on the internet her daughter came up with some surprising information. Apparently, Mesothelioma was one of the diseases listed for which compensation could be claimed. They were surprised at the amount of information available on the Internet about the disease and the vast number of occupations that put a person at risk of the disease. The whole family sat down and discussed the issue and it was decided that a claim should be filed against the steel mill where Mr. Jones had worked.


They contacted a lawyer who specialized in compensation cases. The lawyer thought they had a good chance of winning the case if it could be proved that asbestos was indeed present in the lungs. An autopsy would have to be performed and if the family were willing to go through that then they would proceed further. After an agreement was reached the case was filed. An autopsy was ordered and the report confirmed that asbestos fibers had been found in the lungs. Although, the levels were low they were the type that were found after exposure in the workplace. Although they had filed the case the steel mill approached them with the offer of an out of court settlement. The family after deliberation decided to accept the offer. Hence the claim was settled with a six-figure amount without any court proceedings.

Mrs. Jones was happy that the claim had been settled so easily but she still felt that no amount of money could compensate for her loss and her husband’s suffering. She also thought that that people in high-risk occupations should be offered regular screening so that the disease could be picked up in the early stages and treated successfully. In addition awareness programs should also be held on a regular basis so that workers are aware of the risks that their exposure to asbestos causes. She had been lucky in having an extended family that had helped her to pull through this difficult time in her life.