Oklahoma used to be a leading producer and processor of oil for many years. However, its rich oil industry has unfortunately left a trail of mesothelioma cancers and other related diseases. Many Oklahoma oil refinery workers have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and pleural plaques.
Asbestos is an excellent natural flame retardant and so, with the ever-present danger of fire and explosions around the oil drilling and refinery industries, this led to wide use of asbestos insulation on such things as pipes, boilers, tanks, heat exchangers, furnaces, pumps, driers etc.
Asbestos products are not harmful in their usual undisturbed state. However, with time and use, asbestos-containing materials can erode to the point where asbestos fibers get released into the air. This puts employees in extreme danger as these fibers can be inhaled and embedded into the membranes that line the lungs. Over time, this can result in diseases such as mesothelioma.
An unfortunate characteristic of mesothelioma is that symptoms do not usually manifest until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure. This means that exposure many years back when asbestos was still freely used is only now starting to take effect.
Today, the risk in Oklahoma for asbestos exposure also exists in power stations, paper mills, various job sites and manufacturing plants, and even with old school buildings (asbestos residue in the University of Oklahoma was reported in 2004.)
Oklahoma mesothelioma fatalities from the 1980's until 2000 number about 300, with most of the victims based in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Oklahoma ranks the 31st in terms of mesothelioma cases.
There has been a number of high profile Oklahoma mesothelioma lawsuits filed in the past decade. As a consequence, the state of Oklahoma has put up regulations to reduce the risk of asbestos exposure. Although the state mainly favors victims, the monetary settlements in Oklahoma are believed to be lower than that of many other states. For this reason, many legal experts suggest victims of mesothelioma should consider filing lawsuits outside of the state.
If you have been diagnosed with the disease and wish to file an Oklahoma mesothelioma lawsuit, it is important that you first consult with a reputable lawyer highly experienced in asbestos related cases. Your lawyer should be able to provide you with more details about the litigation process and the right course of action to take in your particular case.
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