FACTS & FIGURES

• Anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 new cases of mesothelioma or asbestos-related diseases are diagnosed each year in the United States.
• The latency period between initial exposure to asbestos and to the development of malignant tumors and symptoms, diagnosed as mesothelioma, ranges from 15 to 50 years.
• Incidence rates of reported mesothelioma cases have increased in the past 20 years and are expected to continue to rise.  About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and the risk increases with age.
• While the United States has banned new uses of asbestos-containing products, an estimated 5,000 products exist today. The US Environmental Protection Agency offers a list of the types of materials containing asbestos.
• As many as 8 million people in the U.S. have already been exposed to asbestos and it continues to pose a serious threat to workers in certain occupations.
• One study of asbestos insulation workers reported a mesothelioma death rate up to 344 times higher than the general population.
• Most mesothelioma victims die within 18 months of diagnosis. Mortality is swift, not because the cancer is fast-growing, but because the disease is usually advanced by the time it is detected.
• New York is among the states with the highest number of mesothelioma and asbestos-related deaths between 1979 through 2001. During this time period, five states -- New York, California, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas -- had 3,800 to 5,900 asbestos-related deaths each year.
• By the year 2030 there are estimates that asbestos will have caused 60,000 instances of mesothelioma and approximately 250,000 other cancers that result in death.
• Over the next 50 years, estimates indicate there will be between $120 billion and $150 billion of legitimate asbestos-related claims.
• If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or are worried that you might have mesothelioma, you should contact an asbestos specialist as well as a trusted asbestos lawyer.  Learn about your legal rights and how to obtain a lawyer.