Michigan Mesothelioma Attorney, Facts and Figures

It is hard to exactly estimate the number of people who have died from Mesothelioma in Michigan. The main reason for this is that until 1999 Mesothelioma was not recognized as a cause of death by the federal government. Due to lack of recognition, most mortality figures for this cancer are inaccurate. By 2005, about 1,140 people are recorded to have died from asbestos related diseases in Michigan since 1979. Of these deaths, roughly 820 to 1,300 people have died from Mesothelioma.

These figures are quite alarming, but what is even more worrisome is that based on these and other statistics it is projected that the incidence of this rare and aggressive cancer will rise within the next few years. This is because the disease has a latency period of 25 to 50 years. Thus, a large segment of the population exposed to asbestos in the 1960’s and 1970’s are only now showing symptoms of this disease. Due to lack of workplace safety and standard working conditions in Michigan before 1980, a large number of people were vulnerable to Mesothelioma with dangerous exposure to harmful and toxic asbestos particles.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which can only result with exposure to asbestos. All the people who were at high risk for this cancer or developed it, worked in construction and insulation industry, shipyards, harbors, automobile company, or asbestos mines and factories where they were exposed to large amount of asbestos particles. Not only the workers, but their families were also at high risk of Mesothelioma as asbestos particles can be transmitted through workers clothing, shoes and hair.

Up till now, there has been no effective cure for Mesothelioma. Chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy are some of the ways used to treat this deadly disease.

Mesothelioma in Michigan

One of the main reasons as to why Michigan has high Mesothelioma statistics is the large asbestos shipments. Around 1,672 shipments of asbestos were transported from Libby, Montana to 8 different locations in Michigan between 1948 and 1993. These shipments carried around 163,524 tons of vermiculite. This vermiculite was shipped to Dearborn, Reed City, River Rouge, Warren, Grand Rapids, Elsie and Milan. Dearborn got more than 162,000 tons of vermiculite.

Also, it was at 14300 Henn Street, Dearborn that the government declared highest amount of asbestos which was owned by Zonolite Company/W.R. Grace. More than 10,000 tons of vermiculite was shipped here only from Libby. When investigated, it was revealed by the residents of the area that during the 1960’s and 1970’s asbestos had settled in homes, local parks and the surrounding areas which lead to a large number of Mesothelioma cases.