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Approximately 549 people in Georgia have died of asbestos related diseases since 1979. The exact figure for Mesothelioma related deaths is only available starting 1999. Based on these figures, it can be said that Georgia ranks as 25 th among all the states in Mesothelioma fatalities.
Due to lack of Mesothelioma laws, people were not aware of the dangers Mesothelioma posed to their lives. It was only when people living in asbestos contaminated environment showed signs of asbestos related illness that action was taken and laws were enforced. It also came to light that most the companies which were handling asbestos were aware of the deadly asbestos but did nothing to protect their workers and kept on using it.
Being a rare form of cancer, Mesothelioma is caused by inhaling the asbestos particles and fiber. The two main forms of this cancer are pleural and peritoneal Mesothelioma which occur in the lining of lungs and stomach respectively. If Mesothelioma is detected in early stages, it is possible to get effective treatment. If the symptoms appear after a long latency period of 20-50 years, the patient may die within a period of 16-18 months.
People working in places where asbestos is handled and exposed have a greater chance of developing this cancer. These jobs include handling or installing insulation, roofing, electrical work, mining, asbestos factory work, ship building, railroad work and gas mask manufacturing etc. Because asbestos particles are toxic, they can cause Mesothelioma in people who are exposed to them as well as in people who inhale asbestos indirectly through the clothing, shoes or hair of the exposed person.
Mesothelioma in Georgia
Below are the figures for the number of deaths, mortality rates (per million population), and years of potential life lost (YPLL) in Georgia State in the year 1999, among residents aged 15 and older.
State |
|
Crude Mortality |
Rate |
Rank |
|
Age-Adjusted Mortality |
Rate |
Rank |
|
VYLL to life Expectancy |
Total |
Rank |
VYLL/death |
Rank |
|
Georgia |
30 |
25 |
4.94 |
51 |
6.05 |
50 |
453 |
22 |
15.1 |
13 |
As indicated by the statistics, it can be said that Georgia is a safe place in terms of asbestos exposure. However, according to US Geological Survey (USGS), Georgia has large amounts of naturally occurring asbestos areas than any other state in the US East Coast. This is very relevant information as due to this reason, the number of Mesothelioma cases can go up.
s mentioned in a report by USGS, naturally occurring asbestos is found at 52 locations in Georgia. Georgia-North Carolina border is one of the high concentration areas where asbestos can be found. Almost all the asbestos sites in Georgia are located in the northern half out of which 17 locations are former asbestos mines while 26 are asbestos prospecting spots. While we cannot derive any conclusion from this report, yet it is significant as it can help determine the relation between naturally occurring asbestos and Mesothelioma.
Another reason for concern is the 13 shipments of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos which were transferred from Libby, Montana to 5 locations in Georgia between 1948 and 1993 including Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah.
Contact a Mesothelioma attorney if you are suffering from this deadly disease and you contracted it because of unsafe working environment.
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