Australia continues to face rising mesothelioma cases as past asbestos use is now taking its toll. A Queensland woman wishing to remain unnamed has been diagnosed with mesothelioma decades after her exposure to asbestos in a State pre-school.
Shailer Park State Pre-school was in prime condition in the early 1980’s. However after a quick double in class size administrators moved forward with an expansion of the facility. Regular classes were kept while construction was done. It is during this time that the unnamed woman, working as a pre-school teacher’s aid, was exposed to asbestos fibers.
Asbestos is known to cause several severe respiratory conditions including lung cancer, asbestosis, and the rare cancer mesothelioma from which this lady is now suffering. Mesothelioma begins when asbestos fibers are inhaled. Once in the lungs, they can start a mutation in cells of lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. Mesothelioma is characterized by irregularly patterned tumors which remain latent for years, most often twenty to fifty years. When symptoms are demonstrated mesothelioma can be easily mistaken for pneumonia or other treatable respiratory conditions.
There are mesothelioma treatments available which include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and palliative care. Palliative care focuses on pain management and quality of life without directly fighting the cancer. Life expectancy of mesothelioma patients following diagnosis averages eighteen months.
A worker’s comp claim was filed on behalf of those present and involved in Shailer Park State Pre-school construction. Hoping for additional evidence in the event of a class action lawsuit, the firm on the case asked people involved to register with their online database. Trent Johnson, associate at Maurice Blackurn Lawyers said additional evidence would make future claims go smoother. He said,
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