Mesothelioma cancer is not the most common form of cancer. That is, not unless you have been exposed to asbestos at a New Jersey worksite. For New Jersey hardhats who’ve spent their careers working in asbestos-contaminated work zones, getting sick with mesothelioma is one of the hazards that comes with the job.

Some workers a lot of asbestos exposure never suffer from mesothelioma symptoms. Meanwhile, other workers with a relatively small amount of exposure could contract the disease. Tragically, this form of cancer is extremely difficult to treat and workers who are diagnosed may not survive the condition.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 2,400 to 2,800 new mesothelioma diagnoses happen in the United States every year. Interestingly, mesothelioma could take many years to develop. It might be 20 to 50 years before symptoms show up in workers who have been exposed.

Those who contract the disease do not tend to have a very long life expectancy. Prognoses may depend on a variety of factors, like age, overall health and the degree to which the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Mesothelioma generally manifests in the abdomen, lungs and heart.

Even if it’s been 40 years since you were initially exposed to asbestos at a New Jersey workplace, you may have the ability to seek workers’ compensation benefits to pay for the expensive medical care associated with your mesothelioma treatments. Although you can pursue a workers’ compensation claim on your own, without legal assistance, an experienced work comp lawyer can be an indispensable asset to help you seek the maximum amount of financial benefits available to you.

Source: mesothelioma.com, “Mesothelioma Cancer,” accessed May 12, 2017