Despite the fact that it has no naturally occurring sources of the cancer-causing mineral asbestos, the state of Illinois has a 30 percent higher rate of mesothelioma than the national average.  Every year 1.3 out of every 100,000 Illinois residents contract the rare cancer, which is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.  The National Cancer Institute puts the total number of cancer deaths in Illinois between 1979 and 2001 at 1,697. According to the Environmental Working Group, Cook County, Illinois is one of the top reporting counties for asbestos and mesothelioma deaths in the country. The state of Illinois is also the site of one-sixth of the asbestos and mesothelioma legal battles in the U.S.  Every year in the U.S., … Continue reading Mesothelioma & Legal Battles Continue in Illinois »