States Wrestle with Legal Side of Mesothelioma
Recent changes in the way some states handle mesothelioma lawsuits may eventually have an impact nationwide. In Pennsylvania, the state Supreme Court has voted unanimously to reject the scientific theory that even a small amount of asbestos can trigger asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a virulent cancer whose only known cause is exposure to the mineral asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency has said there is no safe level of exposure, however scientific evidence suggests that risk of mesothelioma increases with increased asbestos exposure. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision means that plaintiffs in mesothelioma cases can no longer argue that exposure as small as a single fiber of asbestos could have triggered their disease. Instead, the court ruled that mesothelioma lawsuits…