Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer affecting the tissue lining the lungs, abdomen and heart. The tissue in which the cancer cells are found is called mesothelium. Drilling mud used on oil rigs has been linked to causing asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma.
The number one risk factor for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. A naturally occurring mineral with heat-resisting properties, asbestos fibers were used widely in the US from the nineteenth century to the mid-1980s. The durable asbestos fibers have been used in several industries, including construction, automotive mechanics and shipbuilding. Another use of asbestos prior to the 1980s had been to combine it with mud used in drilling.
One purpose of drilling mud is to clean a boring hole of debris, such as rocks that are dislodged from the wall of the drilling hole. The mud carries the debris up to the surface. The drilling mud also cools and lubricates the drilling assembly. Asbestos worked particularly well as an additive to the mud because it was heat-resistant and well-suited to manipulating the viscosity of the mud.
Before the 1990s, oil workers were handling asbestos without any protective gear or knowledge of its dangers. As a result, many workers inhaled the asbestos fibers routinely and are now showing the signs of mesothelioma. Off-shore drilling rigs continued to use asbestos long after the side effects were known.
If you are an oil worker who has developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, you and your family deserve compensation. Please contact the experienced Baltimore, Maryland asbestos law office of Matthew E. Kiely today to schedule a free consultation.
