March 13th, 2008

Law makers in West Virginia are most likely going to be hearing information about a proposed asbestos bill. The bill would reconstruct the way asbestos cases are handled in the state.

West Virginia State Legislature may be hearing a proposal this week to change the way asbestos litigation is heard in the state. Many people that are within the court system have urged lawmakers to avoid the new asbestos proposal, stating that the system in place works just fine. West Virginia currently has stipulations that need to be met in order for a lawsuit involving asbestos exposure to be heard within the court system. The new legislation would change the requirements, and the way that the cases are handled.

A Circuit Judge from the state indicated that the reforms are unnecessary, and that the way mesothelioma and other lawsuits involving asbestos exposure run fine with the current system. Mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer, is usually associated with inhaling asbestos fibers. The fibers become stuck in the lungs and, over a period of years, keep them from absorbing oxygen and slowly kill the lung tissue. Mesothelioma can take decades to diagnose, since the cancer can lie dormant for years and needs to be in an advanced stage for victims to begin showing signs of the disease.