Asbestos is the Greek term given to a group of fibrous materials that are derived from metamorphic rocks. Asbestos fibers have been used for many different purposes throughout history. Asbestos is a very heat and fire resistant material; meaning that it is fireproof. Because of its heat resistant properties, it was once used to make candlewicks, brake pads for automobiles, and fireproof materials such as blankets and other types of clothing normally worn by fire fighters. It was also used in many buildings that were built before 1980 because of its heat resistant and insulating properties.

However, it did not matter how fireproof the asbestos materials was in the past or in the present, it still was responsible for killing thousands of people. It protected the victims from being burned on the outside, however the damage that the asbestos did to the lungs and the inside parts of the body are innumerable.

Asbestos is known to cause a condition known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is the deadliest illness known to man. The average life expectancy of someone who has mesothelioma is about 24 months. There are thousands of reported cases of mesothelioma every year; and the only known cause of the disease is asbestos. It has been proven that the victims of mesothelioma are those who worked long, hard years in America's factories, mines, construction and other laborious jobs.

The asbestos that they breathed in while working on the job is the known cause of mesothelioma. The particles that they breathed in while working slowly deteriorated the lining of their lung and hearts and eventually lead to cancer. The sad thing about this disease is that the companies that these heard working men and women worked for knew about the dangers of asbestos to the human body and did nothing to protect their employees. These men and women would work all day while breathing asbestos. They would then bring the particles home with them on their clothes and put their spouses and children in danger of asbestos exposure.

Thousands of people today have been exposed to asbestos and are finding that mesothelioma is starting to develop. Mesothelioma is not a disease that suddenly occurs. It is a disease that results after years of breathing in the asbestos particles and fibers. It is estimated that some people can breathe asbestos fiber for as long as 30-40 years before mesothelioma can occur. If you or your loved one has been exposed to asbestos and the company did nothing to protect its employees from the dangers of asbestos, you may choose to seek compensation and file a lawsuit.

So, although asbestos is a fireproof material that is useful in many things, it is neither useful nor fireproof inside the human body. Asbestos can protect one on the outside, but it can also kill on the inside.