Year: 2026

Asbestos is a white, flaky mineral used for its heat resistant properties in various industries including construction, pipe fitting, shipbuilding, and as an insulation. While its physical properties and low cost make it ideal for use in many industrial applications, the mineral is extremely toxic and has a causal link to developing mesothelioma. Asbestos companies and manufacturers using the material knew about the dangers associates with it but continued using it for years.

For purposes of this article, the mesothelioma victim in this case will be referred to as D.C. In a recent court decision, a Florida jury awarded $18 million to D.C., a woman diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. This rare form of cancer affects the lining of the abdomen and abdominal organs, known as the peritoneum. When Ms. D.C. filed her lawsuit, she named multiple companies as defendants. However, only one defendant went to trial: Hennessy Industries, a brake grinder manufacturer. After listening to the facts of the case, the jury awarded D.C.

A recent analysis published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology determined that peritoneal mesothelioma patients who underwent surgery had a far better survival rate compared to those who did not have surgical intervention to treat their cancer. The study analyzed the survival rates of over 2,000 patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma between 2003 and 2014 and found that for those who underwent “radical” surgery, the survival period was up to five times longer than those who did not.

For decades, asbestos was widely used in the manufacturing and construction industries. Today, many people are still dealing with the health consequences of asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Because mesothelioma takes decades to show symptoms, new cases continue to arise. Fortunately, those affected by mesothelioma have options for compensation, with the two most common paths being filing an asbestos trust fund claim or pursuing a lawsuit. While both can be beneficial, they work in different ways.

A New Jersey federal judge recently handed down an order indicating that the court will randomly select 1,000 talcum powder asbestos cancer lawsuits to proceed as bellwether trials for the estimated 16,000 total of such cases currently pending before federal courts. The order comes just a few months after the same judge handed down an important ruling which allowed the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses to present evidence at trial showing that defendant Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products caused the victims’ cancers.

A pair of recent studies suggest that a certain treatment may be able to help treat mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer that often affects the thin lining of tissue surrounding the lungs, but may also affect other parts of the body. The treatment, called talc pleurodesis, is a surgical procedure to help prevent pleural effusions, which is when fluid builds around the lungs, making it hard for the patient to breathe and allow the disease to spread.