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Record Number of Asbestos Cases in Illinois

According to a Circuit Court Judge in Madison County, Illinois, Asbestos and Mesothelioma attorneys who represent people affected by the deadly substance and disease are filing lawsuits there at a record rate.

According to court records, 42 lawsuits relating to asbestos exposure have been filed in Madison County, Illinois Circuit Court so far this year. That is more than triple the 13 cases filed during the same time period last year.

Mesothelioma is a rare and terminal disease that attacks the lining of the bodys organs, namely the chest, lungs and abdomen. It has been linked to exposure to asbestos but can take 20 years or more to manifest. Some believe this is the reason why the number of lawsuits is only now increasing.

According to Circuit Judge Daniel Stack, who handles asbestos cases for the County, a majority of the new cases involve secondary exposure, which occurs when someone like a family member of a worker comes into indirect contact with asbestos.

Experts believe the number of asbestos lawsuits will peak sometime in the next decade or so, then slowly decrease. The substance has been banned in the United States for decades, but is still used in some other countries.