3. Legal facts about asbestos and mesothelioma

• The first lawsuit regarding asbestos injury was filled in 1966 in Texas against Johns-Manville, Fibreboard, Owens Corning Fibreglas and several other manufacturers.

• Mesothelioma cases settle on average between $750,000 and $8 million.

• More than half a million asbestos cases have been filed, with 50,000 in 1998 alone.

• Up to 8 million people in the United States have been exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos. Asbestos still continues to pose a threat to workers in certain occupations.

• New legislation before the Senate of the United States called the Hatch Bill could potentially limit the amount of compensation victims of asbestos-related diseases could receive.