Exposure to toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards can have devastating consequences for your health. Often, these exposures are at work. If there is a hazard in the workplace, a company has a duty to disclose this to employees. If the company is negligent or fails to warn employees of the hazard, it may be held liable for any of the health consequences employees suffer due to the exposure. This is true in many cases of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, appearing years after exposure to asbestos, is all too often the result of corporate negligence and a failure to warn.
Mesothelioma Due to Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a cancer that, 80% of the time, is caused by asbestos exposure. The microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs. They become stuck in the lining of the lungs, the pleura, and damage the cells. Over time, this damage results in mesothelioma developing. Mesothelioma, like many diseases caused by asbestos exposure, progresses gradually over time and it can take a while for a person to develop mesothelioma after the asbestos exposure. The statute of limitations on mesothelioma cases usually starts on the date the injury victim knew, or should have known, that the disease was caused by the asbestos. In mesothelioma cases, this is usually the date the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma because mesothelioma is most commonly caused by asbestos exposure as opposed to something else
A mesothelioma diagnosis often begins with symptoms being discovered during a routine physical examination or a doctor’s appointment to evaluate potential causes for something like shortness of breath. If mesothelioma is suspected, radiographic studies such as an X-ray or CT scan will likely be ordered. Upon review of the films and scans, if the radiologist finds evidence of scarring of the lungs or a tumor, the doctor will order a biopsy. Tissue from the affected area in the lungs will be removed and examined for asbestos fibers. Those individuals who have worked with asbestos or in sites contaminated with asbestos are most likely to develop mesothelioma. This means that people in the construction industry or home renovation industry are particularly at risk. If an affected individual has a personal injury claim associated with the mesothelioma they developed due to asbestos exposure, he or she may seek compensation for things such as:
- The cost of medical treatment (including cancer treatments and follow up care)
- Loss of income
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Other related costs.
Asbestos Exposure Attorney
If you have developed health problems as the result of asbestos exposure caused by negligence on the part of your employer or someone else, you may have a personal injury claim that will allow you to seek monetary compensation for your losses. Dickman Law Office will help explore all possible avenues for recovery. Contact us today.
Posted in: Asbestos Exposure, Personal Injury