Asbestos Lawsuit
(Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma, & Other Conditions)
Problem summary
Once a valuable material used in everything from electrical insulation and fire-retardant coatings, to flooring, drywall and roofing products, asbestos use is now banned, in whole or in part, in 60 countries. The problem with asbestos is the fact that inhalation of asbestos dust or fibers can cause life-threatening diseases, particularly among workers in mills, factories and other industrial occupations exposed to the material on the job. Because mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis can almost always be attributed to asbestos exposure, workers and others who have been exposed to asbestos in the past should seek medical attention as soon as possible to determine whether their exposure caused them harm. Sadly, many people don’t exhibit symptoms of these potentially fatal conditions until decades after the initial exposure, at which point their prognosis is typically poor. In fact, statistics show that 10,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases in the United States.
About Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral fiber once valued for its resistance to heat and electrical and chemical damage, which, in the past, made it a useful material in dozens of trades. However, a growing body of evidence has, over the last several decades, raised serious concerns about the safety of the material. This is because asbestos is made up of millions of microscopic fibers that can easily break apart and become airborne, where they can be inhaled and become lodged in a person’s lungs. Inhalation of asbestos dust or fibers can cause serious and potentially fatal illnesses, including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, a type of pneumoconiosis. This is a risk not only for the person directly working with asbestos products, but for others who come in contact with asbestos-exposed workers and who therefore also run the risk of inhaling the fibers and developing asbestos lung cancer or mesothelioma.
Despite this considerable risk, the EPA has enacted no general ban on the use of asbestos, though many asbestos applications have been prohibited by the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the United States has established strict regulations regarding the use of asbestos. Today, the hazardous material can still be found in a number of consumer products, including some heat-resistant fabrics, building materials and automotive parts.
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Conditions Associated with Asbestos Exposure: Mesothelioma & Asbestosis
Mesothelioma
There is a strong link between asbestos exposure and several potentially fatal diseases, the most serious being malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive type of cancer that affects the lining of the heart, lungs, abdomen and other organs. Mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in individuals who worked in jobs where they were exposed to asbestos, but the condition may also be diagnosed in family members exposed to asbestos secondhand, from fibers or dust brought home on their loved one’s clothing. There is no cure for mesothelioma, and because symptoms of this disease typically don’t arise until years or even decades after the initial exposure, a diagnosis of mesothelioma is almost always associated with a short life expectancy.
Asbestosis
Other diseases that may result from asbestos exposure include lung cancer and asbestosis, a chronic lung condition characterized by inflammation and scarring of the lungs due to asbestos. Unfortunately, once the lungs have been scarred and asbestosis has developed, treatment is based primarily on symptom relief. There are no treatments available that will cure the disease at this stage.
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Asbestos Settlements & Litigation
Despite the significant risk of illness from asbestos exposure, the material has extremely widespread use in many areas. Continuing long-term use of asbestos after the dangers of exposure were known or suspected, paired with the slow emergence of mesothelioma symptoms, often decades after initial exposure, has made the asbestos litigation the longest, most expensive mass tort in the history of the United States. Lawsuits involving asbestos and deadly diseases like mesothelioma began to emerge in the late 1960s, after the health hazards of asbestos exposure became known to the public. In 1991, all asbestos exposure cases filed in federal court were consolidated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL). The number of mesothelioma and lung cancer lawsuits related to asbestos exposure has continued to increase in recent years and the majority of these asbestos cases are settled by defendants without ever going to trial.
For decades, manufacturers of asbestos-containing products knew that prolonged exposure could cause serious and potentially life-threatening diseases but continued to manufacture and distribute these products without warnings. The defendants most commonly named in asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits include manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing products, shipbuilders, and mining and construction companies with employees that were exposed to asbestos on the job. The litigation involves claims that companies knew about the risks of asbestos exposure but failed to inform employees and consumers about the harm it could cause them.
If you were exposed to asbestos at work and you have been diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, or if you lost a loved one to an asbestos-related disease, you may be able to recover significant damages. Contact an experienced asbestos exposure lawyer today to discuss your legal options.
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