Do You Need an Asbestos Lawyer?

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, and you know of, or suspect exposure to asbestos, contacting an asbestos cancer lawyer may help provide financial security or restitution in your time of need.

For decades companies have been aware of the hazards of exposing workers to asbestos dust, while the workers themselves were unaware. These companies did nothing to warn or protect their employees or those who came in contact with the asbestos when asbestos products were installed or removed. These work environments include asbestos mills, mines, shipping yards, some older Navy ships, and even private homes and public schools where the material was used during constructions.

For many victims diagnosed with cancer, asbestos lawyer intervention is the only means they have of seeking financial restitution for the damage, pain, and deaths that the negligence of these companies has caused. Not only workers, but also family members who may have had contact with them while they were wearing their work clothes that were exposed to asbestos dust, are at risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases.

Though the health risks of exposure have been documented since the early 1900’s and possible even as early as the late 1800’s, asbestos law and liability issues have only become public in the last 20-30 years. This is partly due to the fact that the length of time between exposure and the development of systems can sometimes be several years, even 30-40 years later. Many workers develop problems long after they have left the employment of the company where it occurred.

A well-informed mesothelioma attorney may be able to help build a claim, regardless of the length of time since the exposure. Claims may also be possible if one’s spouse was exposed to asbestos, developed mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancer due to the exposure, and has since passed away. It is the asbestos lawyer’s job to help you build a claim.

Asbestos lawsuits are likely to increase drastically in the next decade, as more people develop symptoms and become aware of their options. Unfortunately some of the earliest symptoms can be mistaken as less serious illnesses and are often overlooked. These symptoms include: dyspnea, pleuritic pain, fatigue, weight loss and a lingering cough.

Some patients do not have any symptoms in the early stages. Early detection is crucial to the success of treatment, and anyone who even suspects they may have been exposed should consult their health care providers immediately. A chest x-ray is the first step followed by blood work and pulmonary function tests if needed.

When it comes to mesothelioma, legal action by an asbestos lawyer will not cure it, but it may help with the medical costs, and burden to those left behind. There are currently three traditional methods of treatment involving: surgery, chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy. The disease is most common in men and is not linked to any one race. Once it develops, it will continue to grow until it is treated, or the victim dies. An asbestos lawyer can help you get the level of compensation you deserve.