Asbestos | Can it Kill You?

The Life-Threatening Symptoms of Asbestos Disease

Oftentimes, asbestos can be compared to a “sleeper agent” from action and detective movies. These agents remain inconspicuous and “off the radar” as they establish their position. One of the things that makes asbestos so deadly is its long latency period. People can be exposed to tiny asbestos fibers, but experience no symptoms for decades- sometimes as long as fifty years! However, after time, these “sleeper agents” show themselves in the form of severe and deadly asbestos-related diseases. 

It is fair to say that asbestos can kill you, but the context behind that statement has to do with enfermedades relacionadas con el asbesto that asbestos exposure causes. These often include various forms of cancer, but they can also be chronic lung diseases that can also be fatal. Even when non-malignant asbestos illnesses do not result in death, they are still painful, incurable, and can often lead to cancer.

Some examples of asbestos-related cancers include mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and esophageal cancer. 

Chronic, non-cancerous diseases linked to asbestos exposure include pleural plaques and asbestosis.

Again, it is important to understand that both cancerous and non-cancerous asbestos diseases are often fatal. When it comes to lung diseases and cancers, the symptoms that should you should be aware of include chest pain, fluid in the lungs, or a crackling sound when breathing, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath. Since the threat of asbestos exposure is not restricted to the lungs, there are other bodily symptoms that should be taken as warning signs, such as unexplained weight loss, appetite loss, and abdominal pain and/or swelling. 

Compensation and Litigation

One of the worst parts about asbestos-related diseases is the stress many people have to deal with. This stress often comes in the form of questions racing through our minds:

• How did I get exposed? 
• How am I going to pay for this? 
• What legal action can I take?

These are all valid questions to ask when it comes to asbestos exposure and paying for treatment, and frankly, they’re questions that deserve answers. Exposure to asbestos and its deadly nature has been known by manufacturers for over 100 years. Despite this, asbestos was continually used at the expense of workers who remained in the dark about its dangers. The result is the widespread presence of asbestos in older homes, and office buildings, as well as the spread of asbestos from workers into their vehicles and homes, causing their spouses and family members to be exposed to asbestos. This is called second-hand exposure, and it is still a deadly type of exposure. 

Additionally, there are also instances involving asbestos exposure and death that cause trauma for the entire family. These examples can result in legal claims due such as wrongful death lawsuits if a parent or child died from asbestos exposure.

Because there is an unfortunate history of companies intentionally hiding the dangers of asbestos from their workers, or companies such as Johnson and Johnson lying about the presence of asbestos in their talc baby powder, we can often feel overwhelmed and uncertain about what kind of options we have at our disposal. 

Considering an Asbestos Claims Attorney

This is where the value of having an asbestos claims attorney comes into view. Having an asbestos claims attorney is one of the best ways to take the stress off of yourself and let the professionals fight for you. These attorneys can help you through the entire process, determine what kind of claim you may be entitled to, and help you avoid the mistakes that could result in a rejected claim request. 

Most importantly, asbestos claims attorneys take away one of the most crippling aspects of dealing with asbestos compensation: stress. There are multiple types of asbestos claims and it can be difficult to try doing all the research and putting together the puzzle pieces of a claim all by yourself. What’s more, there are actually asbestos compensation options that can be secured without having to file a lawsuit.  

This can all be determined with the help of an asbestos claims attorney, If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos or contracted a life-threatening illness due to asbestos exposure, don’t wait. Reach out to the professionals at AsbestosClaims.Law hoy.