In some jurisdictions, owners of buildings contaminated by dangerous asbestos-containing construction materials may have legal recourse against previous owners or asbestos manufacturers, sellers or distributors. If you own a structure with asbestos contamination, contact a knowledgeable asbestos attorney at our firm to determine whether you may be able to recover the cost of abatement.
Sales & Satterley, in Louisville, Kentucky, would like the general public to understand that mesothelioma litigation is not about cashing in through some sort of legal lottery. Rather, it is about pursuing and obtaining the financial relief that victims need and deserve after employers and other responsible parties knowingly and negligently allowed workers to be exposed to dangerous toxic substances on the job over the years. Mesothelioma litigation, as conducted by our lawyers, aims to help victims and their families obtain compensation for medical treatment, rehabilitation and therapy, medical equipment, funeral and burial costs, lost wage replacement, and pain and suffering.
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Mesothelioma does not only afflict workers who were exposed to asbestos in factories or at construction sites. Many of our clients over the years have been wives, husbands and children of individuals whose life's work put them at risk through exposure to asbestos or other toxic substances on the job or elsewhere.
The information presented here regarding mesothelioma and the law is general in nature and may or may not pertain to your particular circumstances. Contact an attorney for advice and assistance appropriate to the facts of your case.
Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of two other major diseases: asbestosis and lung cancer. Asbestos also heightens the risk of stomach, gallbladder, larynx and kidney cancer. Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, often manifesting after retirement from an industrial career that involved asbestos exposure. Governmental regulation of asbestos has tightened significantly since the 1970s, so asbestos exposure has been greatly reduced.
If you or a loved one has an asbestos-related disease, an experienced asbestos lawyer at Sales, Tillman, Wallbaum, Catlett & Satterley, PLLC in Louisville, Kentucky, can outline your options for lawsuits and other legal remedies.
Asbestosis
If you have a history of asbestos exposure, you may be at risk for asbestosis, a noncancerous respiratory disease caused when microscopic shards of threadlike asbestos fibers are breathed into the lungs and become lodged. The body excretes acid in response to the foreign object, causing scarring or fibrosis that stiffens the lung tissue, restricting its ability to expand and contract with breathing.
Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weakness, respiratory infection, coughing up blood, hoarseness, swelling of fingers and other extremities, nail abnormalities, insomnia, loss of appetite, weight loss, crackly breathing, and chest pain and tightness. Complications can include heart problems like congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and fluid buildup.
To diagnose asbestosis, doctors may perform pulmonary function tests, blood tests, CT scans and/or x-rays. The disease is not reversible, but its progression can be slowed and symptoms treated. Treatments include medication, oxygen, breathing therapy, chest percussion and fluid draining. Exercise can increase lung capacity and a humidifier can ease symptoms. Effort should be made to prevent infections and colds. In rare cases, patients undergo lung transplants.
Asbestosis Statistics
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Division of Respiratory Disease Studies issued a report on asbestosis in the US:
- Highest rates of asbestosis deaths were in Washington, Maine, West Virginia, Mississippi, Delaware and New Jersey
- Most victims were white males with a median age of 74
- Most common victims' occupations were plumbers, pipe fitters, steamfitters and insulation workers
- Most common victims' industries were construction, shipbuilding and repair, industrial and miscellaneous chemicals, and railroads
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths, differs from mesothelioma. Lung cancer causes the growth of abnormal, cancerous cells into a tumor in the lung itself, not in organ lining. Like mesothelioma, lung cancer can metastasize to other body organs.
By far, smoking is the highest risk factor for lung cancer. However, chronic exposure to certain industrial chemicals, including asbestos, also heightens the risk of developing lung cancer. The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure can be deadly. Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure or an asbestosis diagnosis should not smoke tobacco.
The main symptom of lung cancer is coughing. Other symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Appetite loss
- Bloody phlegm
- Weight loss
- Hoarseness
- Bronchitis or pneumonia
- Wheezing
Common diagnostic tests include x-rays, CT scans, phlegm analysis, biopsies and various intubation tests. A variety of tests are used to determine the lung cancer stage, which influences treatment choices. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, medications, radiation, photodynamic therapy (medication combined with light therapy) and fluid removal.
Seek Help
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer and have a history of asbestos exposure, contact Sales, Tillman, Wallbaum, Catlett & Satterley, PLLC in Louisville, Kentucky, to speak with a skilled asbestos attorney about your legal rights.
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