Asbestos Exposure Attorney

Asbestos Exposure Lawsuits

Exposure to asbestos can cause the debilitating and fatal diseases of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos is a substance that has been used in many products because of its fireproofing characteristics. Asbestos has been used to insulate hot pipes, heating systems, wiring, buildings, ships, and a multitude of other applications that require fireproofing. It has also been used in brake linings, transmissions, shingles, joint compounds, and wall board compounds.

Thousands of workers have been exposed in our nation’s shipyards and industrial manufacturing facilities. Steamfitters and electricians have been especially hard hit by asbestos exposure. Workers in the construction and textile industries have also suffered from asbestos exposure. In addition, many employees in the automotive industry and individuals working on their own cars servicing asbestos brake linings and clutches have developed asbestosis and mesothelioma. These asbestos-related diseases are disorders of the lung that occur as a result of breathing asbestos fibers.

If you have been harmed as a result of asbestos exposure, you may qualify for compensation. The asbestos exposure attorneys at Saunders & Walker P.A. provide legal representation to individuals from around the nation who wish to file a lawsuit against a manufacturer for the negligent use of this hazardous material. We have helped a number of victims obtain asbestos exposure lawsuit settlements.

Symptoms of Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The main symptoms of asbestosis include:

• Shortness of breath – Initially only during physical exertion, but as the condition progresses, it can occur even at rest.
• Persistent dry cough – This can be bothersome and doesn’t seem to go away.
• Chest tightness or pain – This can be a constant feature or occur intermittently.
• Loss of appetite with weight loss – As the disease progresses, this can become more pronounced.
• Finger and toe clubbing – Fingertips and toes become wider and rounder than normal.
• Fatigue or extreme tiredness – Sufferers often feel a general sense of being unwell.
• Wheezing – A whistling sound when breathing, especially during exertion.
• Crackling sound when breathing – This sound can usually be heard by a stethoscope.

Remember that symptoms of asbestosis can take years, even decades, to appear after the initial exposure to asbestos. It’s also important to note that these symptoms can also be indicative of other respiratory conditions.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), but it can also be found in the heart (pericardial mesothelioma), the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), or the testicles (testicular mesothelioma). The symptoms vary depending on the affected area, but generally include:

• Pleural mesothelioma (lungs):
  • Chest pain or discomfort
  • Shortness of breath
  • Persistent cough (which may be dry or produce sputum)
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Wheezing or hoarseness
  • Swelling of the face or arms
  • Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen):
  • Abdominal pain or swelling
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Changes in bowel habits (such as diarrhea or constipation)
  • Feeling of “fullness”
• Pericardial mesothelioma (heart):
  • Chest pain
  • Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Swelling in the legs or abdomen
• Testicular mesothelioma:
  • Swelling or mass in a testicle
  • Testicular pain or discomfort

Symptoms of mesothelioma can be similar to other less serious conditions, and they often appear only in the later stages of the disease.

Filing an Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit

Because the diseases of asbestosis and mesothelioma frequently do not develop until decades after exposure to asbestos, it is not uncommon for an individual to be in good health for three or four decades before a diagnosis of one of these asbestos-caused diseases. Therefore, the asbestos lawsuits currently being filed involve an investigation of exposures that occurred many years ago. Witnesses may no longer be alive, and the manufacturers of the asbestos and asbestos-containing products may be out of business or bankrupt. There are a number of trust funds that have been set up to pay future asbestos claims. These are some of the challenges that we face in pursuing an asbestos exposure lawsuit.

While finding an identifiable and solvent defendant is a challenge it is not difficult to prove that a mesothelioma case is caused by asbestos. That is because the only cause of mesothelioma cancer is asbestos.

A History of Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit Settlements

It is widely believed that the first asbestos lawsuit was filed in the 1920s against Johns Manville, a construction materials manufacturer. It has been known since the 1920s that asbestos was killing workers who developed asbestosis and mesothelioma. Many lawsuits have been filed over the years against Johns Manville, Union Carbide, Owens-Corning Fiberglass, Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation, Raybestos, Georgia Pacific, Grace, and many other corporations.

The asbestos industry has concealed the risks of asbestos exposure and kept asbestos on the market until the 1970s. It is estimated that approximately 50,000 American workers have died from asbestos during those years. This does not include deaths due to secondary exposure such as a worker’s spouse washing asbestos-contaminated clothes. There are many known mesothelioma cases of spouses and family members of asbestos workers as a result of these secondary exposures. Many of those exposed in this secondary manner have won asbestos exposure lawsuit settlements.

Workers were not generally aware of the risks of asbestos until the 1960s and 1970s because the industry kept the danger secret so that they could enjoy the profits derived from sale of the products in spite of the worker deaths and illnesses. There is one report of a lawsuit for asbestos exposure filed by a worker in the 1950s who decorated his family Christmas tree with white asbestos from his workplace and exposed his family because he was unaware of the potentially fatal risk of asbestos inhalation. A number of juries in lawsuits have awarded huge punitive damages against the manufacturers of asbestos for their callous and outrageous conduct in putting profits ahead of safety.

Any individual who receives a diagnosis of asbestosis or mesothelioma should contact our law firm to get legal advice immediately. There are short statutes of limitations or time limits for filing lawsuits after the time of diagnosis that will bar a case if it is not promptly filed, and prevent you from receiving the asbestosis or mesothelioma compensation you deserve.

Contact Our Asbestos Exposure Attorneys

Our attorneys for asbestos exposure have years of experience with these cases, and would be happy to hear from you. Call our law office at (727) 579-4500 for a free case consultation. You may qualify for a substantial asbestos exposure lawsuit settlement.