Occupational diseases are a serious hazard in some workplaces. One common cause of disease is long-term exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is prevalent in the construction, railroad, and shipping industries. In Bloomington, Illinois, a UNARCO plant manufactured asbestos-containing products for years before the company went bankrupt. Exposure to this hazardous substance significantly increases the chances of developing lung cancers like mesothelioma.
Employers who allow this exposure to occur may be liable to provide compensation to their workers should they develop the disease. If you or a loved one now lives with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, a Bloomington asbestos and mesothelioma lawyer could demand proper payments from at-fault parties. A well-practiced injury attorney could put together a claim proving exposure to hazardous substances at the workplace led to your ailment.
Asbestos Related Diseases
Inhalation or ingestion of tiny asbestos fibers can result in fibers spreading throughout the body, getting trapped and causing inflammation, irritation, scarring, and cancer. Exposure to asbestos can cause a number of serious and life-threatening diseases, even years or decades after exposure. Asbestos related diseases can include: Asbestosis (scarring of the lung), pleural effusion (water buildup around the lung), mesothelioma (a type of lung cancer), pleural thickening and plaques (scar tissue on the lining of the chest cavity), and other cancers (throat, lung, ovarian, and others). If you believe asbestos exposure may have caused one of these conditions to yourself or a loved one, an experienced Bloomington asbestos lawyer can help you evaluate your options.
Connection Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is serious cancer that affects thousands of former and current industrial workers. The cancer attacks the mesothelial lining that coats major organs such as the lungs, stomach, and heart. The resulting tumors can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and eventual organ failure.
Doctors now recognize that exposure to asbestos significantly increases the chances of contracting this disease. Asbestos contains millions of tiny fibers that can break loose, enter a person’s lungs, and become embedded in the mesothelial lining. Impossible to detect or remove, these shards begin the formation of cancer. A Bloomington, Illinois attorney could investigate whether exposure to asbestos may have been the cause of a person’s mesothelioma diagnosis.
Holding Defendants Liable Following a Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma cases take on one of two forms. For people who faced exposure to asbestos as part of their jobs, these claims resemble workers’ compensation cases. Since exposure to this toxic substance was a consequence of doing a job, an employer and their insurance company may be found liable for providing compensation for all necessary medical care and reimbursement for a resulting disability.
Other asbestos cases fall under the category of personal injury claims. These apply when exposure to asbestos affects people who were not on the job. It may be necessary to prove that a builder used asbestos after a local ban, that a removal company negligently allowed particles to remain in a home, or that nearby demolition aerosolized asbestos, affecting the community.
Types of Mesothelioma
There are three primary types of mesothelioma:
- Pleural mesothelioma. This is the most common type (80%+ of cases), occurring in the pleura, the lining of the chest cavity, surrounding the lungs,
- Peritoneal mesothelioma, occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, and
- Pericardial mesothelioma, the rarest form, occurring in the lining surrounding the heart.
Call a Bloomington, Illinois Asbestos and Mesothelioma Attorney Near You for Help
Mesothelioma diagnoses due to asbestos exposure have made major headlines in the past decade. Many manufacturing and construction industries have used this insulator for over one hundred years, despite the known health risks.
If you have received a mesothelioma diagnosis and believe that exposure to asbestos is the cause, contact a Bloomington asbestos and mesothelioma lawyer today. They could help you seek compensation for the costs of medical care and lost wages. Due to the statute of limitations, do not hesitate to seek legal guidance. Schedule a consultation now.