Risks & Dangers of Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos use and exposure crested in the United States in the mid 1970s when a number of factors converged: more than 3,000 consumer and industrial products on the market at that time contained asbestos; asbestos product factories were polluting nearby neighborhoods; asbestos workers were heavily exposed on the job and were bringing home substantial amounts of asbestos dust to their wives and children; and asbestos was commonly used in public buildings and workplaces for soundproofing, fireproofing, and insulation. Meaningful workplace safeguards were not in place until at least 1980, and for many industries, such as construction, levels in excess of the pre-1980 standard persist even today.

Latency Period

Unfortunately, asbestos related diseases have a very long latency. In fact a person exposed to asbestos in the 1960's is still potentially at risk of developing an asbestos disease because the latency period can be as long as 50 years.

Asbestos Related Diseases:

Mesothelioma is cancer of the protective lining surrounding the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum), or heart (pericardium). Asbestos fibers enter the body through inhalation or ingestion becoming trapped in mesothelium permanently. Asbestos damages the mesothelium, and in some cases, creates ideal conditions for the growth of cancerous cells. Asbestos exposure can be directly linked to approximately 80% of mesothelioma cases.

Asbestosis is a disases that affects the alveolar sacs that carry oxygen to the blood can also become damaged and scarred when irritated by inhaled asbestos fibers. Scar tissue tightens the tiny sacs, inhibiting blood flow and oxygen absorption, which can cause a host of other cardiac and pulmonary complications. Progressively declining lung capacity, lack of energy, and chronic infection are common symptoms of the disease.

Pleueral Disease is caused by inhaled asbestos fibers can irritate the airways, alveolar sacs, and the pleural mesothelium that covers and protects the lungs. When fibers become lodged in the pleura, hardened patches of tissue and scarring (plaques) can form in response to irritation, restricting the linings around the lungs. This condition, called pleural disease, results in pain, progressively impaired lung function and in some cases pleural effusion, in which the lung cavity fills with fluid.

Other Cancers
Asbestos has been determined to cause gastro-intestinal cancer by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA and the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer. Recent studies have also linked asbestos exposure to larynx cancer.

An attorney Will Review Your Case the same day you Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease you may have valuable legal rights. The professionals at Mark & Associates, P.C. work tirelessly to get individuals and their families the compensation they deserve to help them get the best treatment and care possible.

Asbestos related diseases create emotional and financial distress on both the individual affected as well as their entire family. Waiting to a few days or a few weeks to see if you have a case is unacceptable. This is why all asbestos related cases are evaluated immediately by an experienced asbestos attorney.

Submit a Case Evaluation Form on the upper left side of this page or call 1-866-50-RIGHTS (1-866-507-4448) for an immediate case evaluation.