If you suffer from mesothelioma, the chances are that asbestos exposure in a job or elsewhere caused your illness. However, you could potentially hold a company or other responsible party to account for your illness and damages.
A New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer can help you assess your avenues for potentially recovering compensation. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free evaluation of your case at (800) 794-0444.
Asbestos-Related Diseases
Long-term asbestos exposure can have deadly consequences. Breathing in or swallowing asbestos fibers can cause devastating illnesses and diseases, including:
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer of the membranes surrounding our vital organs. While there is currently no cure, mesothelioma can be treated with several therapies that may prolong a patient’s life, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, among others.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common forms of mesothelioma are pleural (mesothelioma of the lung) and peritoneal (mesothelioma of the abdomen). The primary cause for both types, according to the American Cancer Society, is asbestos exposure.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease that can cause scarring of lung tissue and make breathing difficult. Asbestosis is usually caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. Having asbestosis can put you at a higher risk for developing lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Lung Cancer
Breathing in asbestos fibers increases a person’s risk of developing lung cancer down the line. The greater the exposure to asbestos, the more likely it becomes that a person develops lung cancer later in life.
Pleural Plaques and Effusion
The pleura is a membrane around the lungs. Breathing in asbestos fibers can cause a thickening of the pleura. Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluids in the pleura that can cause chest pain and make it difficult to breathe.
Asbestos has also been linked to a number of other cancers and diseases, for instance:
- Ovarian cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Colon cancer
- Atelectasis (collapsing lung)
If you suffer from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer can help you. You could potentially recover a settlement from an asbestos trust fund or through a personal injury lawsuit. Your lawyer can determine whether you have a claim and discuss your options with you.
Occupations Most at Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos was used in many different ways during previous decades. The substance found widespread uses in various building materials, commercial products, and household appliances. Asbestos is still contained in some materials today in small concentrations. Although it is regulated, the substance it is not officially banned in the U.S.
Occupational asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. At-risk occupations include:
- Asbestos Miners
- Construction workers
- Firefighters
- Manufacturing workers
- Power plant workers
- Shipyard workers
- Auto mechanics
- Plumbers
- Cement plant workers
There can be many other jobs where workers suffered some kind of asbestos exposure. Even low-level exposure to asbestos can potentially cause devastating diseases such as mesothelioma and other cancers.
If you developed mesothelioma, you more than likely have breathed in asbestos fibers, even if you did not work in one of the at-risk occupations, and you do not remember where the exposure may have occurred. You could have come into contact with asbestos during remodeling work at your home, by using a defective consumer product, or through a member of your family working in an at-risk occupation.
However, you could still have legal recourse. It can be helpful to consult with a New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer who can research your case to try and find out who could be held responsible for your illness and financial damages.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 794-0444
Asbestos Lawsuits
If you suffer from a serious asbestos-related illness, you may have extensive and expensive medical bills to pay and may be unable to work. You potentially have the option to hold the responsible party to account for your damages. The negligent party could be:
Your Employer
If you worked with asbestos, your employer might be responsible for your damages. However, in order to hold them to account, you will have to prove that they did not take reasonable measures to protect you from asbestos.
Ways in which an employer has failed to protect you from this toxic substance can include not providing personal protective clothing or failing to monitor asbestos levels in work surroundings, for example.
In fact, there could be several ways in which an employer may have contributed to an unacceptable exposure to asbestos. A lawyer can help research your employer’s potential liability.
A Manufacturer
If you did not work with asbestos but still suffer from mesothelioma or another disease that is asbestos-related, you may have a case for a product liability claim.
Asbestos used to be, and in some instances still is, included in a number of consumer products ranging from baby powder and make-up to building materials such as roof tiles, floor coverings, and wallpaper. If you developed an asbestos-related illness due to a consumer product or a commonly used building material, for example, you may be able to hold a manufacturer to account for your losses.
Your Next Best Steps
If you have mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you deserve answers as well as compensation for your suffering and your medical bills. While it can be difficult to find out who is responsible and hold them to account, it is not impossible. A New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer can help you with your case.
Your next best step can be to contact a lawyer as soon as possible to find out about your options and whether you could potentially claim a settlement from an asbestos trust fund. You may also be able to file a lawsuit. Do not wait and seek legal advice imminently, as there may be time restrictions with personal injury lawsuits. The sooner you act, the sooner you can potentially initiate legal action that can help you recover your due.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Now
We want to help you recover what you deserve. If a company’s negligent conduct caused your disease, they should pay for your damages. You could potentially receive compensation for medical expenses and lost wages, as well as awards for pain and suffering, and others. While no monetary award can make you healthy again, a settlement can go some way to help you and your family through a distressing time.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm now to find out whether you could receive compensation at (800) 794-0444.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form