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You should consult with a lawyer for legal advice
that applies to your situation and location.
The
word Asbestos comes
from Greek, meaning not flammable. It
refers to the fibrous form of several minerals
and hydrous silicates of magnesium. Like other
fibers, asbestos can be molded or woven into fabrics
to make fireproof products such as safety clothing
for fire fighters and insulation products such
as hot-water piping.
California,
Vermont, and Arizona are the leading asbestos-producers
in the United States, most commonly through open-pit
mining. About 6 percent of the mined ore contains
usable fibers, which are separated from the ore
by crushing, air suction, and vibrating screens.
These fibers are sorted into different lengths,
or grades to be used in fabrics, building-construction
materials, textiles, missile and jet parts, asphalt
and caulking compounds and paints, brake linings
or molded goods, such as pipes and gaskets.
Today,
it seems sadly ironic that the Romans made cremation
cloths from it. Due to the nation's need
for the special qualities that asbestos possesses,
the roster of those at risk for asbestos exposure
reads like a Who's Who of American Trades and
Unions:
-
Auto and Truck Brake & Clutch Mechanics
-
Boilermakers
-
Carpenters & Joiners
-
Electricians
-
Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos
Workers
-
Insulators
-
Ironworkers
-
Laborers
-
Masons & Bricklayers
-
Metal Refining Operations
-
Millwrights
-
Operating Engineers
-
Painters & Plasterers
-
Plumbing & Heating Contractors
-
Roofers
-
Sheetmetal Workers
-
Shipfitters
-
Steamfitters
-
Tilesetters
-
Workers in Foundries, and Steel Mills
Besides
the construction workers involved in new construction
or working near new construction prior to the
1970's, workers today are at risk in the renovation
of older buildings. Mechanical systems,
piping, duct work and equipment, were assembled
and sealed with asbestos products. Asbestos sprays
were used for fireproofing and sound proofing
of decking and structural steel. Walls,
roofing, electrical wiring and flooring contained
asbestos components through the 1970's and,
in some cases, even later.
"Asbestos
related diseases" is the phrase used in medicine
for the damage, pain and suffering caused by inhaling
these deadly, generally microscopic fibrous slivers
of mineral. Exposure
can cause two different types of illnesses: malignant
diseases (cancers in organs which have come into
contact with ingested asbestos); and non-malignant
diseases (scarring processes of organs which have
come into contact with ingested asbestos). Scar
tissue is a protective mechanism of the body.
Cells collect around these tiny foreign bodies
and try to seal them off. Unfortunately,
scar tissue cells do not have all the properties
of normal healthy cells. As they increase,
body function decreases. Lung scar tissue
has no elasticity and becomes unable to exchange
oxygen cells. It becomes increasingly difficult
to take a breath. Pleural plaques usually
begin as very small areas of scarring but can
grow and harden over time.
Asbestosis:
Sometimes called pleural asbestosis, asbestos-related
pleural disease, pleural plaques, pleural thickening,
or pulmonary asbestosis, this is one of the most
common of the asbestos related diseases.
Actually scarring of the lining of the lung caused
by asbestos exposure. It is untreatable
and incurable. It may progress to a more severe
condition, depending on other health factors of
the victim.
Atelectasis:
Pleural scarring causing a portion of the lung
to fold onto itself. Inhalation can become
extremely painful.
Cancer
of the respiratory or gastro-intestinal tract:
Asbestos may come in contact with the esophagus,
larynx, stomach, colon and rectum. Airborne
asbestos particles may be inhaled through the
nose and mouth.
Lung
Cancer: The Risk of death from lung cancer
(also known as bronchogenic carcinoma) caused
by asbestos exposure is 50 to 90 times higher
for smokers who were exposed to asbestos.
Non-smoking victims of exposure to asbestos died
at a rate of 5 times greater than
the general population. All lung cancer
cell types such as adenocarcinoma, bronchoalveolar,
small cell, large cell, oat cell and squamous
cell carcinoma, can be caused by asbestos.
Malignant
mesothelioma: Even low exposures to asbestos
can lead to the development of malignant mesothelioma,
an
inoperable cancer of the chest and abdominal lining.
Carcinogens
(cancer causing agents) are normally shown to
be more dangerous as length or dosage of exposure
increases.
Lung
cancer or cancers of the respiratory or
gastro-intestinal tract may be asbestos-related
regardless of whether a person is also diagnosed
with asbestosis or asbestos-related pleural disease.
In
the past, the standard diagnostic procedures for
asbestos related disease was through x-rays. Today,
we are fortunate to have two newer procedures:
low-dose spiral computed tomography and high resolution
computed tomography (HRCT) - both of which are
based on computer tomography (CT). that provide
earlier detection. Earlier detection has
increased not only survival rates, but also cure
rates.
There are two
things that you can do if exposed to asbestos.
- Contact a physician
to evaluate your risk of developing an asbestos-related
disease, and to document your exposure to asbestos.
Examination is painless. Delay in diagnosis
and treatment can be fatal.
- Contact a personal
injury attorney
who can counsel you
in this complex legal situation. Your
situation must be evaluated carefully in order
to protect your rights fully. The law
has established deadlines for filing claims
or lawsuits for an asbestos-related disease.
They are strict, and the clock begins ticking
as soon as you are aware of the exposure.
Several areas of personal injury law may apply
to your case, such as:
- Product
Liability: Your exposure to asbestos
may have been due to a faulty or defective
product such as brake linings or asbestos
lined gloves. Your asbestos attorney
can evaluate your legal rights and advise
you of possible compensation.
- Professional
Malpractice: Medical malpractice
or negligence, leading to delay in treatment,
incorrect treatment or missed diagnosis
can be especially lethal in an asbestos
related disease. Your lawyer can protect
your rights and represent your interests.
- Workers
Compensation: Your asbestos
exposure may have been job-related or happened
on the job. Even though the
company that you worked with when exposed
to asbestos has filed for bankruptcy or
has been bought by another company, you
may still be entitled to compensation.
Many of these laws are special federal laws
relating to asbestos.
- Wrongful
death: Your family member may have
died from an asbestos-related disease. Seek
legal counsel before the statute of limitations
becomes an issue.
Special Note:
Prior to accepting an insurance settlement in
a case of asbestos exposure or disease, it is
wise to speak with a personal injury lawyer to
evaluate your situation and to ensure that your
interests are protected. Most personal injury
attorneys provide free initial consultations and
most will only be paid if you win your case and
receive a judgment. Most often,
personal injury attorneys will receive a percentage
of the settlement awarded to you. Legal
advice can save you time, trouble and money and
can insure that you are treated fairly.

Personal
Injury Attorney Web Links
Consultwebs.com
can assist in making recommendations if desired.
M. Reid Acree, Jr., Attorney At Law, Workers
Compensation, Personal Injury, Asbestos, Social
Security Lawyer, Salisbury, NC - (704) 633-0860
Arthur M. Blue
Law Office, P.A., Personal Injury lawyers,
Carthage & Southern Pines, North Carolina
- (910) 947-1500
Asheville Personal Injury Attorneys
- The Elmore Law Firm handling accident claims, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and other serious injury cases. (828) 253-1492
Attorneys Trial Group, Personal Injury
Lawyers, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice,
Accidents, Pharmaceutical Negligence, Orlando, FL
- (407) 381-4123
Austin, TX Personal Injury Lawyers Barry &
Loewy LLP handling personal injury, accident,
and products liability claims throughout Texas.
1(800)892-5044
Austin Criminal Defense
Attorney & Texas DWI
Lawyer - Minton, Burton, Foster & Collins represents those accused of
felonies and misdemeanor crimes in TX. Free Consultation:(512)476-4873.
Anderson & Anderson Attorneys, LLP, Personal
Injury, Social Security Disability, Workers'
Compensation, Criminal Law, Traffic & DWI, North
Carolina - (888) 895-2962
Belluck
& Fox - New York, NY - Motorcycle Accident
Attorneys - U.S. - 1-866-6ACTION
Birmingham Personal Injury
Lawyers Belt Law
Firm, P.C. Attorneys:
Car Accidents,
Wrongful Death, Prescription Negligence,
Workers Compensation,
and
Business Litigation.
Brady, Nordgren, Morton & Malone, Estate
Planning, Wills & Trusts, Probate, Raleigh, NC -
(919) 782-3500
Breakstone, White-Lief
& Gluck, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice,
Boston, MA - (617) 723-7676
Brown & Crouppen
- St.Louis, MO -
Asbestos Exposure
and
Mesothelioma
Injury- 1-800-536-HELP,
Vioxx Lawyers
California
Divorce Attorneys
- The Nielsen Law Group
handles family law, divorce, and child custody
concerns in Southern CA. Orange
County Divorce Lawyers, Los
Angeles Divorce Attorneys, and San
Diego Divorce Lawyers. Contact our California
Divorce Attorneys.
California
DUI Lawyers
- The Nielsen Law Group provides
legal services for those accused of DUI/DWI in
Southern California. Contact our California
DUI Lawyers to speak with our
attorneys. Los
Angeles DUI Lawyers
California
Business Law Attorneys
- The Neilsen Law Group
provides legal services to the business community
in Southern California.
Cerebral
Palsy Injury - providing CP information for
families and those affected by Cerebral
Palsy, birth injuries, and medical
malpractice; Serving the U.S., Offices in
Baltimore MD, Washington DC, Philadelphia PA -
1-888-4-MEDLAW
Chicago Personal
Injury Attorneys Salvi,
Schostok
& Pritchard P.C., experienced lawyers handling
birth
injury, medical malpractice,
nursing home
negligence, and
wrongful
death claims in Illinois and Wisconsin. 1(866) 997-2584
Columbia Injury Lawyer Louthian Law Firm
representing victims of personal injury,
auto accidents,
medical malpractice, and
workers compensation throughout South
Carolina.
Coover & Barr,
LLC, Business, Commercial & Corporate
Litigation, Family Law, Real Estate, Columbia, MD
- (410) 997-7600
Charleston, SC Injury Lawyers Joe Griffth
Law Firm: Personal Injury, Accidents,
Criminal
Defense and Commercial
Litigation, South Carolina - (866) 386-6460
Robert B.
Corris, S.C., Complex Business
Litigation, Fraud, Contacts - Milwaukee,
Wisconsin - 414-272-8000
Belluck Fox,
New York lawyers practicing Medical
Malpractice & Personal Injury such as Meridia,
Kava,
Mesothelioma,
Asbestos,
Silicosis,
Crestor,
Vioxx,
Lead Paint Lawyers
- New York, NY - 1-866-6ACTION
Martin
Ganderson, Estate Planning, Trusts, Elder Law,
Norfolk, VA - (757) 622-0505
Glenn,
Mills & Fisher, P.A., Personal Injury,
Professional Malpractice, Employment
Discrimination, Civil Rights, Wills and
Estates, Durham, NC, 919-683-2135
Law
Offices of Scott C. Gottlieb & Associates, LLP
- Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Insurance
Settlements, Wrongful Death, Rochester,
Syracuse,
Watertown,
Elmira,
NY - (800) 825-5529
Ted
A. Greve & Associates, Auto & Truck
Accidents, Wrongful Death, Mass Torts, Social
Security Disability, Workers' Compensation,
Immigration, North Carolina & South Carolina -
(800) 984-7383
Hardison
& Leone, Fosamax,
Attorneys at Law, Personal Injury
Attorneys, Workers Compensation, Social Security
Disability, Catastrophic Injuries, Raleigh, NC -
(800) 434-8399.
Howard, Stallings, From & Huston, P.A.,
Commercial & Civil Litigation, Employment Law,
Personal Injury, Estate Planning, Bankruptcy,
Raleigh, NC - (919) 821-7700, New Bern, NC - (919)
633-3006
Harris, Ragan,
Patterson & Rodgers, PLLC, Personal Injury,
Malpractice and Employment Lawyers - Charlotte, NC
- (704) 392-4111
Law Office of Brian D. Iton, Family Law,
Traffic Law, Real Estate, Englewood Cliffs,
Bergen County, NJ - (800) 274-6180.
Law
Office of Paul Hogan, LLC, Personal Injury
Lawyers - Car Accidents, Truck
Accidents, Premises Liabilities, Wrongful
Death, Workers Compensation, Mass Tort Drugs,
Wichita, KS - (316) 303-1411
Jeremy
Howe & Partners in Mediation, Attorney at Law,
Mediation, Newport, Rhode Island - (401) 841-5700
Joe Griffith Law Firm Personal Injury,
Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation,
Charleston, South Carolina - (866) 386
6460
William
F. Horsley, P.A.,
Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Wrongful
Death, Vehicle Accidents, Premises Liability,
Greensboro, NC - (336) 691-0077
Kentucky Personal
Injury Lawyer Frank Jenkins Law Office practices in the areas of
wrongful death,
car accidents,
work related accidents,
motorcycle injuries,
truck accidents, and
social security disability.
Kohn
& Rath, Personal Injury lawyers, Hinesburg,
Vermont - (802) 482-2905
Knoxville Accident Attorneys
Kraft & Associates,
Social Security
Disability,
Dog Bites,
Truck Wrecks,
Auto Accidents,
Personal Injury lawyers, Dallas,
Texas - (800) 989-9999
Lennon & Camak, PLLC, Workers'
Compensation, Social Security Disability,
Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Raleigh, NC
- 1-866-FOR-ATTY
Lichtenstein,
Fishwick & Johnson, PLLC
- Personal Injury,
Employment Law, Medical Malpractice and
Negligence, Family Law, Roanoake, VA - (540)
463-6233
Marks
& Harrison,
Personal Injury Lawyers, Truck
Accidents, Wrongful Death,
Social
Security Disability,
Workers' Compensation,
Consumer Fraud, Richmond, Petersburg,
Charlottesville, VA - (800) 283-2202
MedLaw Legal Team, Medical Malpractice,
Personal Injury,
Nursing Home Abuse,
Cancer MisDiagnosis,
Vioxx
Lawyers, Drugs - Serving the
U.S., Offices in Baltimore MD, Washington
DC, Philadelphia PA, Columbia SC -
1-888-4-MED-LAW
Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers
MesotheliomaHelp.net
- Asbestos
Exposure, Mesothelioma
Lawyers, Injury Attorneys - New York, NY - U.S. -
(866) 6ACTION
Missouri Personal
Injury Lawyers Peterson and Associates, P.C. handling
accident,
medical
devices,
nursing home abuse,
medical malpractice,
defective products,
toxic
chemical exposure and
prescription drug injury cases.
Murray,
Craven & Inman, L.L.P. - Bankruptcy,
Corporate Law, Construction & Surety, Estate
Planning, Litigation, Taxation, Fayetteville, NC -
(910) 483-4990
New York Lead Paint Lawyers Does your child
have elevated lead levels? Learn more about your
rights, and protecting your family.
NY Lead Paint
Attorneys
New York, NY Accident Lawyer
- David Resnick & Associates, PC handling car
accidents, slip & fall, construction accidents, and
personal injury claims in NYC.
New York Personal
Injury Lawyers - Schwartzapfel Truhowsky Marcus P.C handling accident
claims, medical malpractice, product liability, auto accidents, construction
injuries, and other injury cases. (800) 966-4999
Indianapolis Injury Lawyer Ken Nunn Fights for Victims of
Accidents.
Get Help Now: 1-800-888-HURT. [See Also:
Indianapolis Accident Attorneys Ken Nunn is For the People, and Against
Insurance Companies:
Injuries
and
Mesothelioma Claims in Indiana]
Orange County Personal Injury Lawyers
-
Southern California - U.S., Nielsen & Associates,
Personal Injury and Disability, including
Auto Accidents,
Social Security Disability,
Workers Compensation,
Neck Injuries,
Dog Bites,
Back Injuries,
Spinal Cord Injuries,
Premises Liability,
Lemon Law,
Orange County, Southern California (866)-815-2616
The Law
Offices of John T. Orcutt,
Bankruptcy and Debt Relief,
Raleigh, NC - 1-888-610-2442
Peterson & Associates - injury accidents,
prescription
litigation lawsuits, and wrongful death
claims.
1-877-DRUG-GIANT
Philadelphia
Accident Lawyers -
Pennsylvania Car & Truck Accident Attorneys.
Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C. - 1(800)
346-7401
Providence Personal Injury
Lawyer,
Rhode
Island Accident Attorneys Gemma Law Associates, Inc.
Ft. Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer
Rosen & Rosen -
Medical Malpractice,
Personal Injury, Workers Compensation, Nursing
Home Abuse, Hollywood, FL.
Paul A.
Samakow, P.C.
- Personal Injury Lawyers,
Vienna, VA - (703) 761-4343, Wheaton, MD - (301)
949-1515
San Antonio, TX Disability Attorney
Heard & Smith:
Probate,
Estate Planning,
Social Security
Disability. 1(800)584-3700
Smith,
Debnam, Personal Injury lawyers, Raleigh,
North Carolina - (919) 250-2000
Tacoma Injury Lawyer
Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler LLP handling
injury,
accidents,
medical
malpractice claims throughout
Washington state.
Paul J. Tafelski, P.C., Criminal Defense,
Bloomfield Hills, MI - (248) 647-0404
Ted A. Greve & Associates,
Auto & Truck Accidents, North Carolina Truck
Accident,
Wrongful Death,
Mass Torts,
Social Security
Disability, Workers' Compensation,
Immigration, North Carolina & South Carolina
- (800) 984-7383
Teague &
Glover, P.A.., Personal Injury lawyers,
Elizabeth City, North Carolina - (252) 335-0878
Teddy &
Meekins, Personal Injury Attorneys, Shelby, NC
- serving Cleveland, Rutherford and Lincoln
counties - Phone 704-487-1234
Truck
Accident Lawyers - Physician | Nurse
Attorneys, Baltimore Maryland, Washington DC,
Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Columbia SC - Servicing
the U.S. - 1-888-4-MEDLAW
Twiggs,
Beskind, Strickland & Rabenau, P.A., Personal
Injury lawyers, Raleigh, North Carolina - (919)
828-4357
Charles
R. Ullman & Associates, Attorneys
at Law, Family Law - Divorce,
Child
Support, Spousal Support, Child
Custody, Johnston
County & Raleigh, NC, 919-829-1006
Warfield Meredith
& Darrah, P.C.,
Personal Injury lawyers, Severna Park, Maryland
Washington D.C. Personal Injury
Lawyer The Abelson
Law Firm:
Washington, D.C. Medical
Malpractice Attorney,
Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer,
Maryland Truck Accident
Attorneys.
Washington
Injury by Brett
& Coats, PLLC, Bellingham WA Personal Injury
lawyers, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice,
Accidents, Product Liability, Cross
Border Claims Lawyers - Bellingham, WA -
(360) 733-0212
Washington
Injury - Accidents & Collisions, Personal
Injury, Wrongful Death, Insurance Law, Sexual
Harassment, Bellingham, WA - (800) 925-1875
Brinkley
Walser, PLLC, Estate Planning, Personal
Injury, Real Estate, Workers Compensation,
Wrongful Death, Elder Law, Banking Law, Traffic
Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Medical
Malpractice, Family Law, Lexington, NC - (336)
249-2101
Law Offices of
John C. Wunsch,
Erb's Palsy,
Cerebral Palsy,
Birth Personal Injury, Chicago, IL - (312)
977-9900
The
Yarborough Law Firm,
Construction Law,
Administrative Law, Personal Injury cases, Real
Estate Matters, Corporate and Business matters,
Employment Law and Collections, Fayetteville, NC,
910-433-4433
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