Asbestos Lung Cancer
A diagnosis of asbestos lung cancer can devastate a family. Patients are often forced to cope with serious pain, complicated surgeries, and the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Families often struggle to figure out how to manage the medical bills, missed time from work, and other costs that come with caring for a person with asbestos lung cancer.
Even if you worked with or around asbestos years ago, exposure to this carcinogen could be the cause of your current lung cancer diagnosis. For many years, asbestos companies knew of the dangers of this material but failed to warn people of the risks associated with exposure. Now, decades later, innocent people are paying for those companies’ mistakes.
Compensation is available for victims of asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos illnesses. Contact us today, and let us connect you with a nationally recognized asbestos attorney who can review your claim for free and go over all your options.
Even if you smoked, asbestos may have played a role in causing your lung cancer.
You and your family don’t have to face this burden alone. Let us help.
What Causes Asbestos Lung Cancer?
People usually think of lung cancer as being caused by cigarette smoking. But asbestos, which was commonly used in many household materials and industrial building products, has also been shown to cause the devastating cancer. People who worked directly with asbestos-containing materials or in places where the materials were being used are most at risk of developing asbestos lung cancer. People who worked with asbestos and smoked cigarettes have an even higher risk of developing lung cancer.
Research has shown that for every year a person was exposed to asbestos, the risk of lung cancer increases up to 4 percent. Industrial workers, construction workers, mechanics, and veterans are among those most at risk due to their increased likelihood of prolonged occupational exposure.
When a doctor determines whether your lung cancer was caused by asbestos, he or she will take into consideration whether:
- You have been exposed to asbestos through your work.
- It has been at least 10 years since you were initially exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos-related lung cancer has a long latency period. So even if you were exposed to asbestos dust decades ago, your lung cancer diagnosis may still be traced back to that.
It is also important to note that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. So if you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, talk to your doctor about any history of exposure to asbestos.
Symptoms of Asbestos Lung Cancer
Symptoms of asbestos lung cancer may not be evident right away. In fact, many people may mistake symptoms of asbestos lung cancer for less serious lung conditions.
You should see a doctor as soon as you experience signs such as:
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
- Ongoing cough that gets worse over time
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness
- Problems with swallowing
- Chest pain
- Swelling in the face or neck
- Loss of appetite or weight loss
- Fatigue
Be sure to talk to your doctor about your history of asbestos exposure when you’re discussing your symptoms. Your doctor may decide to do a lung biopsy, a bronchoscopy, or other medical tests to determine whether there are asbestos fibers in your lung.
Treatment for Asbestos Lung Cancer
Your doctor may recommend a combination of treatments for asbestos lung cancer. Your treatment plan will depend on your health, your age, and the stage at which your cancer was diagnosed.
Asbestos lung cancer treatment options include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Targeted drug therapy
- Clinical trials
Cancer treatments are hard on both patients and family members. Patients face the physical and psychological effects, while caregivers carry a heavy load, both emotionally and financially.
You should know that you are not alone in this. Financial help is available for people whose lung disease was caused by asbestos. Contact us today to learn about your options for pursuing the compensation you deserve.
What Is the Difference Between Pleural Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer?
Asbestos-related lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma are two different types of cancer, but both are caused by exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos lung cancer attacks the lung tissue itself. It can come in the form of small-cell lung cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer. Lung cancer may also be caused by smoking.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma attacks the mesothelium tissue lining the lungs and the chest cavity. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma.
Symptoms and treatment for both asbestos-related diseases may be similar. However, it’s important to have a doctor who specializes in asbestos cancers to determine your best treatment options. Find the top doctors near you.
Compensation for Asbestos Lung Cancer Victims
Because asbestos companies knew of the danger of their products but failed to warn workers, victims of asbestos lung cancer can and should hold these companies accountable for the harm they have caused. Victims and their families may be eligible for compensation to:
- Pay all medical bills, including treatments you may need in the future
- Account for lost income, including reduced earning potential in the future
- Account for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of your asbestos illness
- Pay for funeral expenses and other losses if your family is coping with a wrongful death
In order to pursue full and fair compensation, you will need to work with an experienced asbestos lung cancer attorney who has handled these types of complicated claims. We can connect you with respected attorneys who can thoroughly review your work history or service history and identify which companies were responsible for your exposure. (These will likely be manufacturers of asbestos products, rather than your former boss or the military.)
Contact us today, and let us set up a free consultation to go over all your legal options. Our asbestos lung cancer lawyers do not charge any fees upfront to start working on your claim. And they do not charge you legal fees unless they recover compensation for you.
You and your family don’t have to cope with an asbestos lung cancer diagnosis alone. Our team of medical experts and legal professionals are here to help in any way we can.
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