Asbestos colorectal cancer claims

Asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer: What research says

A causal link between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer has yet to be established, but there have been multiple studies suggesting the existence of a connection. In 2019, a meta-analysis published by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health linked asbestos exposure to increased risks of developing colorectal cancer. Furthermore, researchers from the American Journal of Epidemiology pointed out that "colorectal cancer risk is elevated among men occupationally exposed to asbestos."

Asbestos fibers can enter the body through inhalation or ingestion. Once inside, these microscopic fibers can become lodged in the colon or rectum, where they may remain for an extended period. As a result, it can cause inflammation, scarring, and cellular damage, all of which can lead to cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the United States. The latest figures from the American Cancer Society showed that the country records 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer and 107,320 new cases of colon cancer every year.

Who is eligible to file asbestos colorectal cancer claims?

To file colorectal cancer claims related to asbestos exposure, you must meet the following criteria:

• You received an asbestos-related cancer diagnosis in the last 3 years.
• You were a military personnel or a former industrial worker working in a high-risk, asbestos-exposure occupation.
• You are a family member of an industrial worker or veteran suffering from cancer due to secondhand asbestos exposure.
• You are a family member of a deceased patient diagnosed with colorectal cancer and a history of asbestos exposure.

Colorectal cancer misdiagnosis and asbestos exposure work history

Since cases of colorectal cancer that occur as a result of asbestos exposure are quite rare, when people receive a colorectal cancer diagnosis, the doctor will not make the connection to asbestos fibers that were ingested or inhaled and now are lodged in the lungs and colon as the culprit of the colorectal cancer.

Regrettably, misdiagnosis is very common among victims of workplace asbestos exposure, especially when other afflictions than lung disease are concerned.

Due to the latency period of several decades and the lack of knowledge when it comes to the correlation between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer, the disease is challenging to diagnose, as many doctors do not check the lungs thoroughly and specifically do not look for asbestos fibers.

However, if you struggle with colorectal cancer and have a history of occupational asbestos exposure, a tell-tale sign that the former is the result of the latter is the presence of asbestos fibers in your lungs.

Interestingly, most individuals develop colorectal cancer because the asbestos fibers they breathed in during their jobs travel through the body to the area in question. Therefore, underlying lung disease is almost the norm for people who develop colorectal cancer following asbestos exposure.

We also provide legal assistance to family members who have developed colorectal cancer as a result of secondary asbestos exposure

People who handled asbestos themselves and those who worked surrounded by asbestos dust are not the only demographic at risk for developing colorectal cancer.

Since asbestos companies lacked industrial hygiene, thereby not require employees to change clothes at the end of the day, asbestos workers would often carry toxic asbestos fibers home, unknowingly endangering the health of their families.

Women would typically breathe in asbestos when laundering their husbands’ work clothes, whereas children would be exposed to the asbestos mineral upon greeting their fathers.

This is usually referred to as secondary asbestos exposure and may also result in the same diseases as direct exposure, including colorectal cancer. Victims of secondary asbestos exposure are also entitled to financial compensation from asbestos trust funds.

Thus, if you have someone in your family who worked with asbestos during the last century and now struggles with colorectal cancer, please contact our lawyers at your earliest convenience. With the help of a vast database and a resourceful team, they are bound to obtain the optimal results for your case, regardless of how complex the endeavor might prove to be. The money recovered by our lawyers, you or your family members will receive, and can further help with higher-quality treatment and healthcare.

If you lost a family member to asbestos colorectal cancer, our lawyers will help you recover compensation on their behalf

There are numerous reasons why a person injured by occupational asbestos exposure would refuse or postpone seeking financial compensation during their lifetime, such as poor health and fear of a complex, endless legal process. Fortunately, while money will never be able to replace the loss of a dear one, you can recover compensation on behalf of a family member who died of asbestos-related colorectal cancer by filing a wrongful death claim with the help of our asbestos lawyers. Because the money you will receive also comes from asbestos trust funds, the process requires no litigation and is substantially faster.

The only documents you will need to provide are their employment/military, and medical records, after which one of our attorneys and our staff will promptly take over.