Lung Cancer Due to Asbestos Exposure Results in 4,800 Deaths Per Year

A causal relationship between asbestos exposure and lung cancer was first suggested by medical researchers in 1935, when the use of this carcinogenic mineral in occupational settings was becoming increasingly popular. However, it was only seven years later that the National Cancer Institute recognized asbestos as a factual cause of lung cancer. Shortly after, there was a rapid emergence of studies, both in the U.S. and throughout Europe, explaining how the inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to lung cancer within 15 to 35 years from the first exposure to asbestos.

More about Asbestos Exposure and Lung Cancer

Nowadays, asbestos exposure – along with a series of other risk factors such as radon gas inhalation and passive smoking – is officially a cause of lung cancer. When it is the result of asbestos exposure, lung cancer develops similarly to mesothelioma, another form of cancer which affects the lungs. Once asbestos fibers enter the respiratory tract, they can become embedded in tissue very easily due to their rough texture. Since the human body cannot naturally eliminate asbestos, a considerable portion of fibers will remain in the lungs, where inflammation and tissue scarring may gradually occur over the years. Depending on how severe asbestos exposure was, these symptoms can give way to the onset of lung cancer at some point.

It is worthy of note that while mesothelioma tumors grow on the outer lining of the lungs, lung cancer develops inside one or both organs. Although mesothelioma and lung cancer have asbestos exposure as a common cause, they are completely different diseases and each of them requires a distinct treatment approach. For this reason, seeking opinions from multiple specialists is vital if you experience the following symptoms and have a history of occupational asbestos exposure:

• shortness of breath
• chest pain which worsens with coughing or taking deep breaths
• wheezing
• a lingering cough, which may be dry or mucus-producing
• loss of appetite
• fatigue
• difficulty breathing and/or swallowing
• frequent respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis
• nail clubbing
• unintentional weight loss

Even though this is not a certainty, some studies suggest that the size of the asbestos fibers a person inhaled can determine whether they will develop mesothelioma or lung cancer. Accordingly, fibers with a length of 3 millimeters were found more likely to attach themselves to the lining of the lungs, whereas those measuring 5 millimeters had a tendency to become embedded in lung tissue per se. Thus, shorter asbestos fibers were associated with a higher risk of mesothelioma, while longer ones were linked to lung cancer.

It is important to be aware that if you have a history of asbestos exposure, tobacco smoking can increase the risk of developing lung cancer to a great extent. Smokers who were subjected to asbestos exposure in the workplace are 50 to 90 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than non-smokers.

Family Members with a Lung Cancer Diagnosis Due to Asbestos Exposure

Secondary asbestos exposure was very widespread for the better part of the last century, as there were no effective workplace regulations requiring employees to change their clothes at the end of the day. Thus, it was common for workers who were handling products that contained asbestos at the job to return home with asbestos dust on their clothes, as well as on their skin and hair, indirectly exposing their families to this toxic mineral. Women were mainly exposed to asbestos by laundering their husband's work clothes, whereas children were more likely to inhale asbestos fibers while greeting their father upon coming home.

If you have a family member who had a high-risk occupation in regard to asbestos exposure and experience some of the above symptoms or already have a lung cancer diagnosis, you may be a victim of secondary asbestos exposure. Similarly, we strongly encourage you to look for a second opinion from a specialist so as to avoid misdiagnosis. In the event that you initially received a false diagnosis, being evaluated by multiple experts will improve your prognosis considerably, as you will benefit from effective treatment, and it may also provide you with more compensation from asbestos trust funds to help you cover the cost of medical care.

Have You Lost a Family Member to Asbestos Lung Cancer? Our Lawyers Will Help You Recover Compensation on Their Behalf

It is not uncommon for asbestos victims suffering from lung cancer to fail taking legal action during their lifetime, as factors such as poor health will often deter them from seeking financial compensation. However, pursuing compensation for lung cancer, as well as for any other disease caused by occupational asbestos exposure, is no longer a complex, time-consuming process. If you have a family member with a lung cancer diagnosis who had not taken legal recourse before passing away, you can recover compensation on their behalf. With nearly 30 years of experience in asbestos cases, our attorneys will help you file a claim with one or multiple asbestos trust funds, which requires no trial.

While the process is indeed very easy to navigate with the assistance of a specialized lawyer, it is crucial to know that the time you have to file an asbestos claim is limited. You can take legal action only within 3 years from the moment your loved one was diagnosed with lung cancer, after which you no longer qualify for compensation. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to contact us as soon as possible and we will promptly help you.

How Do We Handle Lung Cancer Cases?

As lung cancer is regrettably one of the most common diseases people with a history of workplace asbestos exposure develop, our attorneys have extensive experience in pursuing compensation for clients with this a lung cancer diagnosis. With nearly 30 years of processing only asbestos claims, our law firm has successfully filed over 200,000 asbestos claims, a considerable portion of which on behalf of former asbestos workers suffering from lung cancer. If you were also diagnosed with lung cancer following occupational asbestos exposure, we will gladly help you recover the compensation you deserve.

While we use a unique approach for each client, since everyone's circumstances of exposure were different, the legal process for lung cancer cases usually consists in the following steps: