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Lung cancer lawyers

with over 50 years of experience

Regardless if a smoker or not, if you or a family member was diagnosed with lung cancer, as a result of occupational asbestos exposure, our lawyers can help you recover compensation. Our lawyers only receive payment after compensation was recovered for our clients. Our standard fee is 40% contingency fee. If we can't collect compensation, our clients will not have any out-of-pocket expenses. Our attorneys handle over 100k asbestos lung cancer cases annually.

Call 205.328.9200 Asbestos Screening

With a lung cancer diagnosis, you have immediate eligibility and our staff and attorneys will prioritize your cases for expedited processing. You will not be required to travel and a family member will be able to handle the paperwork on your behalf.

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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. There are several medical diagnoses that lung cancer is known and treated as, any of these would qualify:

  • Non-small cell lung cancer, known as NSCLC (also diagnosed as Adenocarcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Large Cell Carcinoma)
  • Small cell lung cancer, known as SCLC

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 that 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.

Common lung cancer symptoms and lung problems after asbestos exposure

Seeking opinions from multiple doctors and 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.

Lung cancer misdiagnosis and asbestos exposure work history

Many pulmonary diseases that occur as a consequence of asbestos exposure are very insidious, as the majority of people suffering from one experience no obvious symptoms until their illness becomes extremely severe. In the event that symptoms are present, they are more or less the same for each disease, from asbestosis to lung cancer and other types of cancers, benign or malignant neoplasm, or metastases in the respiratory system they all have mild to severe symptoms in the lungs.

The signs of these pulmonary illnesses can easily be mistaken for those of more common respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonitis, COPD, pleurisy, pulmonary fibrosis, lung nodules, pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, pleural plaques, rounded atelectasis, and others.

Considering all these aspects, it should not come as a surprise that asbestos victims are frequently misdiagnosed, even by medical experts. Receiving a wrong diagnosis can hinder your prognosis terribly since each disease stemming from asbestos exposure calls for a unique treatment approach. Additionally, it will also affect the financial compensation you can recover from asbestos trust funds, as the sum of money asbestos victims are eligible for depends primarily on their diagnosis. If you currently have a lung cancer diagnosis, we strongly advise you to seek a second opinion from a medical specialist that has previously diagnosed asbestos-related diseases. A third opinion is welcomed as well since these illnesses are complicated to correctly diagnose. Oftentimes, what is initially thought to be lung cancer is later proven to be mesothelioma or vice-versa. Benefiting from the expertise of multiple experts will not only help you avoid receiving a misleading diagnosis, but it may also result in a significantly larger amount of compensation.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure Asbestos Screening

Asbestos exposure lung cancer victims are eligible for compensation

Asbestos trust funds represent the primary source of compensation for former workers who were later diagnosed with lung cancer following occupational asbestos exposure. Unlike a lawsuit, filing a claim with asbestos trust funds does not entail going to court and waiting several years for a resolution. However, although it is a considerably less complex and time-consuming process than standard litigation, only a lawyer specialized in asbestos cases will be able to successfully submit an asbestos claim on your behalf. If you or someone in the family was diagnosed with lung cancer as a consequence of occupational asbestos exposure, we strongly encourage you to contact us at your earliest convenience, as the time asbestos victims have to take legal action is unfortunately limited to a 3-year statute. Our attorneys will dedicate their efforts to achieving the most satisfactory outcome and maximum compensation for your case.

Claim EvaluationCall 205.328.9200

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 experiences 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.

Call 205.328.9200 Asbestos Screening

If you have a history of asbestos exposure and you were a smoker, you can file a claim to recover compensation.

Smoker Exposed to Asbestos

Lost a family member to asbestos lung cancer, our lawyers will 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.

Call 205.328.9200 Claim Evaluation

Who are our clients?

Our clients are individuals who developed serious diseases such as lung cancer after undergoing heavy asbestos exposure in the workplace, usually for several years in a row. The occupations below used to imply a high risk of asbestos exposure before the 1980s in the U.S.

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

boilermakers

boiler workers

Abatement workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

asbestos miners

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

asbestos miners

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

plastic molders

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

auto mechanics

automotive workers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

Carpenters

iron workers

machinists

brick cement and stonemasons

oil rig refinery/oil rig workers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

Abatement workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

Carpenters

ironworkers

machinists

brick cement and stonemasons

HVAC mechanics

tile setters

longshoremen

steelworkers

metal sheet workers

Painters

boilermakers

boiler workers

Abatement workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

Carpenters

HVAC mechanics

roofers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

ironworkers

machinists

brick cement and stonemasons

longshoremen

steelworkers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

ironworkers

longshoremen

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

Carpenters

ironworkers

machinists

brick cement and stonemasons

oil rig refinery/oil rig workers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

Carpenters

ironworkers

machinists

longshoremen

steelworkers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

ironworkers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

metal sheet workers

boilermakers

boiler workers

insulators

millwrights

welders

steamfitters, pipefitters, plumbers

engineers

electricians

laborers

ironworkers

machinists

brick cement and stonemasons

longshoremen

metal sheet workers

Our legal process in a lung cancer case

A high percentage of our asbestos claims involve people who suffer from lung cancer caused by asbestos in the workplace.

See Our Process

Common questions

The compensation you will receive highly depends on factors such as the severity of your diagnosis, the size of the asbestos trust fund you file with, as well as the percentage they pay out.

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Every asbestos case is unique and there are numerous factors that might influence the waiting time. Depending on the situation, asbestos claims will result in financial compensation within one month to one year.

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Yes. The money you were receiving from asbestos trust funds during your lifetime will go to your family after your death. If, however, you had not filed a claim, your family can still recover compensation.

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In order to receive compensation, you need to file a claim with the asbestos trust fund set up by the company responsible for your injury. A lawyer will speed up the process significantly.

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The statute of limitations refers to the amount of time you have to file an asbestos claim after diagnosis. It varies between one and six years, depending on the state you live in.

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Diseases caused by asbestos exposure affect 20% of former industrial workers and 30% of veterans. Every year, between 12,000 and 15,000 people lose their lives to diseases that stem from asbestos exposure.

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Asbestos is a carcinogen responsible for the occurrence of terrible diseases. However, most people who became ill had been exposed to high levels of asbestos over the course of several years.

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Since they were not required to wear any protective equipment on the job, many engineering, manufacturing, maintenance workers, and military veterans were exposed to asbestos unknowingly or inadvertently while performing their everyday duties on the job.

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Asbestos exposure can lead to the development of multiple cancers, the most common being lung cancer.

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While smoking was found to greatly increase the risk of lung cancer in people with a history of asbestos exposure, it was not found to affect the chances of developing mesothelioma.

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Birmingham, AL 35205
Get Directions 800.749.9200

205.328.9200

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Get Directions 800.749.9200

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