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Lung scarring

processing claims for over 50 years

Lung scarring is a condition that is highly prevalent among people with a history of occupational asbestos exposure. If you worked in an industrial setting or on ships previously and have now developed lung scarring, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your asbestos-related illness. Our attorneys will provide quality legal assistance and help recover your well-deserved compensation amount. If asbestos fibers were also present in your lungs when the scarring showed up you are eligible for compensation.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure

With a lung scarring diagnosis, you will need to travel to our medical facility in Birmingham, AL if you wish to receive compensation. Additional no-charge testing will be required, generally a chest x-ray and a physical exam.

Call 205.328.9200 Asbestos Screening

Nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with lung scarring or pulmonary fibrosis each year

The scarring of the lungs makes them stiff reducing the size as well as capacity and thereby decreases the amount of air that can be taken into the lungs during breathing. Once lung scarring develops, it cannot be repaired or reversed, and this condition of irreversible lung scarring is also termed pulmonary fibrosis. Due to lung scarring, it becomes hard for oxygen to pass through the tiny air sacs, and thus the amount of oxygen that passes into the blood reduces. This is a progressive disease and as the lungs get more scarred or fibrotic, the patients become short of breath and may even need oxygen to help them breathe. Nearly 132,000 people in the US are affected with pulmonary fibrosis and almost 50,000 new cases add up each year. It has been estimated that each year over 30,000 people lose their lives due to pulmonary fibrosis.

Asbestos fibers, when inhaled can get trapped inside the tiny air sacs where the exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place within the lungs. In order to get rid of these asbestos fibers from the lungs, our immune system will react through an inflammatory process. Though the white blood cells try to break down these asbestos fibers, these often fail in their efforts and eventually rupture and die. This, in turn, will attract fibroblasts or scarring cells to the site and initiate the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. The scar tissue formation in the lungs can restrict the ability to breathe as well as cut down the oxygen reaching the blood in other parts of the body. Scarring can develop in the pleura, the lining between the lungs and the chest wall, and often occurs in association with asbestosis. This makes it important for workers to share their work history with their doctor and undergo routine check-ups. Additionally, it can take decades before a person starts experiencing symptoms and gets a proper diagnosis, which is very dangerous. Lung scarring may be associated with the following signs and symptoms:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chronic dry cough
  • Aches in the muscles and joints
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Fatigue
Occupational Asbestos Exposure Asbestos Screening

Lung scarring misdiagnosis and asbestos exposure work history

As the symptoms of lung scarring or pulmonary fibrosis are almost similar to those of other lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, as much as 50% of cases are misdiagnosed during the initial presentation. Most asbestos victims who were initially told they had lung scarring, in fact, had asbestosis, lung cancer, or even mesothelioma. Misdiagnosis is very common among asbestos exposure victims and for this reason, we advise workers with asbestos exposure to always seek a second opinion from a doctor specializing in asbestos-related diseases. It is very important to establish the correct diagnosis of your asbestos-related condition so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment that avoids further disease progression. In addition, accurate diagnosis will also fetch you the right amount of financial compensation you deserve for your injury.

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

Are you suffering from lung scarring as a result of occupational asbestos exposure

If you were exposed to asbestos at your workplace and have subsequently developed lung scarring, you will need to insist upon routine check-ups and establishing a proper diagnosis so that you can claim financial compensation from the asbestos trust funds. At ELG, we have a team of attorneys who can assist you with quality legal services. In order to start working, we just need the documents regarding your work history and written evidence of your diagnosis. Time is of the essence in asbestos-related litigation; hence, we encourage you to begin the legal process as early as possible once you have a diagnosis of asbestos-related lung scarring.

Claim Evaluation Asbestos Screening

Our legal process in a lung scarring case

Correlations between lung scarring and prolonged exposure to asbestos have been determined by our attorneys and they will help you fight your case.

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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Disability compensation is a financial benefit the VA pays out only to veterans with diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, or asbestosis. Therefore, a veteran is not eligible for it in the absence of a proper asbestos-related diagnosis.

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