Pneumonitis Lawyers | Asbestos Exposure

Environmental Litigation Group can take your case only if added to a pneumonitis diagnosis you receive a subsequent medical evaluation and the chest X-ray screening shows scarring, damage or asbestos fibers in your lungs.

Asbestosis Can Easily Be Misdiagnosed as Another Type of Pneumonitis

This lung condition has multiple subtypes, the three most known being chronic, acute and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Asbestosis falls under the category of pneumonitis as well, since the disease involves the inflammation of the lung tissue. Similarly, pneumonia is also a type of pneumonitis (with pneumonia infection is present as well). However, the differences between the previously mentioned conditions are major and for this reason, each type of pneumonitis requires a specific treatment approach. Therefore, if you were exposed to asbestos and experience some of the symptoms below, it is very important to inform your physician about your asbestos exposure to avoid misdiagnosis:

shortness of breath
a dry cough
chest tightness
swollen neck or face
clubbed fingers
wheezing
loss of appetite
unexplained weight loss
difficulty swallowing

The complications which can follow untreated pneumonitis include pulmonary fibrosis, COPD and irreversible lung damage. Tissue scarring will gradually occur if the patient does not receive appropriate treatment for this condition. Lung cancer can also be mistaken for pneumonitis, pneumonia or for asbestosis due to the symptoms these diseases share, so being evaluated by a highly experienced specialist in pulmonary disease is crucial. If during evaluation asbestos fibers are found in your lungs in addition to pneumonitis you might be eligible for monetary compensation.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure 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

Conditions that Qualify for VA Asbestos Compensation

Asbestos diseases entitle veterans to compensation benefits only if the majority of the asbestos exposure occurred during active duty. Only a few of these diseases will bring in a 100% disability coverage (like pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma), and all of them require documentation and proof that they were caused by asbestos exposure and not other causes.

Lung cancer Mesothelioma Asbestosis Pulmonary Fibrosis