Tuberculosis Lawyers

Tuberculosis Is the 7th Leading Cause of Death Worldwide

According to CDC, 9,105 cases of tuberculosis have been diagnosed in the United States in the year 2017. The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis being diagnosed along with asbestosis ranges from 3.8%-36%, thus establishing an association between the two lung disorders. The patients with asbestosis show poor immune response and reduced defensive capacity of the lung, which makes them prone to infections including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis and Interstitial Lung Diseases

The signs and symptoms of asbestosis and other interstitial lung diseases are quite similar to the symptoms of other lung diseases including tuberculosis. The table below summarizes and compares the symptoms of tuberculosis and asbestos-related interstitial lung disease:

Generally, the most common symptoms of a respiratory disorder such as a cough and difficult breathing tend to get overlooked or sometimes wrongly thought to be because of habits such as smoking, aging, or infections, more commonly tuberculosis. This can lead to patients being subjected to unnecessary anti-tuberculous treatment and its side effects as well as a delay in deriving appropriate care. Therefore, early diagnoses of interstitial lung diseases including asbestosis require a higher degree of clinical suspicion.

Tuberculosis Misdiagnosis and Asbestos Exposure Work History

Misdiagnosis is widespread among asbestos exposure victims. As the symptoms of asbestos-related lung diseases are almost similar to other lung conditions, we strongly advise individuals with a history of asbestos exposure – particularly smokers – to undergo a biannual medical examination, which will help prevent late detection of any unfortunate condition that has developed. Most commonly, tuberculosis causes acute pleuritis, which may lead to diffuse pleural thickening that mimics asbestos-related pleural thickening. Therefore, an asbestos-related thickening of the pleura may be misinterpreted as tuberculosis. Differentiating between tuberculosis and asbestos-related lung diseases may be challenging, even for experts. For this reason, we encourage you to always seek a second opinion, preferably from a specialist in asbestos-related diseases.

The most effective tests for detecting asbestos-related lung diseases include spirometry (a pulmonary function test which helps your specialist observe the volume and flow of air), X-rays, and computed tomography (CT scans). Blood tests may also be ordered to measure oxygen levels.

Tuberculosis misdiagnosis will not only affect your treatment and prognosis, but you may also end up recovering less amount of compensation than that you are entitled to. The financial compensation is mainly decided on the basis of the severity of your disease.

If You Lost a Family Member Our Attorneys Will Recover Compensation on Their Behalf

Several victims of asbestos exposure may not seek legal assistance when they are alive due to many reasons including the fear of going through a long process to receive compensation. In the case of tuberculosis, people are generally reluctant to file a claim because they think their illness is not severe enough to deserve financial compensation. However, a lawyer specialized in handling asbestos exposure cases would have been helpful in recovering the rightful compensation from one or multiple asbestos trust funds.

With more than three decades of experience in handling asbestos litigations, our attorneys will evaluate your case and try to recover as much compensation your departed family member was entitled to receive. The only documents you will need to provide us are the victim’s work history and medical records. We will completely handle major aspects of the legal process and your involvement will be quite minimal.

If the products manufactured by the company at which your family member worked were responsible for their diagnosis, then you will be eligible to receive money from the asbestos trust fund that was set up by the employer. However, it is important to file a wrongful death claim within the statute of limitation period, which is 1-3 years and depends on the state you belong to. Therefore, it is necessary to seek legal assistance as early as possible for a successful outcome. We have represented over 230,000 asbestos victims and we are willing to help you, too.

How Do We Handle Tuberculosis Cases?

During the past 30 years, our law firm has received numerous requests for legal assistance from people with a past history of asbestos exposure who have been diagnosed with tuberculosis. The process of recovering compensation in such cases is definitely more challenging compared to cases of clients with more serious illnesses. Our attorneys eagerly take up tuberculosis cases and work towards helping you receive the financial compensation you are entitled to.

Once you have approached us and had a consultation, we will begin with the legal process, which generally consists of the following steps:

• Our team of experts conduct thorough research and discover additional information regarding your case that can eventually grant you a larger amount of compensation
• Your lawyer will prepare your asbestos claim and submit the necessary documents.
• Your attorney will decide upon the best type of claim and submit it to the board of trustees with sufficient evidence of your employment and diagnosis.
• Within about six months following the approval of your claim, you will be receiving your financial compensation on a monthly basis from the asbestos trust fund.

Call 205.328.9200 Asbestos Screening