Often, misdiagnosis or diagnostic delays happen because tuberculosis mimics the clinical as well as radiological features of most interstitial lung diseases caused by prolonged exposure to dangerous materials including asbestos. If you or your family member has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, but also have asbestos fibers embedded in the lungs, you might be eligible for financial compensation.
Occupational Asbestos ExposureWith a tuberculosis 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 ScreeningAccording 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. If you have a tuberculosis diagnosis and a history of asbestos exposure, the fibers will show up on the X-rays even if there are no symptoms yet. If this is the case, you are eligible for compensation.
Pleural effusion is a common manifestation in tuberculosis and asbestos-related pleural disease, which is why a pleural biopsy is essential to rule out tuberculosis in patients with a suspected asbestos-related pleural effusion. In 2002, a single-blind cohort study reported an association between asbestos exposure and pulmonary tuberculosis in a group of Iranian factory workers, which included 202 workers exposed to asbestos and 201 workers non-exposed to asbestos. The study concluded that the exposure to asbestos is a predisposing factor to the development of secondary tuberculosis, which may occur due to the reactivation of dormant foci of Mycobacterium infection in the lungs.
According to the American Lung Association, more than 9.6 million people suffer from an active form of tuberculosis. People with a latent form of tuberculosis are asymptomatic and carry a 15% lifetime risk of developing an active infection, the risk is higher in immunocompromised individuals.
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:
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Tuberculosis |
Interstitial Lung Diseases |
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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.
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.
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 FibrosisSeveral 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 if the chest X-rays show embedded asbestos fibers in the lungs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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