After exposure to asbestos, some may find that they are diagnosed with an asbestos-related lung disease, such as cancer.

More and more people with an asbestos-related lung disease are coming forward with claims of exposure to asbestos on the job, where they may not have been given the proper warnings about the risk of asbestos or the proper equipment to efficiently prevent exposure. An asbestos-related lung disease may not appear until years or even decades after the initial exposure to the dangerous substance.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, is often used for commercial purposes like electrical or building insulation, and countless other uses besides.

Asbestos used to be a much more widely used material than it is now, and was quite well-known for its effective insulation. However, it has been found that exposure to asbestos actually carries with it a great deal of risk. Concern over the possibility of asbestos-related lung disease actually dates back to at least the1920s and 1930s. Because of this risk, asbestos became much more heavily regulated by the 1980s and 1990s. A number of countries have banned the use of asbestos entirely.

The Risk of Asbestos Exposure

The microscopic fibers of asbestos can accumulate in the lungs, which can cause several critical asbestos diseases, including lung cancer. Asbestos-related lung disease may take decades to develop.

Because of exposure on the job, construction workers make up a large number of those who file lawsuits over asbestos-related lung disease. These workers have often spent years surrounded by products and equipment made with asbestos without proper protection or even adequate warning about the danger of developing asbestos diseases.

Asbestos-Related Lung Disease

It can take decades for an asbestos-related lung disease to present symptoms, but it can then spread rapidly to organs all across the body. This rapid rate of development often means that an asbestos-related lung disease is not diagnosed until it has reached a later stage of development. For many patients, the time span between their asbestos exposure and diagnosis is too great to recognize the connection.

Asbestos lung cancer is a asbestos-related lung disease linked with exposure to this substance, and it is a serious danger. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., the cause of the most cancer deaths in the country. Around 4,800 people die from asbestos-related lung disease each year.

Filing a Lawsuit Over an Asbestos-Related Lung Disease

According to many lawsuits filed over asbestos-related lung disease like lung cancer, companies that allow workers to be exposed to asbestos should have been aware of the dangerous nature of their asbestos-containing materials. There are many asbestos regulations in place to prevent these kinds of issues.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or died from an asbestos-related lung disease like lung cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit or seek an asbestos fine. While filing a lawsuit cannot undo the damage done by exposure to asbestos, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.