A legal claim may be filed if you or a loved one, after having been exposed to asbestos, were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Asbestos refers particularly to six natural occurring fibrous minerals. These fibrous minerals possess the ability to resist electricity, heat, and fire. And, although they are microscopic in nature, they may also be resistant to chemical reactions and breakdowns.

These attributes are why asbestos has been used in many different commercial and industrial settings, including in differed consumer products. And, even though the use of asbestos has largely diminished, there are still many products and structures, including schools, public buildings, and homes that still contain asbestos.

As a result, lung cancer from asbestos is still likely because it can occur from exposure at home, or on the job, or even from second-hand exposure, which may occur if a family members carries asbestos fibers on their clothing, thus exposing others at home.

Victims who have suffered from lung cancer from asbestos have been awarded in millions of dollars in compensation due to injuries that they have suffered.

Lung cancer cases from asbestos exposure can be most common in individuals who also work in the following occupations: U.S. military, shipyard workers, auto mechanics, paper mill workers, textile workers, insulation installers, sheet metal workers, roofers, toll collectors, tilers, linotype technicians, and plumbers.

Lung Cancer from Asbestos Facts

Approximately, 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Additionally, lung cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that there are more Americans who die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer.

Cancer is a disease in which the body’s cells grow out of control; lung cancer is when this growth begins in the lungs. This type of cancer may also spread to the lymph nodes and other organs of the body, including the brain. Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from one organ in the body to another.

Although the cause of lung cancer varies depending on each patient, and there is not just one independent factor, a cause of the vast majority of lung cancer cases is tobacco smoke. A small, albeit significant portion of lung cancer cases occur due to asbestos exposure.

When a victim of lung cancer from asbestos files a lawsuit, companies and even former employers will try to discount their claims by alleging that their diagnosis is due to tobacco smoke instead. Attorneys fighting for their victims claims of lung cancer from asbestos exposure have successfully argued that it is actually due to specific asbestos fiber exposure and not tobacco smoke.

Some victims have been awarded millions of dollars in legal compensation. A typical issue with lung cancer from asbestos exposure, however, is that these former employees may not know that they were exposed to asbestos until later on. Oftentimes the symptoms of lung cancer from asbestos exposure don’t show up until 20 to 50 years after exposure.