Man’s death aided by exposure to asbestos

Outwardly, it appeared the death of an 80-year-old shipyard worker was due to pneumonia. In reality, the man’s death was brought about by his exposure to asbestos.

After the man died in September, his wife consulted a coroner to confirm that both asbestosis and an enlarged heart made it so he could not fully recover from pneumonia, eventually leading to his wrongful death. Asbestosis is a chronic condition where the lungs grow excess tissue and swell up. Asbestos exposure very often causes mesothelioma and other lung diseases like asbestosis. The man was exposed to the dangerous substance while working on at job at the shipyard.

The man’s wife said that she thinks he could have fended off the pneumonia if his health was not hindered by asbestosis. She also lobbied that the dangers of asbestos exposure – primarily the dangers that residents in her local area face every day – should be more widely publicized.

While the man’s enlarged heart and case of asbestosis were not related, the coroner that examined him said that both the natural ailment and the one brought on by asbestos exposure worked together in the man’s demise. Without the asbestos, he may have been able to survive.

Many times it is tough to decipher which illnesses or ailments are brought about by asbestos exposure and which ones happen naturally. Additionally, the onset of diseases that are caused by asbestos can take at least 10 years to show. This is why careful examination and the knowledge of professionals are vital if a victim looks to take legal action.

Source: North West Evening Mail, “Yard Worker’s Death Related to Asbestosis,” Dec. 10, 2011