If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of exposure to toxic materials like asbestos, you could very well be considering your legal options. In many cases, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against one or multiple parties responsible for the exposure and any resulting illness.
The basics of the deadly carcinogen, asbestos
Most people in North Carolina are aware of the lethal connection between asbestos and cancer, but very few people know about the diseases caused by asbestos, how to obtain a proper diagnosis and medical treatment or how to commence a claim to recover damages for exposure to asbestos-containing products. In this post, we want to provide some answers to these questions.
Asbestos hazards in the textile industry
The textile industry was once dominant in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. While most people do not associate the health hazards of asbestos exposure with the textile industry, those hazards became well known after World War II and continue to afflict persons even today.
Who to talk to when you need to find out where you were exposed
Illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos can be devastating for victims and their families. Many asbestos-related illnesses are aggressive, growing rapidly and quickly diminishing a person's physical condition. While it can certainly be a lot to take in if you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, you too need to act quickly when it comes to understanding your rights to pursue legal action.
Whistleblower: Workers at VA hospital exposed to asbestos
Employers are expected to keep their employees safe if and when they need to complete work that exposes them to harmful chemicals or substances. Unfortunately, not all employers do this and workers end up paying the price. In some cases, toxic exposure to materials like asbestos leads to devastating illnesses like mesothelioma.
What does asbestos have to do with talc?
Many people know that a mineral called talc is found in many common household and cosmetic products. Talc is thought to be safe as long as it's in its purest form, meaning not contaminated with any other potential toxins, and many companies maintain that any talc that goes into their products is completely safe.
Asbestos in talc documented with new information
This blog has written in the past about lawsuits based on the allegation that a number of cosmetic products that use talc as a principle ingredient also contain halable asbestos fibers. Recent investigations are providing additional information to support these allegations of asbestos product exposure.
What happens if a victim dies before asbestos case is resolved?
Diseases that are caused by exposure to asbestos can be especially devastating because of how aggressive they can be. Further, they are often diagnosed only after they are already in advanced stages, meaning treatment may not be as effective as it could have been and a person's life expectancy is decreased to a matter of months or even weeks.
Some older electrical products could pose asbestos exposure risks
In the past, there were many types of products that had components made of asbestos. Electrical products were among such products. In today's world, however, electrical components and devices are generally not manufactured using asbestos. This does not, however, mean that there are no longer any asbestos-exposure risks related to electrical products. This is because there are many older, asbestos-containing electrical components that are still in use out in the world.
Recent study links asbestos to digestive cancers
This blog has often discussed the health risks for people in North Carolina of exposure to asbestos. We have discussed many studies that demonstrate that airborne asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis and a variety of cancers and the lung disease known asbestosis. Now, a recent study from France that has been published in a respected peer reviewed medical journal provides evidence that asbestos also causes a variety of cancers that affect digestive organs.
Being prepared for defenses is crucial in asbestos litigation
When people have been injured or killed by a dangerous or defective product, they and their family members can often see so clearly that the product caused damage and they can be completely convinced that the maker of that product should be held responsible.
Diagnostic measures taken to identify asbestos-related illnesses
If you have been exposed to asbestos, it is unlikely that you will start developing troubling symptoms of the exposure right away. Unfortunately, it can take decades for symptoms to arise. During that time, asbestos fibers can be undetectable but they still pose a serious threat to a person's health.
What is asbestosis?
What types of damages can be awarded in asbestos claims?
If you have lost a loved one due to mesothelioma or asbestosis, money may very well be the last thing on your mind right now. You are probably more focused on handling funeral arrangements, going through estate planning documents and trying to manage the grief and sadness of the loss.
