Lung Damage from Asbestosis
Asbestos exposure can cause many different problems with your respiratory health, many of which can be life-threatening. Asbestosis is one condition that results from working around asbestos, and many workers might not realize they have this disease until years after the exposure occurred. Then, symptoms can range from mild to severe, and many people suffer permanent lung damage.
If you need medical treatment due to asbestosis and lung damage, and you believe you can trace it back to asbestos exposure on the job, you might be able to seek compensation for your losses, pain and suffering, and more. Contact a Salina asbestosis lawyer for more information. Mesothelioma is another condition where we can help you.
Causes of Asbestosis
Like mesothelioma and other related respiratory conditions, asbestosis can develop from exposure to extensive amounts of asbestos dust over years, which usually happens while working in certain industries. Some industries that have had a high risk of exposure to workers include:
- Asbestos mining
- Construction workers
- Aviation workers
- Mill and refinery workers
- Boiler operators
- Electricians
- Shipyard workers
You can also be exposed when you are not actively working around asbestos. For instance, if you lived near a mine, asbestos fibers might be in the air around your home, causing you to inhale them. If your family member had asbestos exposure at work, they might have brought fibers home on their clothes each day, causing you to breathe them in. While secondhand exposure cases are rarer, they can still happen, and anyone with an asbestosis diagnosis should learn about their legal rights.
Lung Damage and Treatment
When you are constantly exposed to asbestos, the fibers can lodge themselves in your alveoli, which are tiny sacs in your lungs that exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen in your bloodstream. These fibers cause irritation and scar tissue in your lungs, which causes your lung tissue to become stiffer. This prevents the tissue from expanding and contracting as usual, which can cause chronic breathing difficulty.
Once you are diagnosed with asbestosis, doctors regularly prescribe antimicrobial therapy and possible supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, the damage and scarring to your lungs are irreversible, and there is no cure for the disease. Instead, you will need to continually undergo treatment to manage your symptoms. In addition, asbestosis puts you at greater risk of terminal lung cancer, mesothelioma, or other complications, such as developing life-threatening cases of influenza or pneumonia.
Employers and other parties should have long been taking steps to prevent the risk of asbestos exposure. However, exposure still happens and certainly did in the past, which can lead to current cases of asbestosis. If you developed this condition, you could have important legal rights to seek compensation for your devastating losses.
Contact a Salina Asbestosis Attorney Today
At Neustrom & Associates, we handle complex asbestos-related cases, including those involving asbestosis and lung damage and Mesothelioma. We are here to help you and your family, so please do not hesitate to contact us through our website or call 785-825-1505 for a free case evaluation today.