Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos is a mineral naturally occurring in a chainlike crystalline structure, and it is usually found mixed with other minerals. Numerous products such as insulation material, automotive brakes, or wallboard once contained the mineral. In the 1970s, however, the federal government suspended the production of most asbestos products.
Asbestosis is known as scarring of the lungs, leading to breathing problems and heart failure after asbestos exposure. Greater exposure often means a more significant risk of developing this asbestos-related disease. Symptoms include increased breathlessness, coughing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. After a certain period of time, someone exposed to asbestos may experience damage to the lung, resulting in respiratory (breathing) failure. Because the oxygen supply to the body is now insufficient, the individual will constantly be out of breath and have blue-tinged skin even when at rest. Once this stage has been reached, recovery is impossible, and death is inevitable.
Asbestos can also cause cancer of the chest and abdomen linings, called Mesothelioma. The timeframe between exposure and the first signs might be as much as 30 years.
Contact one of our personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation if you or anybody you know has been exposed to asbestos or suffers asbestos exposure-related injuries.