Warning Signs Of Asbestos Exposure

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Exposure to asbestos can have serious, harmful consequences. This is why the use of asbestos has been dramatically reduced in recent decades.

Unfortunately, many jobs and workplace environments put people regularly into contact with asbestos. When this happens, many serious workplace illnesses, including mesothelioma, often occur due to asbestos exposure.

So how does someone know if they’re sick due to exposure to asbestos? What are the warning signs and symptoms of asbestos exposure illnesses? How quickly do such symptoms develop? And are asbestos exposure symptoms ever delayed? The asbestos exposure attorneys at the Ferrell Law Group explain.

Why is asbestos harmful?

Asbestos is a mineral-like fiber that used to be used regularly in many building materials, especially insulation. Asbestos fibers are extremely small, nearly invisible and undetectable without specialized testing, making exposure risks more dangerous and widespread.

In addition, asbestos fibers often remain in the air for hours after being disturbed. As a result, people who work with asbestos can easily breathe in these fibers if they are not wearing a respirator or other personal protective equipment (PPE).

Once asbestos is inhaled or ingested, these fibers can become embedded in the body, especially in the lungs. Asbestos fibers resist the body’s natural breakdown processes, causing long-term health problems, which can be fatal in many cases.

What types of illnesses are caused by asbestos exposure?

Asbestos exposure often results in many types of severe illnesses, many of which have no cure and can be difficult to treat. Such illnesses include:

Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer caused exclusively by asbestos exposure. It develops in the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), or heart (pericardial mesothelioma).
Lung cancer: Often caused by asbestos fibers embedding in lung tissue, especially if someone is exposed to asbestos long-term at work.
Asbestosis: A chronic and progressive disease where lung tissue becomes scarred, making breathing painful and difficult over time.
Pleural thickening or plaques: Non-cancerous scarring of the lung lining, which can restrict lung movement and indicate asbestos exposure.
Pleural effusions: Abnormal collections of fluid between the lungs and chest cavity. It can be an early sign of pleural mesothelioma, but it can also be caused by asbestosis.
Other cancers: Studies suggest asbestos exposure increases risks for gastrointestinal, throat, and kidney cancers, though less commonly than lung-related illnesses.

How does asbestos cause lung cancer?

Asbestos fibers cause lung cancer by lodging deep in the lung tissue, where they disrupt cellular processes. This damage can accumulate over time, leading to genetic mutations and the formation of cancerous tumors in the lungs.

Once inhaled, asbestos fibers remain trapped in the lungs, causing persistent irritation, scarring, and eventual damage to lung cells. The chronic inflammation caused by asbestos fibers leads to DNA changes that create an ideal environment for cancerous growths.

What types of jobs often involve exposure to asbestos?

Certain professions, especially those that existed before asbestos regulations were enforced, have historically involved high asbestos exposure levels. Employees in these industries often worked with asbestos-containing materials daily without protective gear. Such industries and professions include:

Shipyard workers: Asbestos exposure illnesses are extremely common among shipyard workers who build and repair ships. This is because shipyard workers often encounter asbestos in a ship’s insulation, boiler rooms, and machinery and often work in poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces.
Construction workers: People who work in roofing, flooring and drywall on construction sites often come into contact with asbestos, especially if they’re involved in construction demolition projects and removing asbestos from old buildings.
Insulation workers: Removing or installing insulation can be hazardous work, especially if employees need to remove older insulation from buildings that contain asbestos.
Oil and gas drilling: Whether it’s working at an offshore oil drilling site or on land, oil and gas workers often develop asbestos exposure-related illnesses, especially older workers who used to handle asbestos, which used to be used as part of oil and gas drilling operations up until the 1980s.
Industrial workers: Employees in factories, power plants, and chemical plants often handle asbestos, particularly if they work with equipment such as pipes, heat-resistant materials, and insulation.
Electricians and plumbers: Such work often requires people to work with asbestos-laden wiring, insulation, and pipe coatings, exposing them during installations, repairs or removal of old plumbing and wiring.
Petroleum refining: Another industry with a high rate of mesothelioma since employees often come into contact with asbestos fibers while converting crude oil into petroleum products.
Miners and quarry workers: Extracting raw asbestos or asbestos-containing minerals during mining operations can be hazardous since employees can potentially inhale significant amounts of asbestos in mines and quarries.

What are the warning signs of asbestos exposure?

Warning signs of asbestos exposure-related diseases are often subtle and develop slowly, making early detection challenging. Recognizing these symptoms early can help you seek medical attention and potential legal options. Some of the most common symptoms of asbestos exposure include:

Persistent coughing or wheezing that worsens over time.
Chest pain or discomfort when breathing.
Shortness of breath, even during light physical activity or rest.
Tightness in the chest.
Chronic fatigue and a general lack of energy.
Unexpected and unexplained weight loss, which can be an early sign of developing asbestos-related cancers.
Swelling or pain in the abdomen, particularly in cases where mesothelioma affects the abdominal lining.
Chronic irritation or inflammation of the lungs, often due to scar tissue in the lungs.

How soon after exposure to asbestos do symptoms appear?

One of the things that makes illnesses caused by asbestos exposure so complicated is many people might not even realize there’s anything wrong soon after they have been exposed to asbestos.

In many cases, symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses typically appear years or even decades after exposure. This delayed onset makes it challenging for workers to link their work-related illness to past asbestos exposure.

On average, mesothelioma symptoms appear 20-50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos fibers.
Asbestosis and lung cancer may take 10-20 years to develop, depending on the level and duration of exposure.
The latency period can vary depending on factors such as individual susceptibility, job conditions, and whether smoking was involved.

Workers may remain asymptomatic for decades, making regular check-ups and early diagnostic tests essential for high-risk individuals who work in professions often associated with mesothelioma and other asbestos-exposure-related illnesses.

Are delayed symptoms common in asbestos exposure cases?

Yes, delayed symptoms are extremely common in asbestos-related illnesses, as diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis often take decades to develop. This delay often complicates diagnosis and treatment, as well as obtaining compensation from employers, especially if the business no longer exists or someone worked for multiple companies years ago.

Asbestos exposure illness symptoms are often delayed for the following reasons:

Asbestos fibers remain dormant in the body for years, causing slow and gradual damage before symptoms arise.
Mesothelioma patients may not experience noticeable signs until the disease has progressed to an advanced, less treatable stage.
Symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, or fatigue are often mistaken for less severe conditions, delaying proper diagnosis.
Early exposure, even in small amounts, can result in severe conditions decades later, regardless of when exposure ceased.

What should I do if I experience symptoms of asbestos exposure?

If you experience symptoms often associated with asbestos exposure, it’s crucial to act quickly to protect your health and legal rights. Early diagnosis can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes and compensation opportunities.

Schedule a visit with your doctor immediately and inform them of any past asbestos exposure or high-risk job history.
Request diagnostic tests like chest X-rays, CT scans, or lung function tests to identify signs of asbestos-related diseases.
Keep detailed records of your symptoms, medical visits, and any known asbestos exposure from your employment.
Talk with a lawyer experienced in asbestos exposure cases right away to learn more about your legal options for financial compensation.

What medical treatments exist for asbestos exposure?

While there is no way to remove asbestos fibers from the body, several medical treatments can manage symptoms and slow disease progression. The right treatment depends on the specific asbestos-related illness and its stage. Common medical treatments for asbestos exposure include:

Surgery: May be an option for mesothelioma or lung cancer patients to remove tumors or affected tissue.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy: Used to treat mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other cancers linked to asbestos exposure.
Oxygen therapy: Can help asbestosis patients breathe more comfortably by improving oxygen delivery to the lungs.
Palliative care: Focuses on relieving pain and improving quality of life for individuals with advanced asbestos-related diseases.
Clinical trials: Participation in trials may provide access to experimental medical treatments not yet widely available.

Who pays for asbestos exposure medical care?

Many victims receive assistance through asbestos trust funds, which were established by bankrupt manufacturers responsible for asbestos exposure. Filing a claim or seeking a settlement against negligent manufacturers can also provide significant compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other damages.

How can a lawyer help me with my asbestos exposure case?

Don’t simply assume you will be fairly compensated for all financial losses due to an illness caused by asbestos exposure. Many times, former employers or insurance companies will deny asbestos exposure claims for a variety of reasons. This is why many people need to fight for the money they rightfully deserve to pay for expenses and financial losses due to mesothelioma and other common asbestos exposure illnesses.

The attorneys at our firm can work with you to build a strong legal case. We know how to handle such complex cases because we have years of experience working with people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos exposure illnesses throughout the country.

When you hire us, we can:

Investigate your exposure to asbestos history. Specifically, when and where you were exposed to asbestos while working.
Help you get the medical care you need to treat your asbestos exposure illness.
Determine liability, meaning who’s legally responsible for financially compensating you.
Consult with experts who can provide unique insights and strengthen your legal case.
Help you access asbestos trust funds set aside by manufacturers that declared bankruptcy but caused asbestos harm.

Don’t wait to take legal action. Contact us to schedule your free, confidential consultation. There’s no obligation and no pressure, just answers about your rights and options.

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