Asbestos-Related Diseases: Mesothelioma, Asbestosis, and Cancer

At Osborne Law Firm, we represent workers and their families who have been injured by asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related cancers. People who have been employed in industrial-type jobs, construction, automotive brake and clutch repair, or ship building are at the highest risk for asbestos exposure because of the likelihood of their coming into contact with asbestos-containing products. Not only are the workers at risk, but their families are as well, because asbestos fibers, which may be too small to be seen by the naked eye, can be brought home on clothing, skin, and hair. When the fibers become airborne, they become inhaled and the lungs cannot expel them. In the U.S., 10,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases, and astoundingly, that is one out of every 125 men who die over the age of 50. Health problems associated with exposure to asbestos include:

Mesothelioma, a malignant cancer of the mesothelial lining of the lungs and chest cavity, the abdominal cavity, the pericardium sac surrounding the heart, or the tunica vaginalis sac surrounding the testes, was first diagnosed in the 1940’s and is positively associated with asbestos exposure. Most patients diagnosed with mesothelioma die within a year of diagnosis. The latency period, or the time it takes for mesothelioma to develop, may be as long as 20 to 60 years after exposure to asbestos. Cases of mesothelioma have been seen in people who were only exposed to asbestos for a month or two of their lifetime.

Asbestosis, a disease that results in the scarring of the lung tissue from an acid produced by the body in an attempt to dissolve inhaled asbestos fibers, was first diagnosed in 1924. The scarring may eventually result in the inability of the lungs to function, progressing from disability to death. The latency period for asbestosis may be 10 to 20 years after exposure to asbestos.

Cancer of the lungs, kidneys, larynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum has also been linked to asbestos exposure. The latency period for these cancers may be 15 to 30 years exposure to asbestos.

For more information on asbestos, including what it is and how it is used, who is most likely to have been exposed to asbestos, and how asbestos exposure is affecting people today, go to our FAQ’s page.

We care about our clients, and it shows in our work.

Personal Injury Attorney Curtis C. Osborne is licensed to practice law in five jurisdictions: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. His credentials include advanced training in litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and litigation experience in federal and state courts. If this is the high level of professionalism and care you expect from your personal injury lawyer, contact the Osborne Law Firm in Charlotte, N.C.

The Osborne Law Firm is conveniently located in the University Research Park off Mallard Creek Church Road. Easily accessible from I-85, I-77, and I-485, we serve clients in Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville/Lake Norman, Monroe, Rock Hill, and the surrounding region.

Client focused. Results driven. Call the Osborne Law Firm, the firm that cares. (704)376-8012; Toll Free (877)278-4800.