Asbestos Claim - Everything You Should Know About This Disease

Asbestos Claim - Everything You Should Know About This Disease
By Matthew Richard Kerridge

Asbestos claim for sufferers run into the billions today and is rising as new evidence becomes known and litigation becomes easier for claimants.

Due to the many specialists that are now available to fight claims in courts and as diagnosed patients are increasing, the analysts are estimating that costs of litigation in the US alone is more than $200 billion.

Lets' reflect on exactly what is asbestos and why it is such a dangerous substance:

It was hailed as the wonder substance of the 20th century and became extremely popular from 1930-1980. Manufacturers and especially the construction industry couldn't get enough of the product for various reasons.

It is resistant to heat, electrical and chemical damage, is a good sound absorber and has malleable strength as well. It is so versatile that it can be mixed when using cement and can be woven into certain fabrics or mats. As new uses developed, it was copiously used in hotplate and oven wiring as an electrical insulation.

Today you will not find asbestos in many developed countries as research has proved that it is lethal once inhaled. Unfortunately it is not so in the developing countries where it is widely used as roofing and side walling in homes and schools, office blocks and any other such structures.

The real problems envisaged is the use of asbestos in developing countries. The most popular use is in corrugated asbestos-cement sheets used in roofing and side walls in the home industry especially. Factories, schools and other buildings like sheds and shelters are continuously being built with asbestos as well.

Many claimants lodge their claims even if they haven't been working at their employer for 30 years or so. The ex employer need not be in the same business and will be held liable for any damages incurred to employees who worked in his business at any given time.

Those unfortunate patients who died of asbestosis may not have had the opportunity to actually lodge a successful claim but will be considered if a spouse of family member lodges on their behalf. If there is also evidence that immediate family have been exposed to these fibers by way of clothes of the patient, then there is a possibility that their claim would also be successfully lodged.

There are state benefits available to victims and their carers. A specialist attorney can not only pursue an asbestos claim for a sufferer, but also provide advice and assistance with applications in order to maximize benefit entitlement.

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Asbestos Claim - Everything You Should Know About This Disease

Asbestos Claim

Asbestos Claim
By Thomas Goldman

An asbestos claim can be a large amount of money, sometimes more than tens of millions of dollars. The claims are for a disease called mesothelioma which is a rare form of cancer usually caused by exposure to asbestos.

Many lawyers will make a claim on behalf of a client without charging any fees until the case is won. This is called working on a "contingency" basis, or "no win no fee".

Obviously it makes it much easier for someone suffering from the disease to make a claim effectively, as they do not have to be concerned at all about finding money to pay legal fees. Going to a specialist lawyer can be a good idea, even if the lawyer is out of state.

The link between asbestos and mesothelioma was first found officially in 1960 regarding workers in Australian asbestos mines, although the health risks of asbestos had been recognized since the beginning of the twentieth century. Litigation on the subject had started in 1929 but the official recognition of the link increased the amount of legal actions considerably.

It was later found that even indirect contact with asbestos, such as when doing the laundry of an asbestos worker, can sometimes cause mesothelioma.

Many types of work can bring people in contact with asbestos. Pipes and boilers were commonly insulated with asbestos lagging so anyone in working with these things might be at risk including boilermakers, laggers, pipe-fitters and plumbers.

Asbestos cement board was commonly used in partition walls, flooring, roof tiles, suspended ceilings, and thermal insulation, which puts carpenters, builders, joiners and similar workers at risk as they cut and drill into these boards. Electricians are also at risk as they often work with similar materials as those in the above jobs.

Other areas of work which risks exposure to asbestos includes motor mechanics exposed to asbestos in brake pads and clutches, as well as fire fighters and sometimes management. Any worker who is in contact with asbestos either directly or indirectly is at some risk so is likely to be eligible to make an asbestos claim if they develop mesothelioma.

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Asbestos Claim

Asbestos Claims - Secondary Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos Claims - Secondary Exposure to Asbestos
By Jessica A Parker

We now know that asbestos is a killer, and those suffering from asbestos-related diseases have been entitled to claim compensation for their illnesses for a number of years. More recently, those who have been affected through secondary exposure have discovered they may be able to claim for compensation, as well.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which is toxic to humans. Inhaling it can lead to a number of serious health problems, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

It is soft, pliable and able to withstand heat, electricity and chemical damage, all properties which led to its widespread use in building and manufacturing from the late 19^th century until the mid-1980s. It was at this time that it became widely acknowledged that asbestos was a dangerous substance, and many of it's uses have been banned ever since.

When is it hazardous?

Although many buildings still have asbestos within them, simply being in close proximity to the substance is not dangerous. You can live in a house which contains it without ever being affected by it, provided the dust and fibres are not released into the air and inhaled. However, anyone dismantling buildings which contain asbestos must take precautions so as not to inhale the fibres.

Exposure is most deadly when the fibres are inhaled regularly over a long period of time, for example, through working or as a result of living in close proximity to an asbestos mine.

Compensation claims

Asbestos has been used habitually for many years, mostly by people unaware of its dangers. Because lots of these people were effectively put in danger at work by their employer, many affected by related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma are now claiming for compensation, and have been doing so since 1972.

Because symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses may not appear until many years after the initial exposure, asbestos compensation claims<>

Secondary exposure to asbestos

More recently, the medical profession has come to realise that it is not just those who have been exposed to asbestos at work that could become ill. Their friends and family may also be affected, if they regularly came into contact with them while they still had the fibre or dust on their work clothes.

Often, the partners or relatives of those who have worked with it on a daily basis have inhaled the substance each day while washing their work outfits or overalls. Many claims have been filed by women who were made sick in this way, and interviews with the victims showed that they would usually shake out the clothes before they washed them, thereby releasing more of the dust and fibres into the air they were breathing.

Can you claim compensation?

If you believe you could have been affected by secondary exposure, look out for symptoms such as coughing, chest pains and shortness of breath, as these can all be linked to asbestos-related diseases. Anyone suffering from secondary asbestos exposure, where the exposure was not their fault, has the right to claim no win no fee compensation for their suffering and for any medical expenses incurred.

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Asbestos Claims - Secondary Exposure to Asbestos

Making an Asbestos Compensation Claim

Making an Asbestos Compensation Claim
By David Smidev

Asbestos has been applied customarily for many years, mostly by people unconscious of its hazards. Because many these people were effectively put in danger at work by their employer, many affected by related diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma are now claiming for compensation.

For the reason that symptoms of asbestos-related diseases may not appear until several years after the initial exposure, asbestos compensation claims could be backdated by years or even decades.

There are five major asbestos diseases including cancer that could grow following exposure to asbestos fibres. These are malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural thickening and pleural plaques. However, doctors who do not diagnose asbestos illness on a regular basis can misdiagnose what the condition is.

This can cause sufferers of asbestos disease mistakenly concluding they do not have a right to make an asbestos compensation claim.

It is hence very significant for sufferers of lung disease who have been exposed to asbestos fibers to immediately get in touch with a specialist lawyer or attorney for recommendation and help in obtaining an accurate diagnosis if there is any doubt.

In nearly all states, compensation can be claimed by the parents and children of the deceased victim. For people with legally established relationships with the deceased, estates could be instituted in line with state laws to determine a means of compensation.

Find a good asbestos exposure lawyer to talk about the details of your case and best course of action given your circumstance, relation to the sufferer and your state of residence.

It may also be likely for an asbestos claim lawyer to litigate for you if a loved one has recently died in consequence of one of these diseases. However, you need to ensure that you discuss with them as soon as you can, for the reason that there is a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time in which you could file one of these claims.

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Making an Asbestos Compensation Claim