Asbestos Exposure

Most of us will be or have been exposed to asbestos at some time in our lives. Asbestos has been widely used for construction and in some automobile parts. It is estimated that some 30 million tons of asbestos has been spread around the United States. Asbestos was very popular for both its strength and for its fire resistant properties.

The unfortunate thing about asbestos of course is that those tough little fibres can cause major damage to the body. Breathing in asbestos fibres can damage the lungs and mesothelial cells. This damage will usually take decades to develop and is relatively rare. Those who develop personal injury from asbestos exposure are usually those who have worked in industries that used asbestos in their products. There are still around 1.3 million workers in America who face significant exposure to asbestos. Construction workers involved in the demolition of older buildings face the highest risks of exposure and of developing any of the asbestos related diseases.

Asbestosis develops when the inhaled fibres irritate the lungs. This is not cancer, but the irritated lung tissue forms scars which result in shortness of breath. A dry crackling sound when breathing is one of the symptoms. Asbestosis is usually a manageable condition though in severe cases can cause death.

Inhaling asbestos can also cause lung cancer which is generally the leading cause of death from asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is the other leading cancer, and asbestos is the only possible cause for developing this. The mesothelium is a protective lining covering the internal organs. Mesothelioma cancers can be either malignant or benign.

Additional Legal Source: For more information on personal injury due to asbestos please visit WurtzelLaw.com