Frequently Asked Questions about Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Q: What is asbestos? A: Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral long known -- and used commercially -- for its heat- and fire-resistant qualities. Indeed, asbestos fibers can be found in insulation, fireproofing material, ceilings, pipes, floors, and countless consumer products. It’s seen widespread use, too, in shipbuilding and automobile parts. But asbestos can be deadly, and has been scientifically linked to lung cancer, asbestosis (a severe scarring of the lungs), and mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive cancer that strikes the protective lining covering many of the body’s organs. Asbestos all too efficiently triggers disease, too. It can very easily become airborne -- as asbestos particles, fibers, or dust -- and inhaled. Once lodged in the lungs it can cause mesothelioma and other severe conditions years, even decades, after the initial asbestos exposure. That exposure doesn’t have to be long-term, either. Mesothelioma has struck individuals whose total asbestos exposure was less than one week. Q: Who is at risk for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma? A: Asbestos diseases can strike anyone who has inhaled asbestos fibers, particles, or dust. Historically, that put workers in certain industries and professions at heightened risk. Individuals involved in the manufacturing of asbestos-containing products -- like insulation, pipes, and floor and ceiling material -- have long had increased odds of contracting mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, as have those working in shipbuilding, pipe fitting, construction, and building demolition and renovation. The list, unfortunately, goes on. Complicating matters, one doesn’t always need to directly work with asbestos to fall victim to its deadly consequences. Many asbestos-related diseases have been triggered after a family member -- typically over a period of time -- inhaled asbestos fibers left on the clothing of a relative who worked with or around asbestos containing material. And because asbestos can be found even now in many existing structures -- including schools, homes, and office buildings -- just about anyone can find themselves at an increased, and totally unexpected, risk of a catastrophic disease like mesothelioma. Read More |
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It can take from 10 to 40 years for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in virtually all cases. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are asbestos containing materials in most of the nation's approximately 107,000 primary and secondary schools, and 733,000 public and commercial buildings. To schedule an appointment with an Asbestos Litigation Attorney at Cooney & Conway please call or or complete the Free Case Evaluation. |
Cooney & Conway, founded in 1958, is a plaintiffs' only firm located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. The firm currently has 20 exceptional attorneys, with years of successful litigation experience. The main practice area of the firm is asbestos litigation, where our attorneys serve as advocates for victims of asbestos related diseases and their families. In our years of practice, we have successfully handled large numbers of asbestos litigation cases in Illinois and throughout the United States. In northern Illinois alone, we handle approximately 90% of all mesothelioma cases.
Asbestos: The Invisible Killer
There is a reason why asbestos was so popular for so long in the construction, manufacturing, and other industries. The fibrous mineral was particularly adept at resisting heat and fire, which made it a seemingly perfect component of ceilings, insulation, floorings, and many ship and automobile parts. Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends.Asbestos particles -- easily inhaled into the lungs -- can trigger deadly diseases, including cancer of the lung, mesothelioma (a particularly aggressive cancer striking the protective lining covering many of the body’s organs), and asbestosis, a severe scarring of the lung. There is usually a long latency period between asbestos exposure and disease development -- often decades in the case of mesothelioma -- but once a diagnosis is made, a patient’s prognosis is usually grim.
If you or a family member have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma, contact Cooney and Conway to learn more about your potential legal remedies. There may be no cure -- yet -- for mesothelioma, but there can still be recovery, and accountability, in the courtroom.
Mesothelioma Basics
While a relatively rare condition, mesothelioma is aggressive, deadly -- and almost always the result of asbestos exposure. That exposure can be first-hand; the result, for example, of working directly with asbestos-laden parts, ceilings, or insulation. Or it can be secondary; inhaling asbestos particles present on the clothing of a family member who worked around the cancer-causing material. Individuals suffering from mesothelioma may have inhaled asbestos for years -- or for a matter of days. Either way, they have one thing in common: somehow, someplace, asbestos particles entered their lungs -- and did catastrophic damage.
Beyond Mesothelioma: Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
While mesothelioma may be the best-known consequence of asbestos exposure, it's not the only one. Inhaling asbestos particles can trigger other deadly diseases. Chief among them: asbestosis and lung cancer. Nor does it end there. Exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of stomach and larynx cancer, too. While government regulation of asbestos has gotten strict since the dangers of the material became widely known in the 1970s, those rules aren't always followed, and lives are often needlessly put at risk. Moreover, because it can take decades for asbestos-related diseases to develop, asbestos exposure from years ago can still exact a deadly price today.
Recovery -- And Accountability -- for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Injuries
While mesothelioma researchers struggle to find a cure -- or even a viable long-term treatment -- for the deadly cancer, mesothelioma lawyers have seen more success, obtaining large, sometimes multimillion-dollar, jury verdicts and settlements for clients who have suffered because of asbestos exposure. These clients come from all backgrounds and all walks of life: retired industrial workers who inhaled asbestos particles on the job decades ago; victims exposed to the material because employers, building owners, or contractors did not follow asbestos-related regulations; family members who breathed asbestos fibers off a loved one's clothing and now suffer from diseases like mesothelioma or lung cancer. All need -- and deserve -- the best legal help possible.
Asbestos Lawsuits: Common Threads, Common Interests
Victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases have two things in common. First, they acquired their life-threatening conditions because of one thing only: exposure to asbestos, a mineral found in construction materials and consumer products due to its heat- and fire-resistant properties. Second, they have suffered severe physical and financial harm. Lives are turned upside down. Families are devastated. Physical recovery may be impossible, but financial recovery is essential. So, too, is accountability -- the need for someone to take responsibility for so much needless damage.
Mesothelioma and Asbestos: Web Resources
National Cancer Institute FAQ on Asbestos Exposure Information Center for Malignant Mesothelioma American Cancer Society on Asbestos and its Dangers |
