Asbestos Claims - Secondary Exposure to Asbestos

By Jessica A Parker  |   Submitted On May 21, 2009

  

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 19th 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.

The National Accident Helpline specialises in asbestos claims. Our specialist solicitors help victims make a no win no fee claim for their asbestos-related diseases.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jessica_A_Parker/253247

The Risk of Lung Cancer From Asbestos

By Dilek Eickelmann  |   Submitted On October 14, 2009

  

Asbestos has been categorized as a known human carcinogen (a material that causes cancer) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Studies have revealed that exposure to asbestos may add to the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

While the majority asbestos-associated cancers are related to the intensity and duration of exposure, reports in medical journals have connected some mesotheliomas to short exposure periods, on the order of months. People who get asbestosis have typically been exposed to high levels of asbestos extensively. The symptoms of these diseases do not typically come into view until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos-related lung disease rose at very high rates toward the middle of the 20th century, when patients who were uncovered decades earlier to asbestos ultimately developed disease. British asbestos workers were among the first who were detected to suffer lung cancer related to asbestos.

The majority asbestos lung cancer begins in the lining of the bronchi, the tubes into which the trachea or windpipe divides. However, it can also start in other parts such as the trachea, bronchioles (small branches of the bronchi), or alveoli (lung air sacs). Even though the cancer typically develops slowly, once it happens, cancer cells can break away and extend to other areas of the body.

Asbestos has been recognized as a principal risk factor for lung cancer for several years. However, though death statistics for Great Britain are readily obtainable, the number of deaths attributable to asbestos cannot be concluded in a straight line. This is because there are many agents that can lead to the disease - most significantly, tobacco smoke - and lung cancers resulting from asbestos exposure are clinically identical from those caused by these other agents.

There was a study that pointed out that exposure to asbestos and smoke makes you ninety times more possible to contract lung cancer than a person who is not exposed to either. A number of the symptoms of lung cancers include coughing, irregularities, breathing chest pains and also anemia.

If you want to get some excellent resources on asbestos, please visit my site on All about Asbestos [http://www.1st-in-asbestos.blogspot.com/] or Lung Cancer and Asbestos [http://1st-in-asbestos.blogspot.com/2009/08/risk-of-lung-cancer-from-asbestos.html]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dilek_Eickelmann/436461

Asbestos and Lung Cancer Are Old Friends

By Adam J Bradley  |   Submitted On June 18, 2010

  

Anyone can theoretically breathe in asbestos. Asbestos use and lung cancer have been associated for years. Asbestos and asbestos derivatives have been used in so many products that as consumers we use everyday. Part of an element of asbestos was once used in crayons for instance. Asbestos has also been built into many peoples homes, public schools, clothing and even used extensively in hospitals. It used to be ubiquitous, not so much anymore.

If an object is moved or agitated and it contains asbestos, microscopic spores or fibers are flung into the air. They are so light, they float. This causes humans to breathe them in not knowing what they are sucking into their bodies. Since these spores are not supposed to be in our bodies, our lungs do not know what to do with them. Our lungs do not know they are even there. The spores end up being trapped in our lungs for years on end. As time marches forward, these spores gather around and end up scarring and inflaming the lungs. This may not interfere with your breathing ability but can lead to severe health complications.

Asbestos has been officially labeled as a preeminent carcinogen. This means that this element induces cancer. Asbestos and lung cancer have been synonymous. This fact has been classified as such by the EPA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. There has been data accumulated that supports the findings that asbestos can increase the chances of someone obtaining lung cancer. Not only lung cancer, mesothelioma is another disease that can be attained.

Mesothelioma is a pretty uncommon form of asbestos lung cancer that incorporates the thin membranes that attach themselves along the chest and abdomen. There is a strong chance you would never be a statistic with this type of cancer unless you inhaled asbestos. Mesothelioma is virtually unheard of without contact with asbestos.

Asbestos does not stop there. It can cause more than two forms of cancer. There has been data that offers an association between asbestos inhalation and colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers. Moreover, being in an atmosphere of asbestos can increase the chances of someone obtaining kidney, throat, esophagus and gallbladder cancer. But, this evidence is not perfect and there are some doubters to these accusations.

Asbestos exposure can perhaps exacerbate the chances of asbestosis. This is an inflammatory situation irritating the lungs which can lead to weakness of breath, coughing and severe lung damage. Asbestos has been known to cause nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders. Pleural plaques is another.This condition is where the membranes which encompass the lungs are damaged. Another disorder is pleural thickening. Asbestos can also ignite benign pleural effusions. This is when fluids collect between the thin layers of tissue draping the lungs and the chest cavity wall. Pleural plaques do not guarantee lung cancer but if someone is beset by this sickness there is an increased chance that lung cancer will be soon manifest itself.

The relationship between asbestos and lung cancer has been widely accepted. United States industries and manufacturing plants have moved away from using asbestos in many products. Comparatively statistics show that domestic intake of asbestos in 1973 was about 803,000 tons. By 2005, this number had dropped to 2,400 tons.

Adam Bradley is a book publisher of How-To and information books. While researching asbestos and lung cancer he was shocked by the tremendous amount of bad information, scams, and bogus agencies. He felt that having to spend countless hours sorting articles and web pages just to find help during a period when time is of the essence was absurd. To help the victims and families of those exposed to asbestos, he and his research team compiled this information and offer a free 15 part Info-Course at: Asbestos Cancer Resources.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adam_J_Bradley/601311