Asbestos: An Invisible Killer

There is a reason why asbestos was so popular for so long in many industries, including construction and manufacturing. The fibrous mineral is 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 – which are 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 have or a family member has 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.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral with properties that long made it useful in many industries. Chief among these characteristics include resistance to heat and flame. Widely used in insulation and fire-retardant products, asbestos can also be found in many common parts and equipment, including automobile brakes, floor and ceiling tiles, piping, and many types of industrial machinery. Asbestos is a very effective material. It just isn’t safe.

Why Worry About Asbestos?

Asbestos fibers, particles, and dust can all too easily be inhaled -- and become embedded -- in the lungs. This is especially so for people who work with or around asbestos, or came in contact with fibers that were released into the air during building renovation or demolition work. Very slowly -- often over a period of decades -- the asbestos fibers can trigger deadly diseases, particularly cancer. This isn’t a theory; it has been scientifically proven. Asbestos exposure heightens one’s risk for severe, even catastrophic, illness.

Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Diseases

A particularly aggressive cancer, mesothelioma attacks the protective lining covering many of the body’s vital organs -- most often, the lungs or abdomen. There is no cure -- not even an effective long-term treatment. Indeed, in most cases the only relief its victims obtain is in the courtroom, where mesothelioma lawyers like those at Cooney and Conway have been able to obtain large -- and at times multimillion-dollar -- verdicts and settlements against those who improperly exposed others to asbestos. Unfortunately, mesothelioma isn’t the only disease that can be triggered by asbestos exposure. Lung cancer and asbestosis, a severe scarring of the lungs, can also be caused by inhaling asbestos fibers and dust.

Who Is At Risk From Asbestos?

Clearly, anyone who has worked around, or with, asbestos runs a heightened chance of acquiring mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. That typically includes miners, workers in factories that produce asbestos-containing products, construction workers, mechanics, and building renovation and demolition contractors. But asbestos is dangerous to an even wider population. Families of workers can easily inhale the asbestos fibers, particles, and dust on the clothing of a relative. Office workers and even students can come in contact with the asbestos that is still present in the pipes ceilings, and floor tiles in the buildings they occupy every day. Asbestos exposure can happen to -- and trigger deadly consequences for -- just about anyone.

What if I Have Been Harmed by Asbestos?

Most asbestos exposure -- and subsequent disease and death -- can be traced to one factor: somewhere, somehow, someone did the wrong thing regarding asbestos. It could be a manufacturer who included the material in its products; or the employer who didn’t properly protect their workers from asbestos dangers; or the building developer who cut corners removing and disposing of the cancer-causing material. The legal system is designed to address such bad behavior, and to enable recovery and accountability. Mesothelioma lawyers like those at Cooney and Conway have handled countless asbestos lawsuits. They can’t provide a cure, but they have often helped to bring a measure of relief -- and justice.

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma, contact Cooney and Conway for a consultation. Learn what legal rights -- and options -- you may have.