Asbestos exposure can lead to very serious – and, in many cases, terminal – diseases, including the type of cancer known as mesothelioma. For decades, people worked with asbestos-contaminated materials, unaware of the risks. This continued even after product manufacturers learned about the dangers.
A Lafayette mesothelioma lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers could help you seek financial recovery for a cancer diagnosis due to asbestos exposure. Specifically, we could help you file a civil lawsuit or join a mass tort to demand compensation for your illness or your loved one’s wrongful death.
Legal Options for Families Affected By Asbestos-Related Mesothelioma
Asbestos fibers are tiny and can implant in people’s lungs when inhaled, causing severe irritation. Despite manufacturers knowing the dangers of their asbestos-contaminated products, they continued to make and market them. Since almost all mesothelioma cases are related to asbestos exposure, proving these cases is not often as complex as people believe, even if it has been decades since their exposure. You can speak with a Lafayette personal injury lawyer to help you pursue compensation.
When someone had a previous workplace exposure or may have handled asbestos products in the past, they could file a claim or lawsuit for their mesothelioma diagnosis. They could potentially recover:
- Medical care costs
- Hospice care expenses
- Related out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost income and reduced earning ability
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Other intangible losses
- Wrongful death damages if your immediate family member passed away from mesothelioma
One of our mesothelioma lawyers can help you and your family pursue a claim or lawsuit against an asbestos manufacturer, your previous employer, or another liable party. This allows us to seek justice and compensation for our clients who are fighting this deadly cancer.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientHow a Lafayette Mesothelioma Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one has a mesothelioma diagnosis, the team from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers will review the details of your case for free. We will discuss your legal options with you, including the possibility of building a claim against a former employer, the asbestos manufacturer, or another liable party.
Our attorneys work with victims and their families to:
- Determine when the asbestos exposure occurred
- Identify the correct defendants
- Thoroughly investigate the incidents that led to the disease
- Demand full compensation
- Represent the client and their family throughout the process
- Discuss updates regularly
- Fight for the best interests of our client
The time to file a claim is limited, so do not delay. In general, defective and dangerous product cases have a one-year deadline in Louisiana under CC Art. 3492. Because it can take decades for mesothelioma to become symptomatic, the timeline could vary for your claim. Our team will review the applicable deadlines in your case with you during a free case review.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientTreating Mesothelioma Requires an Aggressive Approach
Mesothelioma is generally diagnosed late – the initial signs are easily overlooked as allergies, a cold, or other minor irritation. Some victims see a doctor after experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing, but the cancer may have advanced from its initial growth by this point.
There is no known cure for mesothelioma, although most doctors prescribe treatment to relieve symptoms and slow the spread of the cancer. This is known as palliative care. Though mesothelioma is almost always fatal, the goal is to extend and improve the quality of the victim’s life. According to the American Cancer Society, mesothelioma care often includes:
- Draining or otherwise reducing any fluid buildup around the lungs
- Preventing the fluid buildup from returning
- Surgery to reduce the size of the cancer
- Chemotherapy or radiation to shrink the growths and make it easier to breathe
- Pain management
The exact details of your treatment plan will differ based on your specific diagnosis, staging, symptoms, and other needs. When you hire our mesothelioma attorneys, we can pursue compensation for any prescribed treatments or medical care, including medications, surgeries, follow-up costs, and more.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientWhat Is the Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma?
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), about 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. This is most commonly an occupational disease, affecting people who worked in jobs that required the handling, installation, and removal of asbestos and asbestos products.
Construction companies and manufacturers once used asbestos as an essential component of their buildings and products. Others who may have had frequent contact with asbestos at work include those who built and renovated ships, airplane manufacturers, and, more recently, those who demolish and renovate older buildings.
When Did the Dangers of Asbestos Become Widely Known?
Unfortunately, many workers did not know the dangerous nature of asbestos while working in industries where they had heavy exposure. It was not uncommon for workers in these industries to encounter asbestos without any protective gear. This created many problems for these workers, since asbestos is a fibrous material – particles from the material can break loose when disturbed, sending microscopic pieces flying through the air.
According to an article published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the first research discussing the hazards of asbestos dust was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 1924. By the 1960s, the link between the inhalation of fibers and cancer was well-known.
Mesothelioma occurs when people inhale asbestos particles, and the fibers become lodged in their lungs. This can also cause other serious health complications, ranging from difficulty breathing to infections to deadly concerns affecting the lungs and the heart.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientSpeak with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers About Your Legal Options Today for Free
You can discuss your case with the team from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at no cost to you. We will ask questions about your work history, possible exposure, diagnosis, and other details to learn as much as possible. This allows us to determine how we can help and explain your legal rights.
We serve clients across Louisiana, with our main office located on Kaliste Saloom Road in Lafayette. Call (337) 777-7777 to talk to a team member right away.
