Can I Sue for Asbestosis?

You can sue for asbestosis if someone’s negligence led you to develop the condition. Asbestos results from asbestos exposure. Those who work around asbestos, live in places containing asbestos, or interact with asbestos in other circumstances may develop asbestosis.

You deserve fair compensation for the harm resulting from your medical condition, and an asbestos lawyer will demand the money you are entitled to from liable parties.

The effects of your illness may cause long-term damages. Your asbestos injury lawyer will consider both immediate and long-term consequences as they calculate the financial toll of your asbestosis.

The Effects of Asbestosis Can Cause Costly Harm

The Effects of Asbestosis Can Cause Costly Harm

The ill effects of asbestos on your lungs can cause significant health problems, as the symptoms of asbestosis can include:

  • Chest tightness
  • Chest pain
  • Breathing problems, including shortness of breath
  • A persistent cough
  • Abnormal sounds when you inhale
  • Clubbing of the fingertips and toes

Breathing-related conditions, coughs, and chest pain may be among the most noticeable and distressing symptoms of asbestosis. The degree to which such symptoms interfere with your quality of life may depend on the severity of your health problems.

The Details of Your Asbestos Exposure May Determine the Severity of Your Condition

Medical authorities explain that the nature and severity of your asbestosis symptoms may depend on:

  • How you were exposed to asbestos
  • The nature of the asbestos fibers you were exposed to
  • The length of your asbestos exposure
  • The amount of asbestos you were exposed to
  • Whether you have other health conditions that can worsen the effects of asbestosis

Any protection you had from asbestos exposure (masks and other safety equipment) can also be relevant to your health condition. Your attorney will identify specific failures that caused your asbestosis and work to hold liable parties responsible for those failures.

How Do I Sue For Asbestosis?

Many victims seek justice for their asbestosis by hiring an asbestos injury lawyer. 

You may choose to hire an asbestosis attorney because:

  • You aren’t physically or mentally well: The effects of asbestosis may drain you. Your time and energy may be limited, so handling your own insurance claim or lawsuit may not be possible. The results can be grossly insufficient if you attempt to handle your own case in your diminished state.
  • You have limited experience with insurance claims and lawsuits: You likely have little experience to do your claim or lawsuit justice. Experience matters, and you should recognize that your inexperience can hinder your case.
  • You can’t afford to build a strong case: Lawyers cover the cost of their clients’ asbestosis-related cases. Your lawyer will go above and beyond to build the strongest possible case, including by hiring experts to assist in the effort.
  • You want to leverage a lawyer’s knowledge and experience: Once you recognize that you don’t have the necessary experience to build a strong case, find someone who does. Look for an experienced attorney who has handled other asbestosis cases successfully and lean on their knowledge and experience.

Having an asbestos attorney will ensure you can file a lawsuit if necessary. Your attorney will oversee the entire claims and legal process for you, so you can focus on treatment for your asbestosis.

What Damages Can I Sue For?

The effects of asbestosis can cause several damages, including:

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses are high for those with asbestosis.

Common medical needs among those with asbestosis include:

  • A physical examination
  • Imaging, which may include chest X-rays and CT scans
  • Pulmonary function tests
  • Spirometer tests
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Thoracentesis
  • Breathing therapy
  • Surgery

These and other medical services may be expensive and long-lasting. Your attorney will work with your doctors to document your medical costs and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Professional Harm (Including Lost Wages)

Your asbestosis may have a significant effect on your ability to work. You may have to retire, change jobs, and make other professional sacrifices because of your asbestosis symptoms.

Your professional damages may include:

  • Lost income
  • Diminished earning power
  • Lost performance bonuses
  • Lost overtime pay
  • Inability to earn promotions
  • Lost benefits

Your lawyer will work with economists and other qualified experts to calculate the value of your professional damages.

If your asbestosis rises to the level of a disability, you may need:

  • Various medical equipment
  • In-home equipment 
  • A long-term caregiver
  • Long-term mental health services
  • Replacement of your income through retirement age

Disabilities are almost always expensive. Your lawyer will evaluate the direct effects of your disability and seek fair compensation for these adverse effects.

Pain and Suffering

Your pain and suffering may include:

  • Physical pain
  • Lost quality of life
  • Sleep problems
  • Inability to engage in physically taxing activities
  • Emotional anguish
  • Psychological distress
  • Depression

An asbestosis-related decline in your quality of life can cause all kinds of problems. Your attorney will identify every type of harm resulting from your health condition, including pain and suffering.

How Will an Asbestos Lawyer Help Me Seek the Compensation I Deserve?

An attorney will handle every single detail of your lawsuit or claim.

Allow your legal team to:

  • Document your asbestos exposure: Your attorney will secure all available proof of how you were exposed to asbestos. Determining the source of exposure will be necessary to find liable parties.
  • Establish liability: Your lawyer will identify one or more parties who are financially responsible for your asbestos exposure and resulting asbestosis.
  • Obtain proof of your asbestosis-related damages: Your legal team will secure medical bills and records, past income statements, and all other proof of your asbestosis-related damages.
  • Calculate your case value: Your case has a precise value, and your lawyer will calculate that value once they’ve identified your recoverable damages.
  • Negotiate a settlement: Your attorney will demand that liable parties offer fair compensation for your damages.

If your case leads to a lawsuit or trial, your lawyer will lead the legal process for you.

Hire Your Asbestos Attorney Today

There is generally a deadline for filing asbestosis-related lawsuits, so don’t wait to find and hire a qualified mesothelioma & asbestos injury lawyer. Seek your free case evaluation as soon as possible.

Nicholas J. Vogelzang
Nicholas J. Vogelzang, Mesothelioma Lawyer