Who was at risk of inhaling asbestos?

Asbestos exposure can influence your health years or even decades after you originally inhaled the toxic substance. Looking back at all of your work history is one of the first steps you should do to help identify when you might have been exposed to asbestos and what the circumstances were in which the exposure happened. This information will be important for both your physician as well as any personal injury attorney you hire to help you with an asbestos claim.

Are People Doing Home Renovations at Risk of Asbestos?

Because asbestos was previously used for building or renovating homes, it is possible that doing a home renovation or working as a general contractor in certain older properties could expose you to the risk of inhaling asbestos. It may be difficult to pinpoint the exact property where your exposure occurred, or you might have a clear memory of a circumstance in which you ripped out a wall and discovered asbestos materials inside. While many contractors and home renovators wear masks, this does not offer full protection against asbestos, and anytime that you were not wearing a mask or allowed these particles to accumulate throughout the air could mean additional exposure to asbestos.

Can Someone Still Be Held Accountable for Asbestos Exposure Decades Later?

One of the biggest challenges in an asbestos case is that, much like conditions such as mesothelioma, you may not realize the full impact it has had on your health until years or decades beyond the initial exposure. The company, person, or other organization that may be responsible for your asbestos exposure may no longer be in existence, may have merged, or may no longer be reachable. This is why it is so important to communicate directly with experienced and qualified lawyers like those working at Morgan & Morgan. Discussing your case with talented legal professionals requires that you consider everything possible in your case with asbestos exposure and that you do everything you can to minimize the possibility of damaging your case.

How Can I Confirm I Have an Asbestos-Related Condition?

Working with your physician is the only way to know for sure what might have caused your current medical condition. While not many people are exposed to asbestos, your doctor will know some of the common signs and symptoms that indicate this is connected to previous exposure.
If you already know that you worked in an environment with asbestos issues, share this with your doctor as well as it might help them make a diagnosis and a treatment plan accordingly.

What If the Responsible Party Claims They Didn't Cause My Asbestos Exposure?

It falls to the victim and their legal team to tell a strong and compelling story about the asbestos exposure in question. This often requires a thorough investigation at the outset of the case and a deep dive into who may be held responsible. Likely, any party held responsible or named in such a lawsuit years or decades beyond the initial exposure may argue that they are not responsible for these incidents. Your lawyer must be experienced and knowledgeable in this process and therefore able to help you with recovering compensation. Knowing that you are not alone and that you have a lawyer who will do everything possible to work hard on your behalf to protect your interests can give you peace of mind in an asbestos case when it otherwise may feel like an uphill battle. 

Your lawyer will gather any and all evidence, including potentially speaking with other people who may also have been exposed to asbestos in the same circumstances. This is why your lawyer does so much upfront work in an asbestos case to ensure that the right amount of information and evidence has been gathered to tell your side of the story. You will be in a much better position to make a legal claim to recover compensation when you hire a lawyer who has handled asbestos cases like this before. 

If you’ve already been dealing with the aftermath of asbestos exposure, you can’t afford to wait to get legal help. If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition, you need treatment right away and need support for your medical bills and other expenses. Only a knowledgeable lawyer can help you with this process. 

To get started, you can contact Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.