South Carolina Asbestosis Lawyer

South Carolina Asbestosis Attorney

Long-term exposure to asbestos fibers can result in chronic illness, health deterioration, and eventual death, due to conditions like mesothelioma and asbestosis. Asbestosis is a chronic lung condition caused by the frequent inhalation of asbestos fibers. It cannot be cured, as it is a chronic disease that causes irreparable damage to the lungs. However, treatment is possible, and you may be owed compensation with the help of a South Carolina asbestosis lawyer who has experience with pursuing asbestos exposure claims.

Asbestosis and Its Symptoms

Asbestosis is a progressive lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. It can range in severity, depending on how long you were exposed to asbestos fibers and how much you may have inhaled over a period of several decades. It could take up to 20 years for asbestosis to develop. Meanwhile, you may not have even noticed the damage that the disease was doing to your internal organs, particularly if you were also smoking during that time.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to many different chronic conditions that will follow you for the remainder of your life, particularly mesothelioma, and asbestosis. You may not even be aware that you have been inhaling asbestos fibers in your home, your workplace, or in buildings you may frequent as a visitor or customer.

To develop asbestosis, the asbestos fibers will enter your body through inhalation and attach themselves to tiny air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli. In your alveoli, the fibers will persistently irritate and inflame the lung tissue, slowly developing a progressive disease in your lungs over several years, maybe even decades.

If you have developed asbestosis, it is likely due to consistent exposure to asbestos, which was the main source of insulation for thousands of homes and buildings for several decades, according to the Asbestos and Silica Claims Procedure Act of 2006.

Symptoms of asbestosis may vary, depending on the severity of your condition, and they may not even show up until decades after your initial inhalation of asbestos fibers. Some of the telltale signs of asbestosis may include:

• Clubbing of fingers, in which your fingertips start to spread out and become rounder
• Shortness of breath
• Persistent cough
• Tightness in your chest
• Crackling sounds coming from your lungs when you inhale

Diagnosing Asbestosis

If you ever feel any of the listed symptoms of asbestosis, especially if you have multiple symptoms, you should consider immediately reaching out to a medical professional. A doctor can attempt to diagnose asbestosis by looking through your past medical history, determining if you’ve had any contact with asbestos fibers, and giving you a chest x-ray. Here is some information that you should provide to your doctor, which can help move the process along:

• A list of your symptoms and an approximate time of when they may have started
• Any home remedies or additional treatments you may have already been using
• Whether those treatments helped
• Any work you have done throughout your life that may have put you in frequent contact with asbestos, including how long you spent at each job
• Any asbestos-related products you may have been in contact with at work and any protective gear you may have worn
• Whether you have a history of smoking
• Any additional medical records you have that are related to your symptoms

South Carolina Asbestosis FAQs

Q: How Much Money Can You Get From an Asbestosis Settlement?

A: There is no telling how much money you could get from an asbestosis settlement in South Carolina. Every case of asbestosis is different, with its own set of circumstances unique to each individual case. Many different factors are taken into consideration when determining an asbestosis settlement, including the severity of your condition, your history of exposure to asbestos, and the willingness of both parties to accept a compromise. Your case could be worth a lot.

Q: What Is an Asbestos Lawyer?

A: An asbestos lawyer is a legal professional who focuses primarily on cases involving individuals who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related chronic illnesses. These attorneys help asbestosis sufferers seek out compensation from the companies responsible for installing and/or preserving the asbestos in various homes, buildings, and factories.

Pursuing legal action on your own may prove fruitless. However, with the help of an experienced asbestos attorney, you can rest assured that your case can be taken seriously.

Q: What Is an Asbestos Claim?

A: An asbestos claim is a civil action that is filed on your behalf against the corporations that may be responsible for your current medical condition. Their operations forced you into a considerable amount of exposure to asbestos fibers.

Your resulting injuries and eventual medical diagnosis may be evidence enough to help you seek compensatory damages from these parties, whose negligent handling of asbestos installation and/or removal caused your condition. Seeking damages can be easier with the help of an experienced lawyer.

Q: What Causes Asbestosis Other Than Asbestos?

A: Nothing. There is no other cause for asbestosis other than prolonged exposure to asbestos. Asbestosis occurs when microscopic asbestos fibers get into your body through the lungs and cause irreversible damage and scarring, which cannot be cured. Even if you enter a treatment program, the damage has already been done, and it cannot be undone. Certain factors can increase the risk of developing asbestosis, such as smoking or a pre-existing condition.

Reach Out to an Asbestosis Lawyer Today

Discovering a diagnosis of asbestosis can be demoralizing and painful to go through, especially knowing that there is no cure and that lifelong treatment may be your only option. You may be feeling angry at the world, isolated, betrayed, and somewhat broken. With the help of an experienced lawyer from the legal team at Wallace & Graham, P.A., you can hold the responsible parties accountable and seek compensatory damages for your situation.

We can help you develop your case, find evidence of wrongdoing, and ensure that you are not taken advantage of throughout this process. Allow us to handle your case while you focus on your treatment plan. Contact us to speak with a valued team member and schedule a consultation.