Asbestos exposure can cause many types of illness, including many types of cancer. Mesothelioma is the type of cancer you hear of most often as being associated with asbestos. Because the most common way for asbestos to get into the body is through inhalation, it often causes respiratory diseases. If you believe that asbestos exposure may have caused your illness, our Arkansas mesothelioma lawyers can help you and your family get the compensation that you need and deserve.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is not cancer. It is a form of pulmonary fibrosis, which is scarring of the lungs. Asbestos exposure typically involves inhaling the sharp, tiny fibers. When these fibers make contact with the air sacs your immune system tries to get rid of them, causing inflammation. Your immune system cannot remove the fibers, however, so it deposits connective tissue. Your body will keep trying to get rid of the irritating fibers and deposit more and more scar tissue.
The buildup of scar tissue lowers your lung capacity. It causes noticeable difficulty breathing and impairs you lungs’ ability to exchange gases properly. Your heart overworks itself trying to make up for the lack of oxygen. Asbestosis often leads to heart failure.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is only caused by asbestos exposure. The symptoms of mesothelioma normally take 20 to 50 years to appear after asbestos exposure, and once the cancer is diagnosed most patients have very little time left to live. Mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs, heart, and/or abdominal organs. It is an extremely painful type of cancer.
Other Cancers
Asbestos exposure can cause other types of cancer, too, including:
- Lung cancer
- Throat cancer
- Larynx cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Colon cancer
If you or a loved one has mesothelioma or any asbestos-related illness, please call our Arkansas mesothelioma attorneys or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation with our mesothelioma lawyers is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, in most cases we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a mesothelioma lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.