Alabama Mesothelioma Lawyer

What is Asbestos Related Disease?

Asbestos – Related Disease is any disease brought on by exposure to asbestos.

Besides mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer almost always linked to asbestos, a number of other diseases can also be caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can cause non-cancerous or non-malignant diseases including Asbestosis and Pleural Disease. Asbestos exposure can also cause Lung Cancer or Cancer of the Esophagus, Larynx, Oral Cavity, Stomach, Colon, or Rectum. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with one of these diseases, or if a loved one has died of one of these diseases, please contact us immediately for a free consultation. We may be able to help you receive compensation.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mineral used in many products because it is fire resistant, a heat and electricity conductor, resistant to chemical attacks, and is virtually indestructible. Asbestos has been widely used in manufacturing and included as a material in many products since the early 1900s and is still in use today. Some uses of asbestos have been banned because asbestos is proved to cause mesothelioma and other diseases.

Why is asbestos dangerous to your health?

Asbestos exposure can cause disease and death, and many people never know they are at risk. Everyone has been exposed to asbestos some time during their life. Because of this widespread exposure, asbestos cases continue to arise. Although you may have been exposed to asbestos many years ago, your health still may be at risk. It is a little known fact that it can take anywhere from 10 to 60 years for some asbestos-related disease to surface.

How is an asbestos related disease acquired?

Asbestos is released into the air in dust-sized fibers and inhaled into the lungs. These asbestos fibers are released when asbestos is mined, when asbestos containing materials are processed, when a worker works with a product that contains asbestos, and when a worker works around others working with an asbestos containing product. Asbestos fibers can be airborne in a processing plant, in the environment nearby, or even in workers' homes once they accidentally carry them there on their clothes. When the fibers are inhaled, they lodge in the lungs and nearby membranes and the body cannot get rid of them.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is an extremely deadly cancer of the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and internal organs. There is no cure, and the only known cause is exposure to asbestos. The cancer occurs most often in the pleura (membrane between the lungs and the ribs), but it can spread or occur locally in the lining of abdominal organs or heart as well. It has a long latency or "incubation" period, sometimes as much as 20 to 40 years. Workers who were exposed to airborne asbestos fibers before asbestos dangers were publicized in the 1970s are still being diagnosed with this disease. Between 2,500 and 4,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with mesothelioma.

I was a smoker or am still a smoker, could I have an asbestos case?

Yes. It does not matter if you are currently a smoker or if you have ever smoked. If you have been exposed to asbestos, you may qualify to receive compensation regardless of your smoking history. In fact, many studies have shown that smokers who were also exposed to asbestos are actually at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Isn't asbestos currently banned in the United States?

No. Though some uses of asbestos were at one time banned in the U.S., it is still used today in certain applications. Asbestos has many important heat-resistant features, but its processing has been poorly regulated in the past. Even though federal regulation of asbestos processing is now tighter than ever there are still slip-ups. The bottom line is that even if asbestos were completely banned today the long latency period means mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases would still be with us for years to come. It can take 10 – 60 years for some asbestos related disease to become apparent.

Do you need to work with asbestos to be at risk?

No. Perhaps the most frightening aspect is that workers might unknowingly carry asbestos fibers into the home on their clothes – family members have developed the disease simply from this low-level exposure such as washing clothes that were exposed to asbestos. Also, you don't have to work with asbestos or in an asbestos processing plant in order to inhale airborne fibers. Many workplaces are large complexes with one small section in which asbestos containing materials or products are handled. A lack of proper workplace controls, such as proper ventilation, can sometimes mean airborne fibers drift elsewhere in a complex. Worse, the fibers can be airborne in the surrounding vicinity of a business in which Asbestos Containing Materials are processed.

Can you be exposed to asbestos if you have not worked in an industrial work place?

Yes. Many people have been exposed to asbestos through doing their own home remodeling or renovation work. Many people are also exposed to asbestos from performing car maintenance work and repair to their own personal vehicles or hobby cars. You may have also been exposed to asbestos when doing plumbing, welding, or electrical work. Some products that you may have worked with that contained asbestos include: insulation, joint compound, brakes, clutches, tiles, shingles, siding, roofing, felts, electrical wire, etc.

Do you need to be exposed to asbestos for years to be at risk?

No. Short-term exposure has been proven to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural disease and other asbestos related diseases in many people. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled deeply enough on just one or two occasions for them to lodge permanently, deep within the lungs. The body cannot dispose of asbestos fibers. The frequency of exposure and the amount to which someone is exposed are not always factors in predicting the onset of the disease. Contact us today for an immediate and confidential evaluation of your case.

I can't afford to pay an attorney. Can you still help me with my asbestos case?

Yes. When you hire Attorney Charles H. Rice to represent you with your asbestos claim, you will have no out-of-pocket expenses. Our firm handles cases on a "contingency fee" basis. This means that you do not pay legal fees or expenses unless and until we get compensation for you. If we do not get compensation for you, we do not get paid for our legal services. If we do, then we receive our legal fee as a percentage of your total recovery and are reimbursed court costs and litigation expenses. This way, our clients can receive the excellent legal representation they deserve without the worry of how they will be able to afford it.

Cancers Caused by Asbestos Exposure:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Other cancer:
  • Esophagus
  • Larynx
  • Oral Cavity
  • Stomach
  • Colon
  • Rectal

Non-Malignant (Non-Cancerous) Diseases caused by Asbestos Exposure:

• Asbestosis
• Pleural Disease
  • Pleural Thickening
  • Pleural Plaque

Asbestos Jobs

Everyone has been exposed to asbestos at some time during their life.

However, if you or your loved one has been exposed to asbestos by working in a job that you do not see on this list, you may still have an asbestos case. Please contact us immediately for a free consultation.

Asbestos Products

Asbestos has been used in many different products since the early 1900s. A list of many products that have commonly contained asbestos can be seen to the left. However, if you believe you or your loved one has been exposed to asbestos by a product that is not on this list, you may still have an asbestos case. Please contact us immediately for a free consultation.

More information on Mesothelioma

Detailed information on Mesothelioma is available at http://www.marf.org/, the website of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. This law firm and this site are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or associated with the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

FREE CONSULTATION

When you've been hurt by asbestos, it's easy to get the help you need. Pick up the phone and call us at (256) 238-0038 or fill out our free online consultation form. It takes just minutes to fill out the brief form and the initial conversation is free.

Map and Directions

Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct require the following disclaimer: Case descriptions, recoveries, and testimonials presented here are not an indication of future results. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. Litigation outcome and valuation depend on many factors including jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, testimony and documentary evidence. Furthermore, no representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.