ASBESTOS-RELATED LUNG DISEASE

New Cases of Mesothelioma Diagnosed in Former Iron Range Workers

For decades, those who lived or worked near the former Iron Range taconite mines in Minnesota have been plagued by the high numbers of men and women who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.

If your family is facing a loved one’s diagnosis with a disease caused by exposure to asbestos, you can obtain important information about your legal rights by completing the form on this page.

For a number of years, the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota have been studying serious health problems facing residents in the Duluth, Minnesota region’s Iron Range.

The region, which is the home to one of the largest sources of naturally-occurring taconite and asbestos in the nation, has sadly also become an area where an extraordinarily large number of men and women have been diagnosed with serious illnesses caused by their exposure.

Researchers at the University’s School of Public Health have determined that four additional cases of mesothelioma have been diagnosed in former taconite mine workers, bringing the total number of workers diagnosed with the life-threatening form of cancer to 63.

Taconite and Asbestos Health Risks
The University study is being conducted to determine whether exposure to microscopic taconite fibers caused or increased the risk that miners (who were also exposed to asbestos in the taconite mines) would eventually develop an asbestos-related disease. Both federal and international health agencies have long classified asbestos as a known carcinogen (cancer causing substance).

When the tiny asbestos fibers are inhaled, their sharp edges cause them to lodge in the lungs instead of being exhaled by coughing or sneezing. The asbestos remains in the lungs for decades, where many years later, the fibers eventually cause healthy lung tissue to scar.

Diseases Caused by Exposure to Asbestos
Over periods of 30-40 or more years (known as asbestos latency periods), the scarring caused by asbestos can cause patients to begin to experience persistent coughs, extreme tiredness after routine activities, and may even find themselves unable to sleep without propping themselves on several pillows.

These symptoms can all be signs that any number of chronic breathing disorders such as asbestosis, emphysema, pleural plaques disease or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) may have developed.

Tragically, other former taconite mine workers learn that the asbestos has caused the lungs to produce abnormal cells and form lung cancer or mesothelioma tumors.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.