Long Latency Period Between Asbestos Exposure and the Development of Mesothelioma, Other Asbestos Illnesses

Get a free copy of our sourcebook, "Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Asbestos Litigation and Your Rights."

The dangers of exposure to asbestos have been well-documented, and those who have found themselves exposed are rightly concerned about their exposure and the risk of illness. Exposure to the carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance is known to cause serious diseases with long latency periods like mesothelioma.

Other serious illnesses associated with exposure to asbestos include lung cancer, asbestosis and other chronic lung disorders.

Asbestos-related diseases have decades-long latency periods (the time between exposure and when symptoms of an illness are first noticed). Research has shown that many individuals exposed to asbestos when they were in their 20s or 30s who ultimately contract an asbestos-related disease did not experience any symptoms until they were in their 40s or 50s.

One of the reasons for this latency period is how microscopic asbestos dusts enter the body and remain. Unlike other irritants we breathe in, the body does not expel asbestos by coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose. Instead, asbestos fibers attach to the lungs, where they can cause problems many years later such as the scarring of lung tissue (asbestosis or pleural thickening) or causing the lungs to produce abnormal (cancerous) cells (mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer).

If you have been exposed to asbestos, whether due to asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in your home, due to working at jobs where exposure is likely, or in places where asbestos materials are being removed, it is important to tell your doctor about your exposure. Your doctor will then be able to make sure you are periodically tested for symptoms of lung disease throughout your life.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, our lawyers may be able to help you seek compensation for injuries, pain and suffering, and to help pay medical costs.

Complete the form on this page for a free review of your potential case, and a Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.