Secondary Exposure to Asbestos Can Result in Diagnosis of Mesothelioma or Other Serious Diagnosis

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Each month, countless families contact our law firm looking for help after a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos disease. While many cases involve those who were exposed to asbestos on the job, we also hear from countless families who have been given the devastating news that their wife, mother or sibling has been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis, and that their illness was caused by secondary exposure to the dangerous mineral.

Our lawyers have helped thousands of families to seek justice by filing an asbestos lawsuit against the companies that marketed and sold asbestos-containing materials that resulted in the secondary exposure.

Stories of Secondary Exposure
When gathering information from husbands, wives and family members in secondary exposure cases, many families share similar experiences.

For wives, their husbands (and in some cases, their fathers) worked in jobs where asbestos was used.  They recall that when their husband returned home from work at the end of the day, their husband’s work clothes were covered in dusts. Every time they shook the dust from clothes before doing the laundry, these women inhaled asbestos dust.

Before automatic washers were laundry room staples, many women did the laundry using a wringer washer, which meant additional exposure risks. A number of women recalled having to wash their husband’s clothes separately because of the accumulation of sludge at the bottom of the washer tub. When cleaning out the wet, asbestos-contaminated sludge, they breathed in even more of the dangerous mineral.

Other common secondary exposure stories involve the family car, as wives and children often recalled the car interior and dashboard always being dusty. Sweeping or vacuuming dusty car seats and mats or wiping down the dashboard also meant breathing in asbestos.

Other women mentioned that their husbands would take care of repairs at home using the same tools used on the job. Since the tools were used at job sites with asbestos contamination issues, those using the tools were also exposed.

Decades-Long Latency Period
The time between exposure to asbestos and when symptoms of an asbestos-related disease is 30-40 years long. Younger family members exposed to asbestos may not show signs of illness until they are in their 40s or 50s. Adults exposed in their 20s or 30s they many not be diagnosed until they are in their 60s or 70s.

These long latency periods are the result of how asbestos affects the lungs. When tiny asbestos fibers enter the lungs, their sharp, jagged edges attach to lung tissue and are not expelled by coughing or sneezing.

Over time, asbestos can cause lung tissue to scar (which causes chronic illnesses such as pleural plaques disease), or the asbestos can cause the lungs to produce abnormal cells (which result in cancer tumors or mesothelioma).

Your Time is Limited to File a Lawsuit
Even though we are able to help clients exposed to asbestos many decades ago, once your loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you and your family have a limited amount of time to consider filing a lawsuit.  Our attorneys can provide information on your options.

For over 20 years, our mesothelioma lawyers have worked diligently to help families affected by asbestos-related diseases. We’re ready to help your family to seek compensation for asbestos disease, pain and suffering and to help pay medical bills and other expenses.