Understanding the Asbestos Exposure Timeline: Why Illness Can Take Decades to Appear

It is scary to find out that something from years ago can give you cancer today. Asbestos exposure illnesses can take decades to develop. Asbestos fibers enter your body and do damage over time. Mutations can happen. Understanding the asbestos exposure timeline can help explain why symptoms often do not appear until decades after exposure.

How Long After Asbestos Exposure Do Symptoms Appear?

The onset of asbestos exposure symptoms for these severe diseases typically take years, even decades, to show up. Signs of lung cancer may take 25 to 35 years to appear. Asbestosis and mesothelioma signs may not show up for 30 to 40 years or more. That’s according to studies of workers who were exposed to asbestos every day for hours at a time. They worked in the asbestos insulation industry. ^{(1) (2)}

When asbestos fibers become airborne, you can breathe them in. Becoming sick depends on factors such as: ⁽³⁾

• Dose (how much asbestos).
• Duration (how long you were exposed).
• How you were exposed.
• Other chemicals you have been exposed to.

All of these other factors also determine if and when you become sick: ⁽⁴⁾

• Gender.
• Nutritional status.
• Lifestyle.
• Your overall health.

Why Do Asbestos-Related Illnesses Take Decades to Develop?

Generally, the more asbestos you are exposed to and the longer you are exposed, both act to increase your risk of developing an asbestos-related disease. Asbestos fibers get trapped in your body. They irritate cells and cause damage.

Asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lining of your lungs. They can also accumulate in the lining of your abdominal cavity. Sometimes, they appear in the lining of your heart or testicles. Usually, it takes a long time for this irritation to become inflammation and scarring. These changes in your cells happen over the years, and even the decades of your life. Mutations can occur. Out-of-control growth of abnormal cells can lead to asbestos-related illnesses. ⁽⁵⁾

Why Don’t People Realize They Were Exposed to Asbestos?

In some cases, you can trace their asbestos exposure back to a time when they worked with and around asbestos or asbestos-containing products. For example, people who worked in auto manufacturing and repair, demolition and construction, or furnace installation and repair might have been directly exposed to asbestos. ⁽⁶⁾

However, if you didn’t work in one of these industries, you might not realize you were exposed to asbestos. Your exposure may have been secondary. Family members of people who work around asbestos may be exposed through their relative’s clothing. Wives of husbands who had asbestos fibers on their work clothes, if brought home, may have been exposed while doing their laundry.

Whole families may have been exposed to asbestos if someone with asbestos on their clothes spread those fibers in the family car. In fact, until that person discarded or laundered their clothes, they could unknowingly carry asbestos fibers everywhere they went.

Another possible source of asbestos is contaminated talcum powder. For decades, manufacturers of cosmetics and personal hygiene products have marketed and distributed a variety of products including everything from blush to baby powder. We now know some of these products were contaminated with asbestos. ⁽⁷⁾

Does a Long Delay Affect Whether You Have a Legal Case?

No, a long delay between your asbestos exposure and the diagnosis of your asbestos illness does not affect whether you have a legal case. We know asbestos exposure and the time it takes to turn into disease can take decades. ⁽⁸⁾

In fact, it would be much more unusual to be exposed to asbestos and then just a week later develop an asbestos illness. If this were to happen, in all likelihood, you would also have been exposed to asbestos decades ago as well. ⁽⁹⁾

Every state has its own statute of limitation on filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. If you are living with the disease, you can file a personal injury lawsuit if you are within that time limit. If a member of your family died from mesothelioma, only a personal representative of the deceased, either the executor named in a will or an administrator appointed by the Surrogate’s Court, may be able to file a wrongful death suit.

We strongly recommend that you consult with an attorney about this matter immediately to ensure that any rights will not be lost or jeopardized. This is because your statute of limitations is a legal concept that varies state by state. Failure to act immediately may bar your claim based upon legal time limits. If your claim is barred based upon legal time limits, you may not be able to recover anything from anyone.

What To Do If You Think Past Exposure Could Be Connected to Your Diagnosis

Your past exposure to asbestos is connected to your mesothelioma diagnosis. People who develop this aggressive cancer were exposed to asbestos at some point. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Although asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral in the environment, chances are you were exposed to it because you worked in a certain industry or were exposed to contaminated products. Rather than deal with this diagnosis on your own, your best bet is to reach out to a law firm that handles cases involving asbestos exposure diseases.

Here are some steps to take:

1. Do research on law firms in your area. Check out their practice areas. Look into their history. Do they have a lot of experience in asbestos exposure cases? How long have they been around? Do they have a history of winning? Do they provide testimonials from clients they’ve helped?
2. Call or otherwise contact a few law firms you think look good to you. We hope one of the firms you contact is Weitz & Luxenberg at (917) LAWYERS.
3. Ask them hard questions. Listen to their answers. Do they seem informed and knowledgeable? Do they listen to you? Do you feel like they’re a good fit?
4. Hire the firm that seems right for you. Make sure the answer to these statements is yes. They have been handling cases like yours for decades. They have the experience. They handle these kinds of cases all the time. They know the legal techniques and strategies to use to secure the compensation you deserve. They don’t charge you unless they win your case.

Let Weitz & Luxenberg Help Your Family

Asbestos fibers are really sneaky. You breathe them in and have no idea they’re there. They accumulate in your body causing damage over decades. From time of exposure to an illness of some type, the typical asbestos exposure timeline is roughly 10 to 40 years.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos exposure illness, the disease is usually advanced. Weitz & Luxenberg is here to help. You should seek compensation. The company that exposed you to this dangerous substance may be guilty of negligence. They should have warned you or protected you. They should be held accountable.

Weitz & Luxenberg has been around for almost four decades. We opened our firm specifically to help people who have been harmed by the actions of large companies. We have experience helping thousands of families across the country make informed, strategic choices and get financial compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You probably have many questions about the timeline for an asbestos illness. Here are some answers to your questions:

Can Mesothelioma Develop from Short-Term or Indirect Exposure?

Yes, mesothelioma can develop from short-term or indirect exposure. Asbestos is always lethal. There is no safe level of exposure. ⁽¹¹⁾ Once you breathe in asbestos fibers, they can stay in your body forever. If you are exposed to asbestos indirectly without realizing it, you can still develop asbestos secondary exposure illnesses later on. ⁽¹²⁾

How Do Doctors Know Asbestos Exposure Caused the Illness After So Much Time?

Doctors can know for certain asbestos exposure caused your severe illness. Scientists can often see actual asbestos fibers under a specific type of microscope. They can even identify the type of asbestos that caused your illness. ⁽¹³⁾

What If I Don’t Know When or Where I Was Exposed?

You can still file an asbestos exposure lawsuit. Law firms such as Weitz & Luxenberg can help you figure out how and when you were exposed to asbestos. We have been helping people harmed by asbestos exposure for decades. To win cases, we have to do a lot of research. We know where and how people can be exposed to asbestos. We know which companies manufactured asbestos-containing products. We have amassed hundreds of resources and accumulated thousands of pages of documentation. Plus, we have a dedicated team that only handles asbestos exposure cases. We can help you identify your asbestos exposure by asking you questions about your life, your hobbies, your work, and your personal habits. We can help you look back and trace your experiences.