Have you or a loved one been exposed to asbestos? Asbestos has been known to cause several types of cancer, and it’s important if you’ve been exposed to asbestos to know more about this carcinogen as well as what your next steps can be.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos occurs naturally in soil and rocks throughout many parts of the world. The two main types of asbestos are Chrysotile and Amphibole. Both types of asbestos are known to cause cancer.
Asbestos fibers are resilient to heat and very strong, and they also don’t conduct electricity; because of these characteristics, asbestos was frequently used for insulation before its cancer-causing qualities were discovered.
During the second half of the 20th century, more and more evidence piled up to show how harmful asbestos exposure could be. As a result measures were taken ban the use of asbestos and limit the exposure to asbestos. However older buildings may still have asbestos in them and many countries throughout the world haven’t limited the use of asbestos as an insulating material.
What to do if you’re exposed to asbestos
If you have been exposed to asbestos, your first step should be to assess the amount of asbestos that you have been exposed to. If you were only briefly exposed to a small amount of asbestos, your likelihood for disease is most likely pretty low. However if you’ve been exposed to a large amount of asbestos over a longer period of time, you may be at risk for certain types of cancer as well as other diseases that are caused by asbestos exposure.
If you are a smoker, it’s very important to try to stop smoking immediately. Smoking exacerbates the effects of asbestos exposure. Talk to your doctor as soon as you can to discuss whether it’s necessary to get regular health checkups to make sure you’re not suffering from asbestos-related issues. If you have any respiratory issues, you should consult a physician immediately.
If you believe you’ve been exposed to asbestos you may have legal options. Be sure to consult an attorney with experience in asbestos exposure cases immediately to assess your situation. Contact the Pellerin Law Firm for a complimentary consultation with an attorney to discuss legal options related to asbestos exposure.
Source: American Cancer Society, “Asbestos.”