According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asbestosis kills approximately 1,300 deaths per year. An asbestos air testing is vital to assess exposures to asbestos. If there are signs of asbestos in your property, an immediate commercial asbestos removal service is strongly recommended.
Unlike pleural mesothelioma, which is always fatal, patients with asbestosis can live for decades after their diagnosis, though they may experience a decrease in their quality of lungs along with difficulty breathing. Those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma may be eligible for compensation or benefits so consulting with a mesothelioma claim lawyer is recommended.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asbestosis, you’ll want to ask your doctor about your prognosis because this condition doesn’t affect every patient the same way. No article can predict how much time any of us has left, but this is a good starting point for general information.
Asbestosis Facts
This chronic lung disease develops after the patient inhales asbestos fibers, which then leads to scarring of the lungs. Aside from the symptoms that have already been mentioned, this can also cause:
- Wheezing
- Persistent cough
- Fatigue
- Chest or shoulder pain
- Clubbed fingertips
Many people believe asbestosis is a type of cancer like mesothelioma, but it is actually not a cancer, though it is associated with several types of cancer. Those who are diagnosed with asbestosis are more likely to develop lung cancer later on, and they may even develop mesothelioma.
Some other conditions that can be caused by asbestos exposure include lung cancer, pleural effusion, atelectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and laryngeal and ovarian cancer.
What Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Have in Common
Like mesothelioma, asbestosis has no cure at this time. The two conditions also share many other similarities, and both are caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The symptoms of both are essentially the same, though they are more severe in cases of mesothelioma. Both conditions can also cause cardiac issues.
Another thing the two conditions have in common is their long latency period. Both mesothelioma and asbestosis can take decades to appear after the initial exposure to asbestos.
Like mesothelioma, most cases begin with asbestos exposure at the workplace or on the job site.
The Difference Between Asbestosis and Mesothelioma
Asbestosis causes the tissue in the lung to become stiff and thickened due to permanent scarring of the alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs in the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma primarily affects the mesothelium, which is the lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma can also affect other parts of the body, such as the abdomen and the testicles.
The main difference between these two conditions is that asbestosis is not a form of cancer, while mesothelioma is. Another difference is the way they are diagnosed, the treatment methods that are used, and the prognosis. The conditions’ relationship to smoking is also different. Smoking can increase your chances of developing mesothelioma.
Asbestosis Lawsuits
A diagnosis of asbestosis will result in expenses like medical bills and missed work. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may lose your ability to work. Like any other condition you develop after exposure to asbestos, if your exposure happened on the job you can file a lawsuit with the help of an attorney that specializes in mesothelioma and asbestos exposure.
You should reach out to an attorney as soon as possible after your diagnosis to learn more about how you can recover compensation. The statute of limitations for these lawsuits are different in every state, and your attorney will give you more information about the laws where you live. They will also tell you what kind of proof you’ll need to prove your case.
Because an asbestosis diagnosis is not as dire as a diagnosis of mesothelioma, the payout amount is generally lower. In addition to this, the burden of proof is also lower. If you have asbestosis, the documentation you will have to provide will not need to be as extensive. This means it will be easier to get an adequate settlement with asbestosis.