Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure
At Zinns Law, we are compassionate allies committed to securing justice for individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos exposure.
Our approach is founded on a deep commitment to holding corporations accountable for prioritizing profits over people’s safety. Unlike many law firms, we choose to work with a select number of clients. This strategy allows us to offer personalized, attentive, and swift service, tailoring our legal strategies to meet the unique needs and goals of each client and their family.
From the moment you reach out to us, our dedicated team is ready to go above and beyond. Whether it’s sitting at your kitchen table within days to discuss your options, listening to your story, or meeting your family, we are here to ensure you feel heard, valued, and respected. Operating from our base in metro Atlanta, Georgia, Zinns Law is equipped to handle litigation across the nation with effectiveness and diligence.
Understanding Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that primarily affects the lining of different organs, most commonly the lungs and abdomen, but it can also manifest in the heart or testicles. Annually, around 2,500 individuals in the United States receive a diagnosis of this condition.
The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral fiber. Symptoms of the disease can take 15 to 50 years to appear following exposure. Asbestos not only leads to mesothelioma but also heightens the risk of other health issues such as lung cancer, asbestosis (a non-malignant chronic lung condition), and additional cancers, particularly those affecting the larynx and kidney.
What You Need to Know
Disease Types and Treatments
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of various organs. This particular cancer arises most often in the lungs and abdomen but can also occur in the heart or testicles.
Mesothelioma is broken down further into three subtypes based on the kind of cancer cells found in the body. Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common type and is understood to be slower-growing and more receptive to treatment. Sarcomatoid mesotheliomas are less common and are considered faster growing. Biphasic mesothelioma shows both epitheliod and sarcomatoid cell types.
Depending on the underlying health of the patient, surgery to remove the cancerous organ lining may be an option. Specific chemotherapy treatments and radiation may also be used to shrink the cancer. New therapies are emerging based on various genetic testing many patients now undergo.
Lung cancer is a cancer of the lung, rather than the lining. Although smoking remains the most common cause of lung cancer in the United States, asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer and there is a synergistic effect of asbestos exposure and smoking together, greatly increasing an exposed person’s risk of developing cancer.
Depending on the underlying health of the patient, surgery to remove the lung or certain lobes may be an option. Specific chemotherapy treatments and radiation may also be used to shrink the cancer. New therapies are emerging based on various genetic testing many patients now undergo.
Asbestosis is a noncancerous lung disease that causes scarring of the lungs. This scarring, caused by asbestos exposure, makes it difficult to breathe as it restricts lung function. Thankfully, asbestosis is usually a chronic, nonfatal disease. Patients may be given inhalers or other breathing treatments to manage symptoms. Some patients may require supplemental oxygen.
What is Asbestos & How Are People Exposed
It has recently been discovered that asbestos is still being used in talc products. This includes both industrial talc and cosmetic/personal care products such as baby powder and cosmetics.
Millions of people have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace, including miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and installers, railroad and automotive workers, ship builders, plumbers, and construction workers. Although the amount of asbestos used in the trades reached its peak in the 1970s, it took decades for asbestos to removed from these products entirely.
Family members of people who work in environments where they are exposed to asbestos can also be at risk for “take home exposure” also known as secondary exposure because asbestos can be carried home on workers’ clothes. Merely shaking out and washing the work clothes of an exposed person can cause significant exposure to asbestos.
Additionally, men and women who used various brands of cosmetic talc products such as baby powder have been exposed to asbestos in their own bathrooms. Even using baby powder to diaper one’s children can be a significant exposure to asbestos.
Military Veterans & Shipyards
Although asbestos was used in various ways throughout the branches of the military, it was used most heavily in the Navy. The fire-resistant properties of asbestos made it useful for boiler rooms and engine rooms in Naval ships. The companies that supplied asbestos to the military didn’t warn anyone that its use could cause such devastating injuries.
The same materials were used by civilian personnel building and repairing ships in shipyards throughout the country, exposing countless additional workers to asbestos on Naval ships.