Workplace Asbestos Exposure Lawyer in North Carolina

If you develop an illness from being exposed to asbestos at work, our workplace asbestos exposure lawyers want to help you pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more.

Since the late 1800s, asbestos has been employed for various military, construction, industrial, and commercial uses. Eventually, scientists determined that asbestos exposure is extremely dangerous. Asbestos exposure has triggered many kinds of asbestos-related medical illnesses that require extensive medical treatment and, even with intense medical intervention, can result in death.

Have you suffered an illness caused by asbestos exposure at work? If so, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical expenses, pain, suffering, lost earnings, and lost quality of life.

Over 1,000 men and women all across North Carolina have trusted Ward Black Law with their asbestos cases in the last quarter century. Contact the North Carolina workplace asbestos exposure lawyers at Ward Black Law today. You can talk to one of our knowledgeable attorneys about your case and learn more about your legal rights and options at no charge.

Top At-Risk Occupations for Asbestos Exposure in North Carolina

Unfortunately, due to its widespread use, many people may have unknowingly worked around asbestos at their jobs. Now that we know the long-term effects of asbestos, employers must help protect employees from exposure by providing personal protective equipment, including respirators.

In North Carolina, some of the most at-risk occupations for asbestos exposure include individuals who work at:

• Power plants – Power plant workers may be exposed to asbestos during the maintenance and repair of power plants with asbestos-containing materials.
• Shipyards – Shipyard workers may come into contact with asbestos during the building and repair of ships, as asbestos was widely used in ships and shipyards during much of the 20th century due to its heat and fire-resistant properties.
• Construction sites – Construction workers are among those most exposed to asbestos due to their frequent contact with building materials containing the mineral fiber, especially during demolition. When disturbed, these materials release fibers that workers may inhale.
• Industrial plants – Asbestos was widely used in industrial settings in the past, so people who worked in factories and other industrial environments could have been exposed through machinery or workplace dust and debris.
• Military installations – Fort Bragg is in Fayetteville, and Camp Lejeune is near Jacksonville. These military installations were built before the 1970s and likely contain asbestos. Anyone who has worked, lived, or been stationed there could have been exposed.
• Firefighting services – Firefighters are also at risk for asbestos exposure because of their proximity to burning buildings. Asbestos in some commercial buildings and older homes becomes even more hazardous when burned, releasing fibers into the air that firefighters can inhale.
• Steel mills – Any steel mill workers who are welders, furnace operators, millwrights, or other types of workers, could have come into contact with asbestos.
• Electricians – Asbestos exposure risk: handling wiring, switches, panels, and insulation in older buildings, plus industrial and construction sites with historical asbestos use.

Diseases Caused by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos-related diseases are typically caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, which can damage the lungs and other organs. Some diseases caused by occupational exposure to asbestos include:

• Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue called the mesothelium that covers your internal organs. Mesothelioma is categorized based on what part of the mesothelium is affected. Most cases of mesothelioma affect the tissue around the lungs and are classified as pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma ranks among the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer. Although multiple treatments have been tried, most mesothelioma patients succumb to the disease.
• Lung cancer – Asbestos fibers that get trapped in the lungs greatly increase the risk of developing lung cancer, particularly for persons who have smoked. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally, particularly when cancer metastasizes, or spreads to other parts of the body. Whereas mesothelioma is a cancer of the covering over the lung, lung cancers are found inside the tissue of the lung itself. Treatments focus on reducing symptoms and increasing the longevity of life.
• Laryngeal cancer – While most people think about the dangers of inhaling asbestos fibers, most exposed people also swallowed microscopic asbestos particles as they worked. Asbestos also is a known cause of cancer of the larynx, the part of the throat under the voice box.
• Asbestosis – Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibers. Symptoms usually don’t begin to manifest until years after the first exposure. The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe. With continued exposure and as the disease progresses, the asbestos fibers in the lungs cause further scarring of the lung tissue. The lungs may become too stiff to expand and contract normally, making breathing difficult.
• Pleural plaques – Pleural plaques are often the first type of asbestos damage seen on X-rays or CT scans of the lungs. Plaques are generally hardened tissue of the covering of the lung, called the pleura. Plaques are often not disabling but can be if they cover a large area of the lung. While pleural plaques don’t become cancerous, they clearly indicate extended exposure to asbestos.
• Pleural effusion – Pleural effusion is a disease involving the build-up of excess fluid on the tissues surrounding the lungs. Those tissues normally contain small amounts of fluid and serve to facilitate the process of breathing. Pleural effusion has many different causes. Exposure to asbestos is one of the rarer causes. Sometimes, individuals have fluid that continues to accumulate in the pleura. These are called “recurrent pleural effusions” and can indicate mesothelioma.

Types of Potential Claims for Workplace Asbestos Exposure

Individuals exposed to asbestos at work may be able to pursue compensation for their illness from multiple sources. Here are some of the most common types of potential claims for workplace asbestos exposure:

• Asbestos bankruptcy trust funds – Asbestos bankruptcy trusts include funds set up by hundreds of companies that filed for bankruptcy over the past few decades. The bankruptcies were due, at least in part, to asbestos-related liability. Persons who develop asbestos-related diseases due to products manufactured by these companies can turn to these funds to recover compensation. However, even if a plaintiff can prove a claim against a company that took part in the bankruptcy trust, the trust funds typically only pay cents on the dollar for the company’s liability. There are, however, billions of dollars in these asbestos trusts. That money is dedicated to paying individuals with asbestos diseases with appropriate proof of disease and exposure.
• Asbestos settlements and litigation – When solvent and operating companies bear liability for a person’s asbestos-related disease, the injured party can pursue a claim directly against the company. These claims often trigger fierce settlement negotiations and litigation over the company’s liability. Those companies may claim that an injured party cannot prove the company contributed to the injured victim’s asbestos-related disease. Highly experienced asbestos attorneys can address these defenses in the appropriate case.
• Workers’ comp benefits – People exposed to asbestos on the job who developed illnesses as a result may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. North Carolina law provides benefits for lost wages and medical bills in some cases as well as compensation for a spouse or next-of-kin in the case of the death of an exposed person.
• SSD and veterans’ benefits – Many asbestos-related diseases are considered totally disabling medical conditions. As a result, affected individuals may be entitled to file a claim for Social Security Disability benefits. Persons whose asbestos exposure primarily occurred during military service may be entitled to file a claim for benefits with Veterans Affairs. VA benefits can include monthly payments and a lifetime right to receive health care from any facility in the VA network.

Compensation for Occupational Exposure to Asbestos in Greensboro

If you’ve suffered a disease or illness caused by asbestos exposure in the workplace, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damage. Compensation could include:

• Ongoing and future medical expenses and other out-of-pocket expenses related to your treatment
• Lost wages, for the time your disease or illness causes you to miss from work
• Lost earning potential, if your illness or disease has disabled you from being able to work
• Pain and suffering, or the physical and emotional anguish and distress brought about by your illness or from the treatments needed for that illness (for example, the negative side effects of chemotherapy)
• Lost quality of life, including the years of life you may lose to your disease, along with the inability to enjoy activities