Mesothelioma is an asbestos-induced cancer of the membrane surrounding and protecting the internal organs. Mesothelioma most commonly strikes the lining of the lungs, but can also affect that of the abdomen, heart or testicles. Severe symptoms of mesothelioma of the lung include shortness of breath, chest pain and cough. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our firm to speak with an experienced asbestos attorney about your legal rights.
Mesothelioma Resulting from Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately many individuals continue to be diagnosed with this fatal disease. The law firm of Summers and Wyatt has proudly represented mesothelioma and asbestos victims and their families now for over 30 years. Unlike many firms, Summers & Wyatt has never advertised for this type of work, nor has it ever advocated for the mass screenings of certain employee groups (like labor unions) in an effort to drum up business. Although the majority of Summers & Wyatt clients over the years were exposed to asbestos while working in some of the larger local industrial plants like DuPont, Combustion Engineering, and some of the T.V.A. facilities, Summers & Wyatt has represented many clients whose exposure to asbestos came from other settings including military, railroad, or exposure in the home through a loved one who worked at a job site where asbestos was used. In doing so, Summers & Wyatt has handled cases originating from exposure to asbestos from throughout the country including particularly southeast Tennessee, middle Tennessee and northwest Georgia.
Please know that if you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, a lawyer based in Chattanooga will speak with you and give you sound legal advice about your situation. Summers & Wyatt is NOT a 1-800 number -- as you unfortunately see often on TV -- where you are likely to be connected to a law firm in some far away state that has no intention or ability to advise you or actually handle your case. These 1-800 number law firms often are pure "case brokers", who will simply farm your case out to some other law firm.
Instead, if you contact Summers & Wyatt, a knowledgeable and experienced attorney will speak with you, evaluate your potential case, and, if feasible, pursue legal justice for you. If you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, you will not be some random number and you will not have difficulty speaking on a regular basis (in person even if you like) with an attorney about your case. Rather, your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case will receive the personalized attention, from an attorney, that it deserves. That is the way Summers & Wyatt has been handling mesothelioma and asbestos cases now for over 30 years, and that is one of the reasons why we have been successful in doing so. The fact that other law firms associate and refer cases to us speaks volumes as well about our standing in the mesothelioma and asbestos legal community.
Summers & Wyatt continues to receive calls and accept new mesothelioma and asbestos clients based on the great reputation and solid results that Summers & Wyatt has historically achieved for its clients. That is the only form of advertising that Summers & Wyatt utilizes. If you appreciate and share these values, and if you want an experienced attorney to review your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, please contact Summers & Wyatt as soon as possible.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease and would like to speak with an attorney about your rights, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you have not yet been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease, but you have concerns or questions because you know you have been exposed to asbestos, our attorney will be happy to speak with you about that as well. To speak with or schedule a free consultation with a lawyer at our firm, call 423-933-2738, or contact us by e-mail.
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Our attorneys have more than 140 years of combined legal experience and have handled hundreds of asbestos and mesothelioma claims. To put our experience to work for you, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C.
Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of two other major diseases: asbestosis and lung cancer. Asbestos also heightens the risk of stomach, gallbladder, larynx and kidney cancer. Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, often manifesting after retirement from an industrial career that involved asbestos exposure. Governmental regulation of asbestos has tightened significantly since the 1970s, so asbestos exposure has been greatly reduced.
If you or a loved one has an asbestos-related disease, an experienced asbestos lawyer at Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, can outline your options for lawsuits and other legal remedies.
Asbestosis
If you have a history of asbestos exposure, you may be at risk for asbestosis, a noncancerous respiratory disease caused when microscopic shards of threadlike asbestos fibers are breathed into the lungs and become lodged. The body excretes acid in response to the foreign object, causing scarring or fibrosis that stiffens the lung tissue, restricting its ability to expand and contract with breathing.
Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weakness, respiratory infection, coughing up blood, hoarseness, swelling of fingers and other extremities, nail abnormalities, insomnia, loss of appetite, weight loss, crackly breathing, and chest pain and tightness. Complications can include heart problems like congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and fluid buildup.
To diagnose asbestosis, doctors may perform pulmonary function tests, blood tests, CT scans and/or x-rays. The disease is not reversible, but its progression can be slowed and symptoms treated. Treatments include medication, oxygen, breathing therapy, chest percussion and fluid draining. Exercise can increase lung capacity and a humidifier can ease symptoms. Effort should be made to prevent infections and colds. In rare cases, patients undergo lung transplants.
Asbestosis Statistics
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Division of Respiratory Disease Studies issued a report on asbestosis in the US:
- Highest rates of asbestosis deaths were in Washington, Maine, West Virginia, Mississippi, Delaware and New Jersey
- Most victims were white males with a median age of 74
- Most common victims' occupations were plumbers, pipe fitters, steamfitters and insulation workers
- Most common victims' industries were construction, shipbuilding and repair, industrial and miscellaneous chemicals, and railroads
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths, differs from mesothelioma. Lung cancer causes the growth of abnormal, cancerous cells into a tumor in the lung itself, not in organ lining. Like mesothelioma, lung cancer can metastasize to other body organs.
By far, smoking is the highest risk factor for lung cancer. However, chronic exposure to certain industrial chemicals, including asbestos, also heightens the risk of developing lung cancer. The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure can be deadly. Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure or an asbestosis diagnosis should not smoke tobacco.
The main symptom of lung cancer is coughing. Other symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Appetite loss
- Bloody phlegm
- Weight loss
- Hoarseness
- Bronchitis or pneumonia
- Wheezing
Common diagnostic tests include x-rays, CT scans, phlegm analysis, biopsies and various intubation tests. A variety of tests are used to determine the lung cancer stage, which influences treatment choices. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, medications, radiation, photodynamic therapy (medication combined with light therapy) and fluid removal.
Seek Help
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer and have a history of asbestos exposure, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to speak with a skilled asbestos attorney about your legal rights.
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