San Antonio Mesothelioma Lawyers | Asbestos Exposure
San Antonio Mesothelioma Lawyers: Asbestos Exposure and Your Right to Compensation
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused almost entirely by asbestos exposure, and a diagnosis often arrives decades after the exposure occurred. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, the San Antonio mesothelioma lawyers at our firm can help you understand your options and pursue the compensation you are owed. Knowing where this disease comes from, and who is responsible, is the first step toward holding negligent companies accountable.
Asbestos exposure is the single greatest risk factor for mesothelioma, and the people who paid the price were usually workers who never knew the danger. Our San Antonio mesothelioma lawyers represent patients and families who breathed asbestos dust on the job or at home and now face a devastating diagnosis. You may have many unanswered questions about your health, your finances, and your legal rights, and you should not have to face them alone.
Compensation matters because mesothelioma treatment is costly and the disease is usually caught late. Through asbestos trust funds and lawsuits, a San Antonio mesothelioma lawyer can pursue money for medical bills, lost income, and the suffering this illness causes. People exposed to asbestos have recovered significant damages for asbestos-related diseases, and that recovery can ease the burden on a family already coping with so much. A skilled San Antonio mesothelioma lawyer knows how to trace exposure back to the responsible parties.
What Exactly Is Mesothelioma?
Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the mesothelium, the thin layer of cells lining the body’s internal organs. The disease takes three main forms. Pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs, called the pleura, and is by far the most common, accounting for roughly 75% of all cases, according to the American Cancer Society. Pericardial mesothelioma forms in the lining of the heart (the pericardium), and peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).
Nearly everyone who develops mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos. Most patients worked in jobs where they inhaled asbestos fibers, though exposure also happened secondhand. Research has shown that even washing the asbestos-dusted clothing of a family member can raise the risk. Mesothelioma is rare, with about 3,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year and roughly 2,500 deaths, per the CDC, but its tie to asbestos makes it one of the most preventable cancers.
The History of Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral made of microscopic fibrous crystals, and people have used it for thousands of years. Throughout the 20th century, manufacturers relied on it for heat insulation, electrical insulation, and as a filler in joint compound and concrete, before the United States and most other countries restricted its use. The medical link between asbestos and mesothelioma was established early in the 1900s, yet the danger stayed hidden from the workers most at risk.
That concealment sits at the heart of asbestos litigation. Although doctors and many industry leaders knew asbestos caused disease, large corporations kept using it and exposed hundreds of thousands of laborers to harmful levels. Asbestos litigation is now the longest-running mass tort in American history. Through 2002, more than 730,000 people had filed claims against some 8,400 defendants, and companies and insurers had spent over $70 billion, according to the RAND Corporation. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, an experienced attorney can fight on your side.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma symptoms are dangerous precisely because they surface so late. Signs often do not appear until 20 to 60 years after asbestos exposure, by which point the cancer may already be advanced. Pleural mesothelioma typically causes shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain from fluid collecting around the lungs, a condition called pleural effusion.
Pleural and pericardial mesothelioma can cause a combination of the following signs and symptoms:
- Chest wall pain
- Pleural effusion (fluid surrounding the lungs)
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue or anemia
- Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
- Blood in the sputum coughed up (hemoptysis)
- Blood clotting abnormalities
- Anemia and fever
In severe cases, the patient may develop multiple tumor masses, a collapsed lung (pneumothorax), or cancer that spreads to other parts of the body. When the disease spreads beyond the mesothelium, symptoms may involve pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck and face. Peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the abdominal cavity, often causes no symptoms until a late stage. Warning signs include:
- Abdominal pain
- Ascites (an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen)
- A mass in the abdomen
- Problems with bowel function
- Weight loss
In advanced cases of pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial mesothelioma, the following may also appear:
- Blood clots in the veins (thrombophlebitis)
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many organs
- Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
- Low blood sugar
- Blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
How Our San Antonio Mesothelioma Lawyers Can Help
A mesothelioma diagnosis raises urgent legal questions, and the right attorney protects your rights while you focus on treatment. Our team investigates where and when your asbestos exposure happened, identifies the companies responsible, and pursues compensation through asbestos trust funds, settlements, or trial. Strict deadlines apply to these claims, so acting promptly safeguards your ability to recover.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the San Antonio area, contact our experienced mesothelioma attorneys for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will answer your questions, explain your options, and fight to hold negligent companies accountable for the harm asbestos exposure has caused your family.