These days many Chicagoans know that exposure to asbestos can be dangerous. However, that doesn’t mean workers aren’t exposed to it. Construction work or remodeling can expose workers to asbestos used on the premises years ago. Asbestos can be found in flooring, shingles, insulation and more. Workers breathe in asbestos fibers from the dust that is created when the material containing asbestos is damaged. Asbestos fibers breathed in or swallowed over the years can lead to a particularly deadly form of cancer: mesothelioma.
There are several types of mesothelioma that a worker could contract. Pleural mesothelioma involves lung tissue. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include pain in the region of the chest, coughing, becoming short of breath, losing weight and lumps on the individual’s chest.
Peritoneal mesothelioma involves abdominal tissue. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include pain and swelling in the abdomen, abdominal lumps and losing weight. Other forms of mesothelioma include pericardial mesothelioma, which involves the individual’s heart tissue and tunica vaginalis mesothelioma, which involves the individual’s testicular tissue.
Although treatments for mesothelioma exist, many people who contract mesothelioma will probably not survive. Even though the dangers of working with asbestos are known, workers in Chicago are still wrongly exposed to asbestos, contract mesothelioma and pass away due to the disease. When this happens, the workers family may be left wondering why their loved one was wrongly exposed to the asbestos that ultimately lead to their death. If it is determined that the negligent actions of the deceased’s employer caused the exposure that led to the disease, the deceased’s family may want to hold the employer responsible for the death. To this end, they may try to pursue a wrongful death suit. Those involved in an Illinois construction site injury involving mesothelioma may want to speak to an attorney, to determine if such a lawsuit is possible.
Source: Mayo Clinic, “Mesothelioma,” Accessed Sept. 27, 2015