If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a Virginia Beach mesothelioma/asbestos lawyer can evaluate your case to determine what type of financial compensation you may be entitled to and who the liable parties may be. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we understand how overwhelming and devastating this diagnosis can be and will work diligently to get you the financial compensation you deserve.
What Are Mesothelioma Cancers
According to national statistics, there are more than 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma cancers diagnosed each year in the United States, and those numbers are expected to keep increasing. This type of cancer has been linked to exposure to asbestos, something that many people have worked around for decades. Asbestos was used to manufacture all types of buildings and other types of materials that all of us are around every single day. It was especially prevalent in railroad yards and equipment, putting hundreds of thousands of railroad workers at high risk of developing mesothelioma. Railroad workers stricken with asbestos-induced cancers have the right to bring actions against their rail employers under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA).
The U.S. government banned asbestos in the 1970s because it was discovered that asbestos fibers easily broke off and could be inhaled. These fibers could cause stomach, lung, and other diseases that were all fatal. The outrage, however, is that companies who manufactured and used asbestos had been aware of its deadly dangers since the 1920s. Putting profits before human life for decades has now led to thousands of people developing terminal mesothelioma and other fatal cancers.
It has also been discovered that it is not just people who worked around asbestos who are now at risk, but also their families due to the high rate of second-hand asbestos exposure. Workers brought asbestos dust home on their hair, skin, clothing, tools, and even lunchboxes, potentially and unknowingly exposing their loved ones to a death sentence.
Asbestos cancers and permanent diseases caused by asbestos fibers are highly insidious because the cancers and diseases can manifest in a railroad engineer or conductor decades after their workplace initial exposures, even 30-50 years later. Fortunately, the pertinent statutes of limitations under the FELA only start accruing from when the worker knew or should have known of the harm suffered. When a worker first learns of the disease decades later, the limitation period only then begins to “run” or accrue.
What Are the Types of Mesothelioma
There are three types of mesothelioma a victim can develop:
- Pleural Mesothelioma – This is the most common type of mesothelioma. About 75 percent of victims are diagnosed with this type of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining of the victim’s lungs and is often misdiagnosed as either pneumonia or lung cancer.
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma – About 25 percent of victims are diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the victim’s stomach.
- Pericardial Mesothelioma – This rare form of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the victim’s heart and is often misdiagnosed as either heart failure or heart disease.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm for Legal Assistance
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other type of asbestos-related disease or cancer, it is crucial to contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp immediately. There is a stringent statute of limitations on filing these claims and that window is not a very big one. Our firm has represented all types of railroad workers harmed by asbestos exposures on the job, including engineers, conductors, shop workers, track maintenance workers, and other crafts as well. These workers have been employed by CSX, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak, and other short-line railroads.
Our compassionate Virginia Beach mesothelioma lawyers are dedicated to getting you the financial justice you deserve, like the $5 million wrongful death award we obtained for the family of a Virginia railroad worker who died from asbestosis caused by long-term on-the-job asbestos exposure.
Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.