Mesothelioma Lawyers Serving Michigan for Asbestos Lawsuits

Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran

If you have contracted a lung ailment like mesothelioma and believe that it is the result of working with asbestos, you may be liable for compensation and be able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Mesothelioma lawyers serving Michigan for asbestos lawsuits can help you navigate the tricky court system. Here is some information that can prove useful if you or someone you know contracted an asbestos-related disease.

What is Asbestos?

This heat and fire-resistant material is six natural silicate minerals and has been used for over a century in brake linings, shingles, and more. Its long, microscopic fibers make excellent insulation and are often used in the construction industry.

When abraded or agitated, asbestos fibers are released into the air. If inhaled, they can create irritation and inflammation in the lungs, leading to severe ailments like lung cancer and mesothelioma. Many workers who have been exposed to asbestos or worked in an industry that regularly uses asbestos may contract one of these deadly diseases.

Asbestos became popular during the Industrial Age when its many heat-resistant properties became highly desired in specific industries. The first recorded asbestos-related death was in 1906, but it wasn’t until much later in the United States that lawmakers created the first restrictions and laws about asbestos.

Any worker that has contracted mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos may be liable for compensation for medical expenses and any lost wages due to treatment. Contact asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers at the law firm of Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. for a consultation.

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

Both of these afflictions are caused by exposure to asbestos. However, mesothelioma is only caused by asbestos, whereas lung cancer can also be caused by pollution and smoking.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the linings of specific organs, primarily the lungs, heart, or stomach. Lung cancer, on the other hand, only occurs in the lungs. Symptoms for both of these ailments are similar – shortness of breath, chest pain, trouble breathing – but mesothelioma is much deadlier than lung cancer.

The life expectancy of a patient with mesothelioma is one year, although treatments like chemotherapy and radiation may extend that some. Although mesothelioma is more deadly than lung cancer, lung cancer has more visibility as it’s the second most common form of cancer in the United States.

Michigan Industries

The state of Michigan has seen many personal injury claims due to asbestos exposure, possibly due to the many industries in the state that previously used it. Here are a few of them.

• Automobile Assembly – Michigan has had a prominent automobile sector for the last 100 years. Unfortunately, this exposed many automobile assembly plant employees to asbestos. Anyone who repaired, ground, or sanded brakes are especially vulnerable.
• Shipyards – Since Michigan has a long coast, many ports became hubs for shipbuilding ventures. These ventures used asbestos for insulation and pipes, among other things, and often these items were installed in unventilated conditions with little or no protective equipment.
• Asbestos Mines – There are naturally occurring asbestos mines in Michigan, and a few of the open deposit sites were mined. Any workers who handled and transported asbestos in this industry are at the highest risk for cancer. Since the fibers are airborne, many other workers at the mines could be exposed, and family members could suffer from secondhand exposure when they came into contact with the miner.

These industries have seen the most asbestos-related personal injury or wrongful death claims in the state. Still, other sectors, like millwrights, auto inspectors, or power plant employees, were also at risk of exposure.

Dangers of Misdiagnosis

Because the symptoms of mesothelioma and lung cancer are so similar, and they share these symptoms with many other lung ailments, misdiagnoses sometimes occur. A wrong diagnosis is especially troubling if one wishes to seek compensation for an asbestos-related illness.

Trust funds are set up to ease the financial burden of those diagnosed with mesothelioma due to work-related exposure. To access these funds, you must have a diagnosis that positively affirms that the ailment is indeed related to asbestos exposure. With a misdiagnosis, you may be denied compensation for your injuries and illness.

Many asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys advise clients to get a second or even third opinion, hopefully from a doctor or doctors who have experience with asbestos-related ailments. To learn more about the funds set aside for mesothelioma patients, consult the best mesothelioma lawyers at Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. Senior partner, Eileen Kroll is a nurse attorney and can ensure you have the right medical advocates to prove your case.

Statute of Limitations

There are two types of statute of limitations: personal injury and wrongful death. The statute of limitations puts a deadline when you can file your claim or lawsuit for yourself or on behalf of a loved one who has died. Every state has its own statute of limitations. For example, in Michigan, the personal injury statute of limitations is three years from the diagnosis date for mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease. Similarly, Michigan has a wrongful death statute that creates deadlines for filing a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a loved one that varies based upon the date the estate is established within the limitation period prior to death. Establishing the statute of limitations in a wrongful death case can be complicated. The attorneys at Cochran, Kroll and Associates are very experienced in handling wrongful death claims and determining the applicable statute of limitations.

Contact Us

To begin the process of filing a wrongful death or personal injury claim due to exposure to asbestos, you must first collect some evidence. You need a definite mesothelioma diagnosis, recorded evidence of worksite-related exposure, the name of the company you worked for, and a witness who was there at the time.

Once these pieces are in place, the Michigan mesothelioma lawyers at the law offices of Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. can make sure you get what is owed you. Call us toll-free at 866-MICH-LAW for a no-obligation consultation.

Our law firm operates on a contingency basis, so you never have to pay a fee unless we win your case.

Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.