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Most cases trace back to consistent exposure to asbestos-containing materials
in construction sites, ships and industrial facilities. For an asbestos-related
illness to develop, it usually takes years of regular asbestos exposure,
followed by a latency period that may last decades before symptoms present.
Asbestosis resembles many other diffuse interstitial lung diseases, including
other pneumoconiosis. The differential diagnosis includes idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis (IPF), hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, and others. The
presence of pleural plaquing may provide supportive evidence of causation by
asbestos. Although lung biopsy is usually not necessary, the presence of
asbestos bodies in association with pulmonary fibrosis establishes the
diagnosis. Conversely, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in the absence of
asbestos bodies is most likely not asbestosis. Asbestos bodies in the absence
of fibrosis indicate exposure, not disease.
What is asbestos compensation? If you have been diagnosed with an
asbestos-related disease, your first priority will be your health. But
financial compensation can relieve the burden both you and your family will be
feeling. Maurice Blackburn’s specialist asbestos lawyers are very experienced,
and have helped thousands of people with successful claims in every state of
Australia, such as Eric King, for whom we achieved the largest ever payout in
Australia for an asbestos compensation claim. We work with asbestos disease
sufferers and their families to minimise their inconvenience and stress, and
offer a simple and thorough approach. We will visit you in hospital or at home,
without charge or obligation, to discuss your entitlements and the claims
process. We have access to the National Asbestos Register which includes
information from other people that may prove useful to your case and strengthen
your claim. Our lawyers can also assist you and your family with other legal
matters, such as related superannuation and insurance claims, renegotiating
loan payments, work responsibilities and other care directives, including
Wills. Asbestos laws do vary from state to state, so if you were exposed to asbestos
in a different state to the one you’re currently living in, we can advise you
of the best location to lodge your compensation claim without any need for you
to travel interstate.
Family members of people exposed to asbestos on the job also may be at risk.
Family members may have breathed in asbestos fibers that were brought home on
workers’ clothes, shoes, and bodies.
Occasionally, a biopsy and microscopic examination of the lung is used to
diagnose asbestosis. Under microscopic examination, certain coated fibers
(asbestos bodies) can be seen in association with a pattern of scarring. The
amount of both coated and uncoated (transparent) asbestos has been linked to
the severity of asbestosis. Because other particles may resemble asbestos, a
conclusive identification may require scanning electron microscopy. Currently,
detection of asbestos fibers in the lung tissue and fluids (sputum, secretions)
can be used to make the diagnosis, along with a history of asbestos exposure
and characteristic X-ray or CT results.
Figure A shows the location of the lungs, airways, pleura, and diaphragm in the
body. Figure B shows lungs with asbestos-related diseases, including pleural
plaque, lung cancer, asbestosis, plaque on the diaphragm, and mesothelioma.
Asbestos is made up of tiny fibers that can escape into the air. When breathed
in, these fibers can stay in your lungs for a long time.
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