Gordon & Doner PA
Florida Mesothelioma Attorneys / Asbestos Exposure Lawyers / Asbestosis: Palm Beach, Martin County, Broward
Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers. The fibers travel through the lung and become lodged in the pleura (the thin, saran wrap-type membrane lining the lungs). The onset of mesothelioma symptoms is usually very slow, and may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Each year 2,500 to 4,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases.
For more information about asbestos, please see our website page: What You Need to Know about Asbestos.
There is no known cure for this terrible disease. Most patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are given less than a year to live. Gordon & Doner, P.A., handles a select number of cases at a time, and represent workers and families suffering from the effects of mesothelioma.
Our attorneys can help identify at-risk workplaces, known asbestos sites, and companies or manufacturers known for asbestos usage. Exposure to asbestos typically occurs in the workplace, and the long latency period of the disease makes it difficult for patients to remember when or where the asbestos exposure occurred.
If you worked in any of the following occupations, you may have been exposed to asbestos:
Aircraft mechanics
Auto mechanics
Boilermakers
Brake mechanics
Bricklayers
Carpenters
Cement finishers
Crane operators
Electricians
Foundry workers
Inspectors
Insulators
Lathers
Longshoremen
Machinists
Masonry workers
Merchant marine seamen
Millwrights
Navy personnel
Navy yard workers
Painters
Papermill workers
Pipefitters
Plantworkers
Plasterers
Plumbers
Powerhouse workers
Railroad workers
Roofers
Sheetmetal workers
Steamfitters
Welders
The symptoms of mesothelioma are often non-specific, and may be signs of other less serious medical conditions. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms consult your physician immediately:
* Pleural effusions. One of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma is a pleural effusion, or an accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. As the volume of fluid increases, shortness of breath, known as dyspnea, and sometimes pain may occur.
* Shortness of breath. Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) can be caused by a buildup of fluid in the pleural area of the lungs, and/or the presence of a tumor in the pleural lining. Both conditions can restrict the proper functioning of the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath.
* Chest or back pain. A buildup of fluid in the pleural lining of the lungs can create a feeling of fullness and pressure, causing areas of localized pain in the chest cavity and sometimes in the lower back area. Chest pain occurs more often on the right side of the body, as mesothelioma affects the right lung 60 percent of the time. Only 5 percent of patients have mesothelioma in both lungs.
* Chronic hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, coughing up blood. Chronic hoarseness, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and/or the coughing up of blood (hemoptysis) are symptoms that are exhibited in less than 1% of undiagnosed mesothelioma sufferers.
* Swelling of the face and arms. The swelling of the face or neck areas can indicate a spreading of the cancer beyond the mesothelium.
Other reported symptoms include fever, muscle weakness and sensory loss, and nausea.
A number of treatments are available to help contain the spread of the disease and reduce the pain associated with it. Chemotherapy, radiation and radical surgery to remove the lung and/or pleura are among the options that will be explored by the treating physician.
Like other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma was preventable. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or have been affected by exposure to asbestos, the lawyers of Gordon & Doner can help. Finding the right legal representation is likely weighing heavily on your mind.
Contact us today. At Gordon & Doner, we believe our system of justice works best when skilled attorneys that have the resources to fully prepare and try a case represent both sides. Please complete our online contact form or call us toll free at 1-800-659-1159.
For more information, please see the following related page on our website:
What You Need to Know about Asbestos.
Gordon & Doner PA
5353 Federal Hwy #209
Fort Lauderdale FL 33308
Tel: 954 489-0009
Serving:
Palm Beach County,
Martin County,
Broward County,
Dade County,
St. Lucie County,
Port St. Lucie,
West Palm Beach,
Palm Beach Gardens,
Pompano Beach,
Stuart,
Lake Worth,
Delray Beach,
Boca Raton,
Ft. Lauderdale,
Miami,
Pembroke Pines,
South Bay,
Seymour,
Pahokee,
Lantana,
Hollywood,
Hallandale,
Fort Pierce,
Belle Glade.
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