Do You Have Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, or Other Asbestos Disease?

If your life has been turned upside down by mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you’ve come to the right place.

Millions of people have been exposed to asbestos over the years in their work environments and elsewhere. At Ward Black Law, our goal is to help educate and assist those who develop diseases from their exposure to pursue compensation for their injuries.

Asbestos is a silent killer. Most individuals who are exposed won’t discover the devastating effects until years, or even decades, down the road. While some medical treatments may help, nothing can fully take away the physical and emotional suffering these honest workers have to endure.

Ward Black Law partners with you and your family to minimize the burden.

Asbestos Disease Overview

More than mesothelioma

The dangers of asbestos are not a recent discovery.

Doctors first linked working with asbestos to health problems in the early 1900s. By the 1920s, the word was out; however, manufacturers relied so heavily on the material that they continued to use it for decades without proper safety precautions. This information was often hidden from workers and consumers. Finally, in the 1970s, the government began limiting the use of asbestos, but not until 2002 did the last U.S. asbestos mine close.

Cancers of the lungs, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other diseases related to asbestos exposure tend to have long latency periods. That means it can take 10 or more years before the first symptoms show up. If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is related to your exposure to asbestos in years past, and the companies that knowingly exposed you should be held accountable.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure.

It develops in the lining (mesothelium) of the lungs, stomach, or heart.

This is likely the asbestos-related disease you hear most about on television, in newspaper ads, or online. However, there are several different diseases and health problems linked to asbestos exposure. These include:

• Asbestosis – Asbestosis is the scarring of delicate lung tissue. This chronic scarring can spread through the lungs and cause breathing problems.
• Pleural Effusions or Plaques – Pleural effusions (fluid on the lungs) or pleural plaques (scarring or thickened tissue on the lining of the lungs) can make breathing difficult and cause chest pain.
• Lung Cancer and Digestive Tract Cancer in Addition to Mesothelioma – Asbestos exposure can cause cancer in many different areas of the body. Lung, colon, esophageal, and laryngeal cancers are common.

See how Ward Black Law can help.

Who’s Responsible for Your Disease?

Identifying the sources of asbestos exposure.

Nailing down where you were exposed to asbestos is one of the most important steps in your case.

Sadly, a lot of companies across the country have poisoned innocent workers by not taking the proper steps to warn or protect them from asbestos. If you worked in a high-risk industry, your former employer, or multiple entities, may be at fault.

High-risk industries include:

Asbestos exposure may occur at any job or may come from hobbies like automotive work or home repair. It can also come from exposure to talcum powder in baby or beauty products.

What Compensation is Available in North Carolina?

Discover all possible avenues and opportunities for compensation. There are often many sources!

At Ward Black Law, we investigate all possible forms of compensation to which you may be entitled.

Victims of mesothelioma, cancer of the lung, asbestosis, and other asbestos diseases may be able to get funds from a number of sources.

These include:

• Money from trust funds set up by asbestos companies
• Claims against manufacturers and distributors in court
• Workers’ compensation benefits

Workers’ Compensation Details

In addition to mandating benefits for workers who are involved in on-the-job accidents, the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act also covers occupational diseases, such as diseases caused by continuous exposure to asbestos and/or asbestos-containing products such as mesothelioma, different cancers of the lung, and other asbestos diseases.

When a worker is diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, benefits available to him/her will depend on his/her current medical status. If the worker is currently disabled from his/her lung condition, payment of weekly compensation may be available along with payment for all medical bills and prescriptions. In addition, workers who are diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness without a disability may be eligible to receive up to $20,000 per lung for permanent damage to an important internal organ.

Sometimes asbestos exposure can cause the development of life-threatening diseases such as chest cancer or mesothelioma. In the unfortunate event that an asbestos-related disease causes the death of a worker, then death benefits and funeral expenses may be available to the spouse and/or his/her dependents or next of kin.

Payment of death benefits is generally based on 66.66% of the average weekly wage the worker earned at the time of the last injurious exposure to asbestos for a 500-week period.

Our priority is making sure you get maximum compensation to relieve your financial burdens as fully as possible from as many sources as possible.

More than Medical Costs

Treating asbestos-related cancer can be financially devastating for a family. The majority of patients require highly advanced medical treatments, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and other procedures that quickly add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ward Black Law not only considers your medical expenses; we aim to recover as many of your costs as possible.

In addition to medical expenses, you may be entitled to money to cover:

• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Travel expenses
• Helpful therapies not covered by insurance

If you feel overwhelmed by the burden of treating mesothelioma, cancer of the lungs, or other diseases or are worried about the financial implications for your family, you need an experienced asbestos attorney on your side.

Ward Black Law has a dedicated team of asbestos attorneys who have successfully represented more than 1,000 people in North Carolina with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other conditions for 30 years.

Our compassionate attorneys are in this field because they care. With over 30 years of experience in representing North Carolinians with asbestos diseases, we go to work on behalf of your family — researching, investigating, and litigating to ensure you receive every benefit to which you are entitled.

Attorney Janet Ward Black has been handling claims including workers’ compensation for more than 30 years throughout North Carolina for injuries, diseases, and deaths. She has extensive experience in representing more than 1000 North Carolinians employed at power plants, manufacturing facilities, and construction sites where asbestos has caused mesothelioma, chest cancer, asbestosis, and other cancers in employees.

How Much Will Legal Representation Cost in North Carolina?

Learn how to get help with no money out of pocket.

When you hire Ward Black Law, you will never have to write a check for attorney fees or costs.

We don’t get paid until we get compensation for you. If you don’t receive a settlement, you won’t owe us anything. We don’t charge by the hour – we work on a contingency fee meaning we’ll only be paid a small percentage of what we recover for you. You don’t need money to get our help!

We encourage you to avoid delays in having your case reviewed. Time to file a claim is limited, typically only 1-3 years from your diagnosis. Contact us for more details on these limitations from a mesothelioma lawyer. We will help you understand your rights and answer your questions free of charge.