Asbestos, Mesothelioma, and Social Security Disability: What You Need to Know
Back-to-school shopping lists haven’t changed much from the traditional notebooks, pencils, pens, flashcards, highlighters, rulers, and crayons for most Muncie students. Apparently, what has also not changed has been the material common school supplies are made of.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund has 30 years of experience testing school products for various toxins. According to Indiana Public Radio, the organization recently discovered that the green crayon in Playskool-brand crayons tested positive for asbestos.
Asbestos is most dangerous to individuals through long-term exposure via inhalation. Although a single crayon may not cause serious side effects to a child, imagine the side effects a person might suffer if they work in the types of factories that, knowingly or unknowingly, use asbestos in their products. That type of long-term exposure can leave many adults disabled, in no condition to work, and possibly fit for Social Security disability benefits.
All About Asbestos
Found in soil and rocks around the globe, asbestos is a group of minerals bundled as tiny fibers. Once inhaled, asbestos can become embedded in the lining of the lungs, resulting in pleural mesothelioma, a type of cancer.
It can be difficult to protect yourself against asbestos and mesothelioma for a number of reasons:
- An asbestos-related illness takes roughly 20-50 years to develop, so you may not show symptoms until it is too late.
- Asbestos fibers never dissolve or leave the body.
- Asbestos fibers cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted.
Exposure to asbestos is most often through occupational hazards but can also be from second-hand exposure. No amount of asbestos exposure is healthy for the human body, but exposure to asbestos at high concentrations or on a regular basis is most dangerous.
The diseases contracted from asbestos fibers typically occur in the lung tissue, or the pleura. Common diseases related to asbestos are:
- Asbestosis: A chronic lung condition caused by prolonged, high, and intense exposure to asbestos fibers
- Pleuritis: The inflammation of the lung’s membrane which causes sharp chest pain
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A chronic inflammatory lung disease that results in obstructed airflow from the lungs
- Mesothelioma: A cancer type that appears in the layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs
- Lung Cancer: A cancer that forms in the tissues of the lung, typically in the cells lining the air passages
- Ovarian Cancer: A cancer formed in the tissues of the ovary
- Laryngeal Cancer: A cancer that can begin in the lining of the larynx and then in the tissue of the larynx
Qualifying for Disability with Mesothelioma
Two types of mesothelioma are already included in Social Security Administration’s listing of impairments:
- Mesothelioma of the pleura
- Mesothelioma in the mediastinum, spreading beyond regional lymph nodes or recurring following initial treatment
However, to diagnose mesothelioma is extremely difficult since the symptoms are common with many other medical conditions. The only way to receive an official diagnosis is through a biopsy of the lung tissue. When presenting your medical records, be sure to have:
- Initial diagnostic testing
- MRI and CT scans
- Pathologist results
- Medical history
Consult a Muncie Social Security Disability Attorney
Social Security disability claims are difficult, frustrating, and often time-consuming. Reach out to local Muncie Social Security disability attorneys for help. Call today or contact us online for your free consultation with Hensley Legal Group.
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