Rockford’s industrial employers relied heavily on asbestos. Its machine-tool shops, foundries, and factories packed asbestos around boilers, ovens, and machinery. As a result, northern Illinois has one of the highest concentrations of asbestos exposure victims in the country. The diligent Rockford mesothelioma and asbestos lawyers at Throneberry Law Group help these victims, and our statewide team of Illinois mesothelioma lawyers is dedicated to fair compensation for their serious injuries. Every case starts with a free, no-pressure conversation.
Asbestos Exposure Diseases
Mesothelioma, asbestosis, ovarian cancer, and abdominal cancer may be among the most common asbestos exposure-related illnesses in Illinois.
Inhaled asbestos fibers often cause pleural mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the pleura, the lining around the lungs. These fibers form tumors that start small, grow slowly, and then spread.
These tumors form in the thick membranes of the pleura, making them hard to spot with standard diagnostic exams. A Rockford mesothelioma and asbestos lawyer connects potential victims with doctors who administer advanced tests, improving their chances.
Asbestosis was the first medically identified asbestos exposure illness. Asbestos fibers scar the delicate tissue inside the lungs. As that scar tissue builds up, breathing becomes harder, and in severe cases the disease leads to respiratory failure.
Some asbestosis treatments are available, such as a radical lung transplant. However, this procedure is so risky that, in many cases, the cure is worse than the disease, which is saying quite a bit.
Asbestos-talc cross-contamination is linked to ovarian cancer. When women used asbestos-laced talcum powder in the genital area, the fibers could reach the ovaries. Many of these women had no idea they were using a contaminated product.
Because talcum powders were used for decades, these cases can involve exposures going back many years. A Rockford asbestos and mesothelioma lawyer can help trace which products were involved and when. We also work with medical specialists who can help confirm whether talc or workplace asbestos was the more likely source.
Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal mesothelioma) is very similar to pleural mesothelioma, except that swallowed asbestos fibers cause the tumors to form in the abdominal cavity. Swallowed fibers are also associated with other cancers, such as of the larynx and stomach.
Legal Options Available
Because asbestos fibers affect so many different kinds of victims, several different legal options are available, including:
Civil Action: Companies that knowingly sell defective products and fail to adequately warn users of the risks are negligent in every sense of the word. Substantial compensation, including substantial punitive damages, is usually available in civil cases.
Workers’ Compensation: If an asbestos exposure illness was substantially work-related, a workers’ compensation claim may be available. Workers’ compensation claims are no-fault claims. Victims are entitled to compensation irrespective of their own negligence, if any.
VA Disability: Similarly, if an asbestos exposure illness was substantially service-related, a VA disability claim may be a good option. “Substantial cause” means service or work-related exposure substantially caused illness and something else, such as cigarette smoking, was a contributing cause.
Bankruptcy Victim Compensation Claims: If the responsible provider is bankrupt, the quickest and easiest form of asbestos exposure illness compensation may be available. VCF claims are basically hybrids between civil claims and VA disability/workers’ compensation claims.
Other options are available as well, such as Social Security Disability. So, all asbestos exposure victims should consult with a Rockford asbestos and mesothelioma lawyer for a case evaluation.
Our Approach to Mesothelioma Cases
Rockford has changed over the years, but our approach to these cases is largely unchanged, because quite simply, you do not mess with success.
Our legal team always puts first things first, which in this case is your health. We connect victims with top-notch doctors who present diagnosis and treatment options the victim may not have known about. Generally, these doctors charge nothing up front for their professional services.
Next, we collect evidence that supports your claim and refutes insurance company defenses. This evidence includes medical records, witness statements, and reports from qualified specialists. We also line up the medical opinions needed to connect each illness to the right asbestos source.
With this solid foundation in place, our team is well-positioned to obtain maximum compensation for serious injuries, usually by way of an out-of-court settlement.
Known Asbestos Exposure Sites in Rockford
Rockford built its economy on machine tools, fasteners, furniture, and aerospace, not mining. Bankruptcy trusts have recognized many Rockford factories as asbestos exposure sites, including Sundstrand, Barber-Colman, Greenlee Brothers, Ingersoll Milling Machine, National Lock, J.I. Case, the Gunite and Kelsey-Hayes foundries, and Amerock, all of which used asbestos insulation around boilers, ovens, and machinery. The Central Illinois Electric and Gas power plant and, nearby, the Commonwealth Edison Byron station added power-plant exposure to the area. Workers who maintained that equipment, and the building trades in Rockford’s aging plants, schools, and hospitals, faced regular exposure. Because asbestos disease can take decades to appear, many former Rockford workers are only now connecting a diagnosis to a job they left long ago.
Work With a Tough-Minded Attorney at Throneberry Law Group
Several kinds of compensation are available for victims of several kinds of asbestos exposure in Illinois. But no one gives this compensation away.
Instead, only an experienced Rockford mesothelioma lawyer at Throneberry Law Group can obtain the compensation these victims need and deserve. Start the process now with a confidential consultation.