Asbestosis and Lymphoma—Is There a Claim?

Stanton, CADarryl's father worked with asbestos products for more than 40 years. Although he wasn't diagnosed with asbestosis, Darryl believes the lymphoma and eventual pancreatic cancer that killed him developed from an asbestosis disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.

"Back in the 1950s and 1960s there was asbestos in everything," says Darryl, "from acoustic ceilings to fireproofing—just about everything that plasterers came into contact with. I remember my dad coughing when he came home from work and his clothes were covered in a dust, probably asbestos fibers.

"When my dad was 65 years old he was diagnosed with lymphoma and he suffered with that for several years until it developed into pancreatic cancer that soon ended his life at the age of 72."

Darryl and his brothers were also in the plastering business—naturally they are concerned about their health. Although Darryl doesn't suffer from breathing problems, his older brother, age 61, was the last brother in the family who worked as a plasterer and he has respiratory problems.

Asbestosis develops over time as the asbestos fibers start to cause inflammation in the lungs, which leads to scar tissue. If the scar tissue becomes large enough, it can be detected by X-ray, but for many people it's too late. Asbestosis can lead to mesothelioma, which is a killer.

Not only is Darryl worried about the future, he also wants to file an asbestos claim on behalf of his father. "I've been advised to research asbestos claims filed against the companies my dad worked for," says Darryl. "I'm also learning about the statute of limitations—it seems that there is no limit on asbestos claims but I would like to pursue this—I really believe that asbestos led to my father's death.

"Right now I need to find an asbestos attorney to research commercial plastering jobs in and around Los Angeles, where someone has filed an asbestos claim on behalf of their families—it always helps if someone paves the way for you. I can do the groundwork and obtain a list of every company that employed my father…"

Lymphoma has been associated with asbestos exposure. In 1999, a Portland, Oregon jury awarded $1.502 million in damages (defendant Kaiser Gypsum Company) to 71-year-old Robert Bush who was diagnosed with an asbestos-related lung disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. From 1956 through 1986 (the same time as Darryl's father), Mr. Bush was exposed to building products that contained asbestos.

The relationship between asbestos exposure and lymphoma has been known since at least 1982, when the British medical journal Lancet reported a surplus of large cell lymphomas among participants in a study who had been exposed to asbestos. Since that time, many more studies have found a high incidence of lymphomas in those exposed to asbestos.