What Is A “latency Period” And What Does It Mean For Retired Workers In Louisiana Who Were Exposed To Asbestos?

A latency period, for Louisiana workers who were exposed to asbestos through their occupations, is the length of time between the exposure and development of a disease related to that exposure. The concept of a latency period is not cut and dried – for most people with occupational exposure to asbestos, that exposure occurred over many years.

For mesothelioma, which is a cancer caused by asbestos that is breathed in or inadvertently swallowed, the delay between asbestos exposure and diagnosis with the disease can be many decades. The vast majority of people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Louisiana and nationwide are older men who were exposed to asbestos fibers during their careers.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of people who worked with asbestos never develop mesothelioma, but there have also been many cases where someone who worked in an asbestos-intensive industry or worksite came home in contaminated clothing, and years or decades later their spouse or a child is diagnosed with mesothelioma based on second-hand exposure.

These stories are indisputably tragic, and for families in Louisiana facing a mesothelioma diagnosis in any family member, there is help to be had with the expenses of treatment and to ensure that your family is protected in the event that this very difficult diagnosis cannot be beaten.

Some diseases take many years or many decades to develop in the body, and mesothelioma is one where employers have generally accepted responsibility for the pain and suffering they’ve caused in their former workers.

At The Gertler Law Firm, we can help connect you to resources that can protect you and your family for the long haul. Call us today at (504) 527-8767 for a free consultation with an experienced New Orleans mesothelioma attorney.