WILLIS
LAW FIRM
5252 Westchester St.
Suite #275
Houston, Texas
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Silicosis
Types- (Chronic, Accelerated & Acute Silicosis)
Silicosis
is the disease most associated with crystalline silica exposure;
it is incurable but preventable. Silicosis is a debilitating
and often fatal lung disease among workers that are employed in
mining,tunneling, rock quarrying, rock drilling ,crushing
stone, chipping, grinding, sandblasting ,grinding or polishing
in pottery and foundry work,shakeout of molds, construction industry,cutting
or manufacturing heat-resistant bricks (fire brick) and many other
occupations that expose workers to silica dust.
Three types of Silicosis:
-
Simple
/Chronic Silicosis -- which results from long-term
exposure (more than 20 years) to low amounts of silica dust.
Nodules of chronic inflammation and scarring provoked by the
silica dust form in the lungs and chest lymph nodes. This disease
may feature breathlessness and may resemble chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) Chronic silicosis can be either simple
silicosis or complicated silicosis (also called progressive
massive fibrosis), a distinction based on the chest radiographic
appearance
- Simple
Silicosis may be asymptomatic or may present
with exertional dyspnea and cough with sputum production.
Differentiating these symptoms from chronic bronchitis
and emphysema in a smoker may be difficult.
- Complicated
Silicosis, dyspnea and productive cough often
are accompanied by constitutional symptoms of malaise
and weight loss
-
Accelerated
Silicosis -- occurs after exposure to larger amounts
of silica over a shorter period of time (4-8 years). Inflammation,
scarring, and symptoms progress faster in accelerated silicosis
than in simple silicosis.
-
Acute
Silicosis -- results from short-term exposure to very
large amounts of silica. The lungs become very inflamed and
may fill with fluid, causing severe shortness of breath and
low blood oxygen levels. Acute silicosis follows massive exposure
to dust in unregulated environments. A subset of acute silicosis
is silicoproteinosis, the chest radiographic appearance of which
mimics pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Acute silicosis causes
symptoms of severe dyspnea, cough, fever, and weight loss.Silicoproteinosis
is often called acute silicosis), an alveolar lipoproteinosis
which occurs after a very heavy exposure to small particles
(less than 5–7 mm) of silica (quartz, cristobalite or tridymite).
Initial
changes consist of a diffuse haze in the lower lung fields.
Later, ground-glass appearances, as well as coarse linear or
rounded opacities are seen. A miliary picture with very small
round opacities may also occur in the lower lung fields. The
diagnosis of alveolar proteinosis may be readily made by the
appearance of the bronchoalveolar fluid, which has a characteristic
milky appearance. It is estimated that up to half the cases
of alveolar proteinosis may be due to acute silicosis.
Silicosis
Symptoms and Causes
The
precise mechanism that triggers the development of silicosis
is still unclear. What is known is that particles of silica
dust get trapped in the tiny sacs (alveoli) in the lungs where
air exchange takes place. White blood cells called macrophages
in the alveoli ingest the silica and die. The resulting inflammation
attracts other macrophages to the region. The nodule forms when
the immune system forms fibrous tissue to seal off the reactive
area. The disease process may stop at this point, or speed up
and destroy large areas of the lung. The fibrosis may continue
even after the worker is no longer exposed to silica.
Early
symptoms of silicosis include shortness of breath after exercising
and a harsh, dry cough. Patients may have more trouble breathing
and cough up blood as the disease progresses. Congestive heart
failure can give their nails a bluish tint. Patients with advanced
silicosis may have trouble sleeping and experience chest pain,
hoarseness, and loss of appetite. Silicosis patients are at
high risk for Tuberculosis (TB).
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If
you or a loved one have been diagnosed with silicosis then call
us for a Free Confidential Consultation. Talk to Board Certified
Personal Injury Trial Lawyer with over 20 years of experience.
Know your rights under the law. To learn more call or e-mail
us. (Click
Here)
Call Toll Free
1 800 883 9858
Find
out if you are eligible for a silicosis lawsuit. Remember all silicosis
legal actions and claims are handled by a contingency fee contract.
That means you pay us no attorneys or court expenses unless we obtain
a legal award or monetary recovery for you. Call us toll free to
discuss your case.
(Silicosis Legal Help)
1-800-883-9858
How could I
have gotten silicosis if I always worn a paper dust mask ? What
type of respirator works to prevent silica exposure ? Do I have
a case if I never worn any type of protection at all ?
(Silica Exposure)
I
never saw any silicosis warnings on any sand products, paper
dust masks, hoods or sandblasting pots or any equipment until
a few years ago. Are any of these companies responsible for failing
to warn me about the hazards of silicosis ?
(Silica Warnings)
Why do sandblasters get silicosis so often ? If I
wear a paper mask under my hood will I be safe ? Can other people
such as painters and other construction workers be exposed to silica
dust 20 - 50 yds away from where I am sandblasting ? Is there a
safe amount of silica that one can breath ? Is there a safe way
to sandblast without getting silicosis ?
(Sandblasting)
Besides shortness of breath, loss of appetite and
chest pains are there any other symptoms for silicosis lung disease
? What types of medical tests are available to diagnose silicosis
? Is there a medical cure or any effective treatment for silicosis
?
(Silicosis Treatment)
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