Throughout daily life, Georgia residents are surrounded by potential hazards. Even though it may take years for any symptoms to present themselves, continuous exposure to a toxic substance could cause numerous health issues. For anyone who discovers that the origin of the illness is tied to that exposure, it may be possible to seek restitution by filing a toxic tort claim.
Most people experience the most exposure through work, at home or through products they purchased. Many medications also contain toxic substances that could make a medical condition worse instead of better. Some examples of widely used toxic substances include lead-based paint, asbestos and pesticides. Of course, this is by no means a complete list of the chemicals and other substances that many people are exposed to on a daily basis.
Once it is determined that the exposure led to serious or deadly physical harm, filing a claim may be appropriate. In order to prevail in such a claim, a Georgia resident must provide evidence of exposure to a dangerous substance and that he or she was harmed because of it. This may sound like a simple task, but in many cases, significant research and preparation is required, especially when the exposure occurred years before. A good example is asbestos exposure, which could take decades to lead to illnesses such as asbestosis or mesothelioma.
That does not mean that the individual — or surviving family members in case of death — should decide against pursuing a rightful claim. It may be beneficial to involve an attorney in this endeavor since proving that exposure to a toxic substance that occurred years earlier caused a serious or deadly health issue now could prove problematic. A successful claim could provide much needed restitution to help with medical costs, lost wages or funeral expenses in the case of death, among other damages sustained.
Source: FindLaw, “What are Toxic Torts?“, Accessed on July 2, 2017