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Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer is one of the largest law firms in America representing asbestos and mesothelioma victims.

Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer mesothelioma lawyers have represented victims of mesothelioma for many decades and have the resources to try your case at the highest level.

At Wilentz, Goldman and Spitzer, we work tirelessly to provide victims of asbestos and mesothelioma with the compensation they deserve.

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Pleural Disease
Probably the most common asbestos-related illness is asbestos-related pleural disease. Also called pleural asbestosis, pleural plaques or pleural thickening, it is a scarring of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos-related pleural disease has a long latency period (10 to 30 or more years from first exposure) and can be detected on a chest x-ray or CT-scan. Like pulmonary asbestosis, asbestos-related pleural disease is untreatable and incurable.

There are many different degrees of asbestos-related pleural disease. Discrete, small areas of pleural scarring are called pleural plaques. While they usually begin as very small areas of scarring, they can grow over time, and become calcified and hard. Pleural plaques alone are usually not symptomatic, but they can be.

Diffuse pleural thickening is the scarring of a large area of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos. While there can also be no symptoms suffered by a person with diffuse pleural thickening, it is more likely that someone with this injury will experience shortness of breath. Over time, the amount of the lining of the lung that becomes scarred can grow, constricting the lungs and making it more difficult to take a breath.

While much more rare than pleural plaques or pleural thickening, atelectasis can also be caused by exposure to asbestos. Atelectasis is pleural scarring that causes a portion of the lung to fold onto itself, usually causing pain and discomfort with each breath.

Pulmonary asbestosis and asbestos-related pleural disease are often not recognized on chest x-rays and CT-scans reviewed by radiologists and pulmonologists. Specially trained doctors who are certified by the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) (who are called "B" readers) may sometimes detect asbestos-induced x-ray changes that other doctors miss. It is generally recommended that anyone who has been occupationally exposed to asbestos have a chest x-ray taken every 18 to 24 months and reviewed by a certified "B" reader or someone experienced in diagnosing asbestos-related diseases.