When you or someone you love receives a lung cancer diagnosis, it can be devastating. Feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness are normal, and naturally, we want to know why. While smoking is a major risk factor, many cases stem from exposure to hazardous substances. In these cases, a negligent employer, property owner, manufacturer, or other company or body may be held legally responsible. Here’s a look at five of the most common causes of lung cancer that lead to lawsuits.
1. Occupational Hazards
For decades, workers have been exposed to cancer-causing substances without adequate protection. The biggest culprits are companies in the construction, mining, manufacturing, and shipping industries.
For instance, asbestos was commonly used in insulation and construction materials. This substance has been directly linked to lung cancer. Silica dust is another toxic component found in construction materials like concrete, brick, and cement. Diesel exhaust fumes are also a cancer-causing occupational hazard for truck drivers and mechanics. Affected workers may be eligible to file a lung cancer lawsuit against employers, manufacturers, or companies that didn’t provide proper ventilation, warnings, or protective gear.
2. Smoking or Tobacco Smoke Exposure
Smoking is well-known to increase cancer risk, but long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can be equally dangerous. In some cases, people have successfully sued workplaces that allowed excessive exposure to smoke, like restaurants, hotels, bars, and casinos. Complainants have also won cases against landlords or property owners who failed to prevent secondhand smoke from infiltrating rental homes or offices.
3. Environmental Pollution
Unfortunately, cancer-causing pollutants can seep into places we’d least expect them, including our own homes and neighbourhoods. For example, many people unknowingly inhale toxic pollutants such as:
- Radon gas: A naturally occurring, odorless gas that can seep into buildings through the ground.
- Industrial chemical emissions: Factories and refineries may release harmful chemicals into the air, exposing local residents to carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde.
These cases often involve homeowners suing developers or communities filing class action lawsuits.
4. Dangerous Consumer Products
Worryingly, some lung cancer cases are linked to everyday consumer products that contain hidden carcinogens. Some examples include talcum powder contaminated with asbestos, and household chemicals and sprays like aerosols. Companies that don’t issue the correct warnings while knowingly selling hazardous products can be held liable for the consequences.
5. Medical Malpractice
While factors throughout a person’s life can contribute to lung cancer, how the diagnosis is handled also impacts treatment options and survival rates. Malpractice lawsuits against doctors and hospitals include things like:
- Failing to detect the cancer early enough, leading to delayed treatment
- Misdiagnosing lung cancer as something less serious like asthma
- Prescribing the wrong treatments and worsening the patient’s prognosis
If medical negligence plays a role in a lung cancer case, patients or their families can pursue legal action for compensation.
Endnote
When lung cancer is caused by hazardous exposure to toxic chemicals, defective products, or negligence, victims and their families can go the legal route and seek financial relief. Aside from compensation, these lawsuits are also about holding parties accountable for their actions, seeking justice, and building a future where fewer people suffer as a result of sinister corporate and governmental behavior.
