1. What is toxic exposure?
Toxic exposure is any contact with a dangerous chemical that can lead to serious injury or death. Hazardous chemicals can appear in food and water, household items, building materials, medical equipment, and other common products.
2. How do you evaluate a potential toxic exposure case?
With the assistance of non-biased, third-party experts, our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers investigate toxic exposure claims to determine whether the chemicals involved could be harmful. We examine:
- Commonality of Exposure
- Length of Exposure
- Mechanism of Exposure
- Medical Diagnosis
We often call on the help of toxicologists who can give us professional opinions about the potential health risks of a particular exposure.
3. Do you have experience with toxic exposure cases?
The legal team at Henson Fuerst has experience handling large– and small–scale toxic exposure cases. For example, in 2004, Duke University medical system inadvertently exposed more than 4,000 patients to surgical instruments that were contaminated with waste hydraulic fluid. Our firm represented a large number of patients in their claims against the responsible companies, including Duke University, Cardinal Health, Steris, and others.
No matter how big or small your case is, our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers are here to help.
4. What can I do to protect myself from toxic contaminants?
The best defense is awareness. If you live or work around harmful contaminants, there are ways to minimize exposure. For example, you can rid your home of materials containing asbestos or prevent silicosis by following the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health guidelines for a safe work environment. HensonFuerst has also created a page of resources to help educate you on other toxic dangers and ways to prevent exposure in the work place and at home.
5. I was exposed to a toxic substance, but have not developed any adverse problems yet. Can I make a claim for this?
At present, North Carolina does not recognize medical monitoring as a legitimate claim. A medical monitoring claim is compensation for the costs involved in monitoring your medical condition for a period of time to see if you become ill or injured from the exposure.
Depending on the other factors of your exposure, there may be additional claims that could be considered. To understand your options, contact our North Carolina toxic exposure attorneys so we can discuss the details of your exposure and give you a complete evaluation.