Silicosis is a scarring and hardening of lung tissue, resulting from inhalation of crystalline silica. Silica, the mineral linked to silicosis, is the second most common mineral in the earth's crust, found in sand and rock. Silicosis victims mainly come from occupations that involve crushing, cutting, or blasting rock. Many patients with silicosis previously worked in close contact with rock, sand, or concrete without the proper protection. Miners, quarry workers, sandblasters, and foundry workers are among those most frequently diagnosed with silicosis, although workers in agriculture, construction, ceramics, glass manufacturing, stone cutting, and railroading are also endangered.

Silicosis victims suffer from inflamed lungs with fibrous nodules created to trap the silica. Victims of silicosis can experience agonizing pain in breathing when the nodules grow large or coalesce. Because silicosis develops over many years, it can be twenty to forty years before an individual's silicosis is diagnosed. The disease continues to progress even after exposure has ended, so that silicosis generally worsens after diagnosis. There is as yet no known cure for silicosis, and most treatments are intended to increase the comfort of the patient. Combating severe silicosis is almost futile, although in some cases, a lung transplant may prove effective in end-stage silicosis patients.

A silicosis victim may be entitled to collect the costs of treatment, lost wages, and punitive damages. If you or a loved one has silicosis, please submit the accompanying form. You may be entitled to monetary awards for your injury!