If you were exposed to toxic mold and required medical care or treatment, San Diego environmental trial lawyers can help you get justice.
Toxic mold like Stachybotrys, or “black mold,” can pose serious health risks even to healthy adults. Companies and proprietors that permit toxic mold growth endanger others and should be held accountable for their neglect.
Thompson Injury Law is a San Diego environmental law office dedicated to helping you and others harmed by exposure to mold and other hazardous substances. Contact our office today and request a case evaluation to learn what legal rights to compensation you may have.
Where and How You Can Be Exposed to Toxic Mold
Mold of all types grows in moist, damp, or humid environments. While mold can be found outdoors and brought inside, it can also grow inside homes and businesses under the right conditions. Indoors, mold can be seen on walls, ceiling tiles, cardboard, and other similar surfaces. Mold can also contaminate and grow on clothing.
If left unchecked, mold will grow and spread from its initial source. Failing to properly clean moldy surfaces can allow mold to grow back within a short amount of time. And mold spores can contaminate the air and remain circulating until the building’s air is adequately purified.
Symptoms of Mold Exposure to Watch For
Mold exposure will affect each person differently, so the signs and symptoms you experience may differ from those experienced by someone else.
Individuals with preexisting conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, will likely have a more pronounced reaction to mold. Those with mold allergies will also experience more pronounced symptoms.
Depending on the specific type of mold encountered, symptoms can include:
Respiratory Symptoms
If you have preexisting breathing difficulties, these will likely get worse with exposure to mold. Shortness of breath and trouble breathing are common symptoms, as are coughing and wheezing. If you have asthma, exposure to mold may induce an asthma attack. Exposure to black mold may also cause bleeding in the nose and lungs.
Other Physical Symptoms
Beyond respiratory issues, you may experience other symptoms as well. Significant exposure, to black mold especially, can lead to nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. It can also lead to fatigue and headaches. Additional symptoms associated with mold exposure may include skin irritations and rashes, sore throat, and itchy eyes.
Cognitive Symptoms
The science on cognitive symptoms of mold exposure is mixed. A study published in 2007 in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology asserted that there was no link between mold exposure and any cognitive impairments or symptoms.
Yet in 2011, another study published in Physiology & Behavior found that prenatal exposure to mold caused a decrease in cognitive functioning in children as measured by IQ tests. Other cognitive symptoms that have been suggested include reduced memory capacity, decreased attention, and emotional disturbances.
What to Do if You Notice Symptoms of Mold Exposure
If you suspect that you have been exposed to mold and are noticing symptoms suggesting mold exposure, do not ignore the matter. If you have difficulty breathing or have a persistent cough or headache that returns despite at-home remedies, a medical evaluation may be in order.
Treatment for mold exposure can consist of over-the-counter sprays and medications or allergy shots if your symptoms are due to a mold allergy. If you have an underlying condition such as COPD or asthma, your medical provider will also want to review your treatment protocols for these conditions.
However, these treatment options do not cure you or treat the underlying cause, which is the presence of mold in the building. Your symptoms and associated suffering are likely to return as long as the mold to which you were exposed is not properly treated.
What a Toxic Environmental Trial Lawyer Can Do for You
Recovering from a severe case of mold exposure and infestation may take time. You might require several visits to the doctor before your condition is accurately diagnosed and treated. While you are experiencing symptoms, you may find it difficult to work or go about your daily life.
All of these effects can cost you and your loved ones money and cause emotional and mental hardship. Thompson Injury Law and our team of environmental law attorneys will use our collective knowledge and extensive resources to help you get compensated for your losses.
If you were exposed to mold in San Diego, CA, either because of another person’s carelessness or neglect of their property, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Thompson Injury Law and set up a consultation to discuss your case with us.