Many United States workers have manual labor jobs that require them to work in coal mines and other areas that require the use of dust respirators or masks. These masks help protect their lungs from harmful particles of dust in the air. These devices are supposed to purify the air, as workers inhale creating clean air for breathing. Since the late 1930's respirators have been manufactured in the United States. Manufacturers of these divices include Mine Safety Appliances Company, 3M, Welsh-Norton, Moldex and a plethora of others.

Unfortunately, many types of respirators used by coal miners and asbestos workers are unsafe and have leaked harmful dust into the workers' lungs. As a result of these defective respirators, workers have contracted many major medical illnesses such as mesothelioma, silicosis and black lung disease. These illnesses force the workers to undergo very complicated medical procedures such as lunch transplants as well as other major surgeries.

Lung transplant surgery is required to replace one, or both of the diseased lungs with healthy lungs from an organ donor. Because these procedures are becoming more and more common, the success rate is going up substantially. In 2004, around 1,200 patients received lung transplants and the number is on the rise for 2006. However, due to the overwhelming demand, and lack of supply for this procedure, many Americans are unable to get their operations.

The lung transplant procedure is generally the last resort for patients with chronic lung disease. Many times the reason that patients need these operations is because they have been using a defective respirator for far too long. These problems are categorized as 'obstructive' or 'restrictive' which relates to the volume of air the lungs can hold. Obstructive is when there's a decrease in exhaled air flow, while Restrictive means a decrease in the total volume of air that the lungs can hold. Complications may also arise from these conditions which often times result in a lung transplant.

Victims of ailments such as silicosis, asbestosis and black lung often find it difficult to understand who's at fault. Occupational injuries such as broken bones, burns, and cuts are easily recognized, but long term injuries such as lung disease are harder to pinpoint. The real tragedy is that many times these diseases were contracted after long hours of work with defective respirators. In many cases manufacturers of these respirators should be held liable for their negligence.

If you or someone you love has been affected by a respirator device that has leaked toxins then you need to seek a lawyer right away. A qualified lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and receive compensation for your injuries.