Proving chemical exposure often starts with showing where the chemical was present, how you encountered it and when that exposure occurred. The evidence available to you will depend on the chemical involved, the source of the exposure and how much time has passed. Here are some of the things that can help prove exposure.
Medical records
Your medical records can help show what happened after the suspected exposure by documenting when you first reported symptoms, what your doctor found and what treatment you received. They may also include what you told your doctor about where and how you encountered the chemical. If you sought medical care soon after the exposure, those records can also help establish the timing.
Chemical testing
Testing can provide more direct information about the chemical involved. Blood or urine tests can detect certain substances in your body, while testing of air, soil or water can show whether a chemical was present where you were exposed. The right type of testing depends on the chemical and how the exposure occurred, and testing done closer to the exposure may provide information that becomes difficult to establish years later.
Workplace and environmental records
Records from your workplace or the surrounding environment can help show what chemicals were present when the exposure occurred. Safety reports, inspection records, chemical inventories and environmental testing can provide information you may not have yourself, such as whether your workplace used a particular chemical or documented a spill in an area where you worked.
Witness testimony and experts
Other people may have information that helps fill in what the records do not show. A coworker could describe the conditions at your workplace, while a supervisor could explain how a chemical was handled or stored. Experts can address scientific questions that witnesses cannot, such as interpreting testing results or explaining how a particular chemical affects the body.
Build your case with the right evidence
Keep your medical records, test results, workplace documents and other information related to the exposure. If you are unsure which evidence matters, an attorney can help you identify what you may need. Having the right records can make a big difference when you need to prove what happened.
