Is this really how I'm suppose to be treated??

[bodybuilder1958]

MMI, maximum medical improvement.
You could probably find out online if your employer has exceeded the guidelines that OSHA sets, or better still your lawyer could find that, it might make a good argument in court.
Is your pulmonary special willing to state via a deposition that your interstitial lung disease was caused by the air quality in the plant? Have you been keeping copies of all of your medical records? It's important, it's also important to take them with you to court. (My former lawyer was missing two important documents the last time we went to court, luckily I had copies).
If you didn't have pulmonary problems before and all of your medical records point to problems starting soon after employment then I'd say you have a good case. Was a biopsy done to determine if you had or still have cobalt in your lungs plus the other chemicals you mentioned. If your studies showed you do then once again I'd say you have a good case. But I'm not a lawyer.