Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit could aid victims in receiving compensation for their treatment and other expenses. State laws called statutes of limitations limit the time a patient must file a lawsuit.
The most common form of lawsuits is of personal injury or wrongful death claims. Juries award monetary damages that include economic and noneconomic damages.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a rare disease and it may take several years for patients to receive a diagnosis. Patients usually visit their primary physician with symptoms and a medical history. Doctors will conduct physical examinations and inquire about any possible exposure to asbestos.
Imaging tests are typically ordered by doctors when they suspect mesothelioma. This can include chest X-rays (CT scans) as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography. These tests give a complete look at the body. These tests may reveal an accumulation of fluid in the lungs or abdomen, which is a mesothelioma-related sign.
These tests can be used to determine the type of mesothelioma. The pleural form of mesothelioma occurs when cancer cells in lung the lining (pleura) cause the disease. The peritoneal form is caused by cancerous cells in the abdominal cavity. In a surgical biopsies, doctors will remove a sample of tissue from a tumor or affected area and examine it under a microscope in order to check for indications of mesothelioma. Doctors can also perform an examination known as a cytology to identify cancerous cells in fluid samples taken from the lungs or stomach.
A blood test referred to as the MESOMARK test can measure the amount of soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP) in the patient's body. This biomarker is high levels could indicate mesothelioma.
These biomarkers are therefore helpful to doctors who are trying to detect mesothelioma in its beginning stages. However, it's not an alternative to a mesothelioma biopsy, which is the only definitive way to determine whether cancer is present in the body. Doctors can perform a non-surgical biopsy to take fluid from the pleura or the stomach using a needle, and look it up for mesothelioma cancer cells.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma may occur in any part of the body where asbestos has caused cancerous cells to form. The most common locations are the abdomen, lungs, and the heart. Pleural mesothelioma causes pain in the chest, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness. Patients with pericardial and peritoneal cancer typically experience abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss. Mesothelioma symptoms can be difficult to recognize because the signs mimic the symptoms of a variety of common illnesses. Mesothelioma can manifest years after exposure to asbestos.
CT scans and Xrays can reveal changes in the lungs such as the accumulation of fluid or thickening of the pleura (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans may also be used to look for mesothelioma. Blood tests can check for the presence of certain substances in the body that indicate the presence of mesothelioma.
A doctor can drain the fluid or tissue that has accumulated to test it for cancer cells. Doctors can also perform an operation, known as thoracoscopic aspiration, which removes a small amount fluid from the lungs or thoracic cavities. This test is a less-invasive version of a biopsy that can be performed in the doctor's office.
If a doctor suspects mesothelioma, he or she might recommend surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells and stop the spread. The radiation can be administered in a hospital or clinic. The radiation is usually delivered as an outpatient. Palliative treatment is often used to help manage pain and other symptoms. The treatment options include painkillers as well as regular drainage of fluids, or a tube inserted inside the chest to aid in breathing. It may also include radiation to prevent the tumor from advancing.
Treatment
Treatment can help ease symptoms and prolong life for people with mesothelioma. Treatment options differ based on the mesothelioma type and stage. The treatment plan will depend on the level of asbestos exposure a patient has.
Mesothelioma symptoms resemble those of many illnesses like the flu and pneumonia. This makes it difficult for doctors to recognize mesothelioma before it becomes apparent. Patients may be suffering from symptoms for months before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
To diagnose the disease doctors will conduct an examination and ask about past exposure to asbestos. They will then conduct blood tests and imaging scanners to determine the size and the location of the cancer within the body.
The most commonly diagnosed mesothelioma type is pleural mesothelioma. It affects the lung. People who have been exposed to asbestos as a construction worker, welder, plumber, electrician or autoworker are the most likely to develop this disease.
Pleural mesothelioma may cause the accumulation of fluid causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. Surgery can remove excess fluid, which can improve the quality of life for patients.
Pleurodesis is another procedure that doctors can utilize to prevent future accumulation of fluid in the lung. In this procedure, a tube is inserted into the pleura to drain the fluid and then the medicine is injected into the pleura to prevent future buildups. Patients can also opt to have a shunt installed in the body, which is a device used to move fluid from one area of the body to another for absorption.
Other treatments include radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells directly. Radiation therapy shrinks tumors using high-energy rays. Patients who aren't candidates for surgery can opt for targeted therapy, which targets the cancer-causing genes within the cancer cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis for mesothelioma is dependent on a variety of factors, including the stage and type of cancer, its location and general health status of the patient. Patients suffering from mesothelioma could improve their prognosis by seeking treatment from a specialist in mesothelioma, and adhere to their treatment plan. Additionally, mesothelioma patients who are part of a clinical trial may be able to access new treatments still under study.
The mesothelioma symptoms are similar to other diseases. This causes an abundance of mistakes in diagnosis. Accident Injury Lawyers may have abdominal pain, breathing difficulties and other symptoms before being diagnosed. Because these symptoms are so simple at first they can be easily confused by people who associate them with other conditions. Therefore, it's important to get any symptoms examined by a doctor as quickly as possible.
Mesothelioma can affect the lining of the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma) or the peritoneum (peritoneal mesothelioma) or, in very rare instances the membrane that covers the testicles (pericardial mesothelioma). Pleural mesothelioma accounts for most mesothelioma-related cases, accounting for 85 percent of all diagnosed cases occurring in patients who are over 75 years old.
The survival rates for mesothelioma differ between men and women. Men are more likely to be exposed to asbestos than women as they tend to work in industries where asbestos is prevalent. However women who have been exposed to mesothelioma are two times as likely to survive past five years as male patients. This is likely due to the interaction between female hormones and mesothelioma cancer cells. The prognosis of a person is also influenced by their age, since older patients have a harder to recover from illnesses. It's also worth noting that some mesothelioma patients survive for years or even a decade beyond their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma Compensation assists patients in paying their medical costs in addition to lost wages and other expenses related to the asbestos-related illness. This mesothelioma settlement is often granted by combining asbestos trust funds, lawsuits and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will help determine which forms of compensation might be available to you in your particular case.
A person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma may sue the company that makes asbestos-related products to which they were exposed while at work. They can seek financial compensation. Mesothelioma suits can be filed by family members or a family member or a court appointed representative on behalf of the victim. If a victim died from mesothelioma, awrongful death lawsuit may be filed by the estate of the victim to collect compensation from those who are responsible for their loved ones' asbestos exposure.
Since it can take a long time from the moment of exposure to diagnosis many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma carry significant financial debts from treatment. Mesothelioma settlements can help patients of the disease pay off their debts and provide for their families' futures.
Mesothelioma settlements and lawsuits can also provide compensation to victims for their pain and suffering. A mesothelioma lawyer with experience can help victims and their families get the money they deserve.
A mesothelioma attorney can handle every aspect of a victim's mesothelioma claim, making it as stress-free as they can. At Sokolove Law our lawyers have secured more than $4.7 billion in mesothelioma settlements for victims and their families. Contact us today for free consultation on your mesothelioma lawsuit. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We can visit you at your home or in a hospital. Our law firm only gets paid if we get you compensation.