Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit could help victims receive compensation for their treatment as well as other costs. State laws, also known as statutes or limitations, restrict the time a victim can bring a lawsuit.
Most lawsuits are in the form of personal injury or wrongful death claims. Juries award monetary damages that include economic and noneconomic damages.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a rare illness and it can take a number of years for patients to receive a diagnosis. Patients typically visit their primary doctor with complaints and a medical history. Doctors will conduct a physical exam and ask about any possible exposure to asbestos.
When doctors suspect mesothelioma, they usually order imaging tests. This may include chest X-rays (CT scans) as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography. These tests provide a detailed look at the body. They can show an accumulation of fluid around the lungs or abdomen, which is a common mesothelioma-related symptom.
These tests also help to determine the type of mesothelioma. The pleural form of mesothelioma occurs when cancer cells in lung lining (pleura) cause the disease. The peritoneal form is caused by cancerous cells found in the abdominal cavity. In a surgical biopsies doctors will take a sample of tissue from the affected area or tumor and examine it under a microscope in order to check for indications of mesothelioma. Doctors can also conduct an examination known as a cytology to detect cancerous cells from samples of fluid 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. A high level of this biomarker may be a sign of mesothelioma cells.
These biomarkers are thus beneficial to doctors who are trying to diagnose mesothelioma at its early stages. It is not a replacement for mesothelioma biopsy, which is the only method to determine if cancer has been detected within the body. Doctors can perform non-surgical biopsies that remove fluid from the stomach or pleura using needles, and then analyze it for mesothelioma cells.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma can occur anywhere in the body where asbestos has caused cancerous cells to develop. The most frequent sites are the lung. Patients with pleural mesothelioma feel pain in their chest area and have difficulty swallowing as well as hoarseness. People with peritoneal or pericardial mesothelioma often feel discomfort in their abdomen and fatigue and weight loss. The symptoms of mesothelioma can be difficult to identify due to their similarity to the symptoms of other common illnesses. It could take a long time after exposure to asbestos for mesothelioma grow.
CT scans and X-rays may detect changes in the lungs, such as thickening or fluid buildup of pleura (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans may also be used to look for mesothelioma. Blood tests can be used to determine high levels of certain substances in the body that indicate mesothelioma is present.
A doctor can drain the fluid or tissue to look for cancerous cells. A doctor can also perform an operation known as thoracoscopic aspiration, which removes a small amount fluid from the thoracic cavity or lungs. This test is a less invasive version of a biopsy that is performed in a doctor's office.
If a doctor suspects mesothelioma, the doctor will most likely recommend radiation, chemotherapy and surgery to stop cancer cells from spreading. The treatment and surgery are generally done in an outpatient setting and the radiation is administered in a hospital or clinic. Palliative treatments are often used to help manage pain and other symptoms. Palliative treatment can include painkillers as well as regular drainage of fluids or a tube placed inside the chest to aid with breathing. It could also include radiation to prevent the tumor from advancing.
Treatment
Treatment can ease symptoms and prolong life for those suffering from mesothelioma. There are a variety of treatments available, based on the type and stage of mesothelioma. The treatment plan could vary based on the level of asbestos exposure the patient is exposed to.
Mesothelioma symptoms are comparable to those of many diseases, including the flu or pneumonia. This makes it difficult for doctors to identify mesothelioma before it becomes apparent. Patients may be suffering from symptoms for months before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Doctors will conduct a physical exam and ask about previous asbestos exposure. They then will conduct scans of the blood and imaging to determine the extent and location of the cancer in the body.
The most commonly diagnosed mesothelioma type is pleural mesothelioma. It affects the lungs. The most likely to develop the disease are those who have worked as a welding technician or electrician or in the auto industry.
A buildup of fluid could lead to chest pain and breathing difficulties. Surgery can eliminate the excess fluid and improve the quality of life.
Doctors may also opt for pleurodesis, a procedure that helps prevent future fluid buildup in the lung. During this procedure, a tube is inserted into the pleura to drain fluid, and then medicine is injected to prevent future buildups. Patients may also choose to place a shunt in the body, which is a device used to move fluid from one area of the body to another in order to absorb.
Other treatments include radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy attacks the cancer cells directly, killing them. Radiation therapy shrinks tumors using high-energy rays. Patients who are not eligible for surgery can undergo targeted therapy. This involves targeting the cancer-causing gene inside the cancer cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis of mesothelioma is based on several factors including the nature and location of the cancer, the stage at diagnosis and the general health of the patient. Patients suffering from mesothelioma could improve their chances of survival when they seek treatment from a specialist in mesothelioma, and follow their treatment plan. Patients with mesothelioma who are taking part in clinical trials may also be able to access new treatments that are being studied.
The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other diseases. This can lead to an abundance of mistakes in diagnosis. Patients may experience breathing issues or abdominal pain, among other symptoms for some time before being diagnosed. These symptoms are initialy mild and may be easily confused with other illnesses. Therefore, it is important to get any symptoms evaluated by a physician as soon as you can.
Mesothelioma can affect the lining of the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma) or the peritoneum (peritoneal mesothelioma) or, in rare instances the membrane that surrounds the testicles (pericardial mesothelioma). Pleural mesothelioma makes up the majority of mesothelioma-related cases, accounting for 85 percent of all diagnoses made in patients 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, because they are more likely to work in industries where asbestos is prevalent. Females exposed to mesothelioma have twice the likelihood of surviving the past five years than male patients. This is probably due to the ways female hormones interact with mesothelioma tumor cells. The prognosis of a person is also affected by their age, since older patients have a more difficult recovery from illnesses. It's also important to note that some mesothelioma patients live for years or even a decade or more past their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma compensation helps victims pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs associated with this asbestos-related illness. Often, this mesothelioma compensation is granted through an amalgamation of asbestos trust funds, lawsuits, and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will assist you in determining what compensation is available to you in your case.
A person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma can bring a lawsuit against the company that makes asbestos-related products to which they were exposed while at work. They can seek financial compensation. Mesothelioma lawsuits can be filed on behalf of a victim by their loved one, family member or an appointed representative by the court. The estate of a victim's loved ones who died from mesothelioma is able to file a wrongful-dea lawsuit to seek compensation from the parties responsible for the victim's asbestos exposure.
Since AccidentInjuryLawyers can take a long time from the moment of exposure to diagnosis many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have significant financial debts from treatment. Mesothelioma compensation may help sufferers pay off their debts and also provide for the future of their families.
Mesothelioma settlements and lawsuits can also be used to compensate victims for their suffering and pain. A mesothelioma lawyer with experience can help victims and their families get the money they deserve.
A mesothelioma lawyer is able to manage every aspect of a victim's mesothelioma claim to make it as pain-free as they can. Our lawyers at Sokolove Law have helped victims and their family members receive over $4.7 billion in mesothelioma compensation. Contact us today to arrange no-cost review of your mesothelioma claim. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We are able to visit you at your home or in a hospital. Our law firm only gets paid when we receive compensation for you.