Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit can help victims receive compensation for treatment and other costs. State laws, also known as statutes of limitations limit how long a victim has to file a lawsuit.
Personal injury or wrongful deaths are the most common types of lawsuits. The jury awards financial damages, which can include economic and non-economic damages.
Diagnosis
It can take a long time to diagnose mesothelioma, which is a rare condition. In the majority of cases, patients go to their primary care physician with symptoms and a medical history. Doctors will perform an examination of the body and inquire about asbestos exposure.
When doctors suspect mesothelioma they often request imaging tests. These include chest X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These tests offer a thorough examination of the body. These tests could reveal an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen or lungs that is a mesothelioma-related symptoms.
These tests also help to determine the type of mesothelioma. The mesothelioma that is pleural is caused by cancerous cells in the lung lining called the pleura. The peritoneal form is caused by cancerous cells within the abdominal cavity. In a surgical biopsies doctors will take a sample of tissue from an area of tumor or affected and examine it under a microscope to check for indications of mesothelioma. Doctors can also conduct an examination known as a cytology to identify cancerous cells from fluid samples taken from the stomach or lungs.
A blood test, known as the MESOMARK Assay, can determine the amount of soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP) within the body of the patient. This biomarker is high levels can be a sign of mesothelioma.
These biomarkers can be helpful for doctors trying to identify mesothelioma at its early stages. It is not a replacement for mesothelioma biopsies which is the only way to definitively determine if cancer has been detected within the body. Doctors can perform non-surgical biopsies to drain fluid from the stomach or pleura using needles, and then analyze it for mesothelioma-related cells.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma can occur anywhere in the body in which asbestos-induced cancerous cells have developed. The most common locations are the lung. Pleural mesothelioma causes pain in the chest as well as difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. People suffering from pericardial and peritoneal cancer typically experience abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss. Mesothelioma symptoms can be difficult to recognize because the symptoms mimic the symptoms of a variety of common illnesses. It can take years after exposure to asbestos for mesothelioma grow.
CT scans and X-rays can reveal changes in the lungs, such as thickening or fluid buildup of pleura (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans may be used to search for mesothelioma. Blood tests can check for the presence of certain substances in the body that indicate the presence of mesothelioma.
A doctor can remove the fluid or tissue that has accumulated to test it for cancerous cells. The doctor may also perform a procedure called the thoracoscopic needle aspiration procedure to remove some of the fluid from around the lungs or thoracic cavity. This test is a less painful version of a biopsy and is performed in the office of a doctor.
If a doctor suspects mesothelioma, they might suggest surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading. Radiation therapy can be performed in a clinic or hospital. The radiation is typically administered as an as an outpatient. Palliative treatments are often used to manage pain and other symptoms. It may include painkillers and regular draining of fluid or tubes that are placed inside the chest to assist with breathing and radiation to prevent the tumor from expanding.
Treatment
Treatment can ease symptoms and extend the life of people with mesothelioma. There are many treatments that are available, based on the stage and type of mesothelioma. The treatment plan will also vary depending on how much asbestos exposure a patient has.
The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to many other illnesses, such as pneumonia or the flu. This makes it difficult for doctors to identify mesothelioma in the early stages. Most patients experience symptoms for several months before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
To diagnose the disease, doctors will perform an examination of the body and inquire about previous exposure to asbestos. They will then perform scans of the blood and imaging to determine the size and location of the cancer in the body.
The most commonly diagnosed mesothelioma type is pleural mesothelioma. This affects the lung. People who have been exposed to asbestos in the course of their work as workers in the construction industry, welding plumber, electrician, or autoworker are most likely to develop this illness.
Pleural mesothelioma can trigger the accumulation of fluid causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. Surgery can eliminate excess fluid, improving the quality of life of a patient.
Doctors can also utilize pleurodesis, a procedure that helps prevent future fluid buildup in the lungs. In this procedure it is the procedure of inserting a tube into the pleura to drain the fluid and then medicine is injected to prevent the buildup of further fluids. Patients can also opt to have a shunt installed on their body. It is a device that circulates fluid from one region of the body to another for absorption.
Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation. Chemotherapy attacks the cancer cells directly, killing them. Radiation therapy shrinks tumors using high-energy radiation. Those who do not qualify for surgery may opt for targeted therapy. This is done by targeting the cancer-causing gene inside the cancer cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis for mesothelioma depends on a variety of factors including the nature and location of the cancer, the stage at diagnosis and general patient health. The prognosis for mesothelioma can improve if patients seek treatment from an experienced specialist in the field of mesothelioma and adhere to their treatment regimen. Patients who are part of clinical trials may be eligible for new treatments still under study.
The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other diseases. This leads to an abundance of misdiagnosis. Patients may suffer from abdominal pain, breathing problems and other symptoms prior to being diagnosed. These symptoms may be initially mild and can be misinterpreted as other ailments. It's therefore important to have any symptoms evaluated by a doctor as quickly as you can.
Mesothelioma can affect the tissue lining the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma), the peritoneum (peritoneal mesothelioma) or, in rare cases the membrane that surrounds the testicles (pericardial mesothelioma). The majority of mesothelioma diagnoses are pleural mesothelioma, with 85 per cent of them being in patients older than 75 years old.
The survival rates for mesothelioma differ between men and women. This is because men are more likely than women to work in industries which expose them to asbestos. However females who have been exposed to mesothelioma are two times more likely to live past five years as male patients. This is likely due the interaction between female hormones and mesothelioma cancer cells. The prognosis for a patient is also influenced by their age, since older patients have a more difficult recovery from illness. It's also important to note that some mesothelioma patients live for years or even a decade or more beyond their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma Compensation helps victims cover their medical costs, lost wages, and other costs associated with this asbestos-related disease. The mesothelioma settlements are typically given by amalgamating asbestos trust funds, lawsuits and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma attorney can assist you in determining what forms of compensation may be available for your case.
A person diagnosed with mesothelioma may file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of asbestos-related products to which they were exposed while at work. They may seek financial compensation. Mesothelioma lawsuits can be filed on behalf of the victim's loved one or family member, or by a court-appointed representative. If a victim died of mesothelioma or another cancer, a wrongful death lawsuit may be filed by the estate of the victim to recover compensation from those who are responsible for their loved ones' asbestos exposure.
Because it can take years from exposure to diagnosis, many people diagnosed with mesothelioma have significant financial burdens resulting from their treatment. Mesothelioma compensation may help victims pay off their debts and pay for the future of their families.
Mesothelioma lawsuits and settlements can also provide compensation to victims for their suffering and pain. A knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer will help victims and their families get the money they deserve.
Allentown mesothelioma lawyer can handle every aspect of a patient's mesothelioma claim and make it as easy as they can. Our lawyers at Sokolove Law have helped families and victims members receive over $4.7 billion for mesothelioma claims. Contact us today to arrange no-cost review of your mesothelioma claim. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We can meet you at your home or in the hospital. Our law firm only gets paid if we secure compensation for you.