Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit can help victims receive compensation for their treatment and other costs. State laws called statutes of limitations restrict how long a victim has to bring a lawsuit.
Personal injury or wrongful deaths are the most common types of lawsuits. The jury awards monetary damages, which include economic and non-economic damages.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a rare condition and it can take many years for patients to receive a diagnosis. Most patients go to their primary care physician with symptoms and a medical history. Doctors will conduct a physical examination and ask about asbestos exposure.
Imaging tests are usually requested by doctors when they suspect mesothelioma. This includes chest X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These tests offer a thorough analysis of the body. They may show a build-up of fluid around the abdomen or lungs, which is a common mesothelioma-related symptom.
These tests also help to determine the type of mesothelioma. The mesothelioma type that is pleural is caused by cancerous cells in the lung lining called the pleura. The peritoneal type is caused by cancer cells that reside in the abdominal cavity. In a surgical biopsies doctors will remove a small amount of tissue from the affected area or tumor and examine it under a microscope to check for symptoms of mesothelioma. Doctors may also use a test called a cytology to detect cancerous cells from fluid samples taken from the lungs or stomach.
A blood test, called the MESOMARK Assay, can measure the amount of soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP) in the body of the patient. A high level of this biomarker can be a sign of mesothelioma cells.
These biomarkers can be helpful to doctors trying to identify mesothelioma at its beginning stages. It is not a substitute to a mesothelioma biopsies, which is the only method to determine if cancer has been detected in the body. Doctors can perform a non-surgical procedure to extract fluid from the pleura and the stomach using a needle. They then examine it for mesothelioma-related cells.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma can be found anywhere in the body where asbestos has caused cancerous cells to form. The most frequent sites are the abdomen, lungs, and the heart. Patients with pleural mysothelioma suffer from pain in the chest region, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. People who have peritoneal or pericardial mesothelioma often experience discomfort in their abdomen and weight loss and fatigue. The signs of mesothelioma can be difficult to identify, as they are similar to other illnesses. Mesothelioma can manifest years after exposure to asbestos.
X-rays and CT scans can show changes in the lungs, such as the pleura becoming thicker or fluid buildup (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans may also be used to search for mesothelioma. Blood tests can check for high levels of certain substances within the body, which indicate the presence of mesothelioma.
A doctor can drain a sample of the fluid or tissue that has accumulated to test it for cancerous cells. The doctor can also carry out the procedure known as thoracoscopic needle aspiration to remove some of the fluid from the lungs or thoracic cavity. This test is a less invasive version of a biopsy and is performed in the office of a doctor.
If the doctor finds mesothelioma, they might suggest surgery, radiation or chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells and stop their spread. Radiation can be administered in a hospital or clinic. The radiation is typically delivered as an outpatient. The use of palliative therapies is often to manage the symptoms of pain and other. It could include painkillers, regular draining of fluids or tubes that are placed inside the chest to aid in breathing and radiation to stop the tumor from becoming larger.
Treatment
Treatment can ease symptoms and prolong the life of those suffering from mesothelioma. Treatment options vary depending on the type of mesothelioma and its stage. The treatment plan will differ based on the amount of asbestos exposure a patient has.
Mesothelioma symptoms resemble the symptoms of a variety of illnesses such as the flu or pneumonia. This makes it difficult for doctors to identify the disease in the early stages. Often, patients will experience symptoms for several months before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
To diagnose the illness doctors will conduct an examination of the body and inquire about any exposure to asbestos in the past. They will follow up with blood tests and imaging scans to determine the severity of the cancer and where it is located in the body.
The most frequent form of mesothelioma is a lung cancer. People who have been exposed to asbestos as workers in the construction industry, welding plumber, electrician, or autoworker are most likely to contract this disease.
A buildup of fluid could cause chest pain and breathing difficulties. Surgery can remove the excess fluid and improve the quality of life.
Pleurodesis is a different procedure doctors can utilize to prevent further accumulation of fluid in the lung. In this procedure the tube is inserted into the pleura to drain fluid and then medication is injected to prevent future buildups. Patients may also choose to have a shunt, which is a device that is used to transfer fluid from one area of the body to the other to absorb.
Other treatments include radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells in a direct manner. Radiation therapy shrinks tumors by using high-energy radiation. Those who are not candidates for surgery can opt for targeted therapy, which targets the cancer-causing genes inside of the cancerous cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis for mesothelioma is affected by a variety of factors such as the type and stage of cancer, the site and general health condition of the patient. The prognosis for mesothelioma can improve by seeking treatment from an experienced specialist in the field of mesothelioma and adhere to their treatment regimen. Additionally, mesothelioma patients who participate in a clinical trial may have access to new treatments that are still being studied.
Mesothelioma symptoms are similar the symptoms of a variety of other diseases and, therefore, they are frequently incorrectly diagnosed. Patients may experience breathing difficulties as well as abdominal pains and other symptoms for some time before being diagnosed. Because these symptoms are simple at first they can be easily confused by people who associate them with other illnesses. It's therefore important to have any symptoms checked by a doctor as quickly as possible.
The lining of the chest (pleural mesothelioma), peritoneum, or in rare cases, the testicles' lining can be affected by mesothelioma. The majority of mesothelioma diagnoses are pleural mesothelioma. 85 per cent of them being diagnosed in patients who are older than 75 years old.
Both genders can have different survival rates for mesothelioma. This is due to the fact that males are more likely than women to work in industries that expose them. However, females 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 way female hormones interact with mesothelioma tumor cells. A person's age also impacts their prognosis because older patients suffer more difficulty recuperating from the illness. It's also worth noting that some mesothelioma patients live years or even a decade or more over their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma Compensation helps victims cover their medical costs, lost wages, and other costs associated with this asbestos-related disease. Corpus Christi mesothelioma attorney of mesothelioma settlement is made through a combination of asbestos trust funds, lawsuits and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma attorney can help determine which forms of compensation are available to you in your particular case.
Mesothelioma patients can bring a personal injury lawsuit for financial compensation from the asbestos-related manufacturers they were exposed to at work. Mesothelioma suits can be filed by family members, a family member, or a court appointed representative on behalf of the victim. If a victim has died of mesothelioma, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed by the estate of the victim to collect compensation from those accountable for their loved ones' asbestos exposure.
Because it can take decades from diagnosis to exposure many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma carry significant financial burdens resulting from their treatment. Mesothelioma compensation can help these patients pay off their debts and provide for the future of their families.
Mesothelioma lawsuits and settlements may also compensate victims for their suffering and pain. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help victims and their families receive the compensation they deserve.
A mesothelioma lawyer can manage all aspects of a victim’s mesothelioma case to make it as pain-free as they can. Our lawyers at Sokolove Law have helped victims and their family members obtain more than $4.7 billion in mesothelioma compensation. Contact us now to get started with a free mesothelioma review. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We can meet you at home or in the hospital. Our law firm only gets paid if we receive compensation.