Mesothelioma Claims
Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure at work. Many victims are veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their time in the military.
Mesothelioma symptoms can be confusing and painful. They can also be expensive. Compensation from claims can help patients and their families pay for expenses.
Compensation is available through a combination or settlements, lawsuits, and trust funds. A lawyer can assist you in determining the best way to file each type of claim.
What is mesothelioma?
The mesothelium is affected by this kind of cancer. Asbestos exposure can cause this type of cancer. It is most common in the lung. It can also affect the chest wall as well as the abdomen. A doctor can identify mesothelioma using imaging tests and a biopsy. If a diagnosis is confirmed the doctor will give the patient an estimate of the prognosis. Prognoses can differ based on the mesothelioma type and how advanced it is.
After being diagnosed one may be eligible for financial assistance. There are a variety of compensation claims for mesothelioma which include lawsuits. Settlements and trust funds awards. An experienced lawyer will explain each option and recommend the most appropriate one for your particular case. Mesothelioma lawsuits typically yield the largest settlements. However they also require a lengthy litigation process. If someone wants to accelerate the process and receive their compensation earlier they can consider a settlement.
Veterans Affairs (VA) also provides insurance benefits to individuals. This can include health care and disability insurance. Compensation from the VA may reduce the financial burden of families. Veterans are also eligible for additional VA benefits, such as Special Monthly Compensation (DIC) which can help to pay for home care and home health care expenses.
A victim may also be eligible for Social Security Disability and/or Medicare. Social Security provides an income per month for those who are unable to work. Mesothelioma patients may also apply for life insurance policies to cover funeral expenses and other family-related costs. These policies are usually purchased through an employer. The VA and a few private companies offer these benefits as well. what causes mesothelioma other than asbestos diagnosed with mesothelioma can contact a military veteran lawyer to assist in obtaining benefits.
Diagnosis
When a doctor suspects that a patient has mesothelioma they will conduct a physical examination and ask about the patient's medical history including their work history. They will also note asbestos exposure, which is the number one factor that can increase the risk of mesothelioma for a patient. The number one factor that increases mesothelioma risk is exposure to asbestos. They also inquire about any symptoms the patient is experiencing.
Next, doctors will run imaging tests to identify the location where cancerous fluids or tumors have developed within the body. The mesothelioma-related areas can be identified using CT scan (computed tomography), MRI, ultrasound, or PET scan (positron-emission tomography). Imaging tests can reveal the accumulation of fluid between the chest wall, lung and pleura of pleural mesothelioma. This is called the pleural effusion. The fluid can be removed by ultrasound-guided aspiration. This doesn't always prove mesothelioma diagnoses, but it does assist in determining the cause of pleural fluid buildup, like a leaky heart valve or pneumonia.
For pericardial and peritoneal mesothelioma that form in the abdomen's lining as well as tissues surrounding the organs, doctors may opt for a colonoscopy or laparoscopic biopsy to take tissue samples for testing. They can inject a radioactive agent to highlight any cancerous cell on the images from the scans or even a biopsy.
These tests can reveal the stage of mesothelioma and the treatment plan will be based on the type and whether or not the cancer has spread. Patients may receive treatment with chemotherapy, surgery or targeted therapy which uses drugs that destroy cancerous cells without harming healthy cells. A multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals will take care for a mesothelioma patient which includes gastroenterologists, pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons. They will provide assistance and discuss the patient's options.
Treatment
Surgery, radiation chemotherapy and surgery are the three main treatments for mesothelioma. Doctors may combine these treatments in some cases. They may also incorporate specific therapies, like immunotherapy.
The type of mesothelioma you have will determine which types of treatment options are suitable for you. If you are diagnosed with Pleural cancer, the tumors originate in the lining or pleura of the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma usually comes from exposure to asbestos during work as a construction worker, asbestos miner or in the military.
The treatment for pleural mesothelioma is by draining excess fluid. They may use a procedure called paracentesis or pericardiocentesis. Doctors can also remove a small amount of tissue around the tumor to reduce the size of the tumor. This is a palliative mesothelioma treatment and does not cure cancer.
It is possible that doctors will be able to remove all tumors from the lungs using pleurectomy and décortication (P/D), or extrapleural lung pneumonectomy (EPP). Doctors can also try to eliminate any remaining cancer cells by giving you chemo before or after surgery, known as adjuvant therapy or neoadjuvant therapy.
If the tumors that are located in the abdomen are large, they can be difficult to treat. Radiation may cause more damage to the lining in the stomach and abdominal cavity than normal. This is why surgery is used more often for this kind of mesothelioma.
Certain treatments are essential to alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, pain and fatigue as well as weight loss caused by mesothelioma. Doctors can prescribe medicines to alleviate nausea, diarrhea and other adverse effects. They can also refer patients specialist support groups to help them deal with issues like relationships and body image. Some patients may opt to participate in a clinical trial for mesothelioma to try out new treatment methods.
Living with Mesothelioma
The mesothelioma path can be a challenge. There are many ways that you can live well even if you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients often find relief in talking about their experiences with loved ones, finding an online support group or joining an online community.
Patients may feel better after receiving treatment, but it is essential to remain in contact with their physician. Report any new signs or side effects immediately. They could mean that the cancer has worsened or that its effects on your body have increased.
The symptoms may not be specific, but the majority of people affected by mesothelioma develop a nonproductive cough. They may also experience chest wall pain or breathing problems. Another typical symptom is a Pleural effusion.
Patients with mesothelioma are often treated by specialists such as a pulmonologist, thoracic surgery, gastroenterologist, and respiratory physician. Treatment options include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a brand-new drug called pemetrexed.
The majority of cases are in the peritoneum. This is a thin layer that covers organs such as the bowel, liver, and the ovaries. Peritoneal fluid effusions are common among those suffering from peritoneal cancer. This can cause problems with breathing, abdominal pain or fatigue.
Some mesothelioma patients survive for a long period of time after their initial diagnosis. Examples include paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould who died in August 1982 of peritoneal cancer, and Florida asbestos lawyer Larry Williams who survived peritoneal and pleural cancers for six years before his death in 2018 from Alzheimer's.
The compassionate lawyers at Weitz & Luxenberg can help you claim compensation when you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma. We are committed to building relationships and understanding the needs of our clients and making the claim process as stress-free as is possible and ensuring they receive the maximum amount of compensation.
Making a claim
A mesothelioma case is a legal procedure that can help asbestos victims receive compensation. This compensation can help pay for treatment for mesothelioma as well as provide financial security to family members.
A reputable mesothelioma law firm can file the right kind of legal claim to receive the maximum amount of compensation. Compensation may come in the form of a mesothelioma trust fund award or trial verdict, or mesothelioma lawsuit settlement. A mesothelioma lawyer will review all available forms of compensation during a free, no-obligation legal consultation.
Mesothelioma lawsuits are filed in civil courts, but each state's laws differ on how claims are handled. Statutes of limitations and jury selection requirements and other factors can vary. The best mesothelioma lawyers will make filing as simple as it can be.
Many responsible companies that manufactured or sold asbestos-containing products have filed for bankruptcy protection due to the large number of mesothelioma lawsuits against them. In a few cases companies have set up up asbestos trust funds to compensate asbestos victims in exchange to protect themselves from lawsuits in the future. Trust mesothelioma claims from trust funds are generally the simplest to settle, and can result in a payment within a few weeks or even months.
Families of mesothelioma patients may also file a lawsuit for the wrongful death of loved ones. This type of lawsuit can be accompanied by compensatory damages that pay for funeral expenses, lost wages and other expenses. The amount of wrongful death awards is usually much larger than personal settlements for injuries. The most successful mesothelioma lawsuits have led to multi-million dollars settlements for plaintiffs.