Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit could aid victims in receiving compensation for their treatment as well as other costs. State laws, also known as statutes or limitations, limit the time a victim can make a claim.
The most common form of lawsuits is of personal injury or wrongful death claims. The jury awards money damages, which include economic and non-economic damages.
Diagnosis
It could take years to recognize mesothelioma. This is a rare condition. Patients usually visit their primary physician with an medical history. Doctors will perform an examination of the body and ask about asbestos exposure.
If doctors suspect mesothelioma, they often request imaging tests. This can include chest X-rays (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography. These tests provide a clear view of the body. They can show an accumulation of fluid around the lungs or abdomen, which is a typical mesothelioma sign.
These tests can also be used 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 cancerous cells that reside in the abdominal cavity. In a surgical biopsies doctors will take a sample of tissue from a tumor or affected area and examine it under a microscope in order to check for signs of mesothelioma. Doctors will also use an cytology test in order to check for the presence of cancerous cells in the fluid samples taken from the stomach or lungs.
A blood test referred to as the MESOMARK test can measure the amount of mesothelin-soluble peptide (SMRP) in the patient's body. This biomarker has high levels and can indicate mesothelioma.
As a result, these biomarkers can be helpful for doctors trying to diagnose mesothelioma early in its development. It is not a replacement for mesothelioma biopsy, which is the only way to definitively determine if cancer has been detected within the body. Doctors can conduct a non-surgical biopsy to collect fluid from the pleura and the stomach with a needle and look it up for mesothelioma cancer cells.
Symptoms
Mesothelioma can be found anywhere in the body where asbestos has created cancerous cells. The most frequent sites are the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma can cause pain in the chest as well as difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. People suffering from pericardial and peritoneal cancer are often afflicted with abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss. Mesothelioma symptoms can be difficult to identify because the signs are similar to those of other common diseases. Mesothelioma can manifest years after asbestos exposure.
Redondo Beach mesothelioma attorney -rays and CT scans can show changes in the lungs, such as the pleura getting thicker or fluid accumulation (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans are also utilized to identify mesothelioma. Blood tests can check for the presence of certain substances within the body, which indicate mesothelioma's presence.
A doctor can remove the tissue or fluid to check 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 painful version of a biopsy that can be done in the office of a doctor.
If the doctor finds mesothelioma, they might suggest surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to kill cancer cells and stop the spread. The chemotherapy and surgery are usually performed in an outpatient environment, and radiation may be administered in a hospital or clinic. The use of palliative therapy is commonly to alleviate pain and other symptoms. It can include painkillers, regular draining of fluid or a tube put in the chest to help with breathing and radiation to prevent the tumor from expanding.
Treatment
For people diagnosed with mesothelioma treatment can ease symptoms and extend life. There are a variety of treatments available, based on the stage and type of mesothelioma. The treatment plan may also differ depending on the amount of asbestos exposure a patient is exposed to.
The symptoms of mesothelioma resemble other illnesses like the flu or pneumonia. This makes it hard for doctors to identify mesothelioma in the early stages. In many cases, patients suffer for a long time before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
To diagnose the disease, doctors will perform a physical exam and ask about any exposure to asbestos in the past. They will then perform blood tests and imaging scanners to determine the severity and location of the cancer in the body.
The most common mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. This affects the lung. People who have been exposed to asbestos in the course of their work as a construction worker, welder plumber, electrician, or autoworker are most likely to develop this disease.
A buildup of fluid may cause chest pain and breathing difficulties. Surgery can help eliminate the excess fluid and improve a patient's quality of life.
Doctors can also utilize a procedure called pleurodesis to prevent the formation of further fluids in the lungs. In this procedure it is the procedure of inserting a tube into the pleura to drain fluid and then medication 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 moves fluid from one area of the body to another in order to absorb.
Other treatments include radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy targets cancerous cells by directly killing them. Radiation therapy targets tumors and shrinks them by using high-energy radiation. People who aren't suitable for surgery can opt for targeted therapy, which targets the cancer-causing genes inside of the cancerous cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis for mesothelioma is dependent on a variety of factors such as the type and stage of cancer, its location and general health status of the patient. The prognosis for mesothelioma can improve when patients seek treatment from an experienced specialist in mesothelioma treatment and adhere to their treatment regimen. Additionally, mesothelioma patients who participate in clinical trials may be able to access new treatments that are still being studied.
Mesothelioma symptoms can be compared to the symptoms of other conditions and, therefore, they are frequently incorrectly diagnosed. Patients may experience breathing problems, abdominal pain and other symptoms for a few months before they are diagnosed. These symptoms may be mild at first and can be confused with other ailments. It is therefore essential to have any symptoms evaluated by a doctor as quickly as possible.
The lining of the chest (pleural mesothelioma), peritoneum, or in rare cases the testicles' membrane can be affected by mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common cause of mesothelioma cases, with 85 percent of diagnosed in patients who are more than 75 years old.
The survival rates for mesothelioma may differ between men and women. This is because men are more likely than women to work in areas that expose them. However females who have been exposed to mesothelioma are two times as likely to live beyond five years than male patients. This is likely due to the way female hormones interact with mesothelioma tumor cells. The prognosis for a patient is also affected by their age, since older patients have a harder time recovering from disease. It's also important to note that some mesothelioma patients live years or even a decade or more past their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma Compensation assists victims in covering their medical costs in addition to lost wages and other expenses related to the asbestos-related illness. Most often, this mesothelioma compensation is awarded through a combination of asbestos trust funds, lawsuits, and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will help you determine what types of compensation might be applicable to your situation.
Mesothelioma patients can file a personal injury lawsuit to receive financial compensation from manufacturers of asbestos-related products they were exposed to while at work. Mesothelioma suits can be filed by a loved one, a family member, or a court appointed representative on behalf of the victim. The estate of a victim's loved ones who has died from mesothelioma can file a wrongful-death lawsuit to recover compensation from the parties responsible for the victim's asbestos exposure.
Many patients with mesothelioma are in debt because it can take years from exposure to diagnosis. Mesothelioma settlements can help those suffering of the disease pay off their debts and ensure their families' future.
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 receive the compensation they deserve.
A mesothelioma attorney can handle every aspect of a victim's mesothelioma case to make it as pain-free as they can. Our attorneys at Sokolove Law have helped families and victims members collect more than $4.7 billion in mesothelioma lawsuits. Contact us today to begin on a free mesothelioma case review. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We can visit you at your home or in a hospital. Our law firm is only paid if we are able to get you compensation.