Mesothelioma Claims
A mesothelioma lawsuit can help victims obtain compensation for treatment and other costs. State laws called statutes of limitations restrict how long a victim is required to bring a lawsuit.
Personal injury or wrongful death are the most popular kinds of lawsuits. Juries award monetary damages that include non-economic and economic damages.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a rare illness and it can take a number of years before patients be diagnosed. Patients will usually go to their primary physician with an medical history. Doctors will conduct an examination of the body and inquire about exposure to asbestos.
Imaging tests are usually requested by doctors when they suspect mesothelioma. These include chest X-rays computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These tests give a detailed view of the body. These tests may reveal the presence of fluid in the abdomen or lungs as a mesothelioma related symptoms.
These tests can be used to determine the type mesothelioma. The mesothelioma type that is pleural is caused by cancer cells that line the lung, called the pleura. The peritoneal type is caused by cancerous cells in the abdominal cavity. In a biopsies performed surgically, doctors will remove a small amount of tissue from the affected area or tumor and examine it under a microscope to look for indications of mesothelioma. Doctors can also conduct the test known as a cytology to detect cancerous cells in samples of fluid taken from the stomach or lungs.
A blood test, dubbed the MESOMARK Assay, will determine the amount of soluble mesothelin-related to peptide (SMRP) within the body of the patient. A high level of this biomarker could be a sign of mesothelioma cells.
As a result, these biomarkers could be useful in diagnosing mesothelioma early in its development. It is not a replacement for mesothelioma biopsies which is the only method to determine the presence of cancer within the body. Doctors can perform non-surgical biopsies to remove fluid from the stomach or pleura using a needle, and then analyze it for cells of mesothelioma.
Signs and symptoms
Mesothelioma may occur anyplace on 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 with mesothelioma of the pericardial or peritoneal region feel discomfort in their abdomen and weight loss and fatigue. Mesothelioma symptoms are difficult to diagnose because the signs are similar to those of many common illnesses. Mesothelioma can develop years after exposure to asbestos.
X-rays and CT scans can show changes in the lungs, such as thickening of the pleura or the accumulation of fluid (pleural effusion). MRI and PET scans may also be used to look for mesothelioma. Blood tests can check for high levels of certain substances in the body that could indicate the presence of mesothelioma.
A doctor can drain the fluid or tissue that is accumulating to check for cancerous cells. Doctors can also perform an operation, known as the thoracoscopic aspiration. oklahoma city mesothelioma attorneys removes a small amount fluid from the lungs or thoracic cavities. This test is a less painful version of a biopsy and is performed in the office of a doctor.
If the doctor finds mesothelioma, they may suggest surgery, radiation or chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells and stop the spread. Radiation therapy can be performed in a clinic or hospital. The radiation is usually administered as an as an outpatient. Palliative treatments are often used to help manage pain and other symptoms. It could include painkillers as well as regular draining of fluid or tubes placed in the chest to aid in breathing and radiation to stop the tumor from becoming larger.
Treatment
Treatment can help ease symptoms and extend the life of those suffering from mesothelioma. There are a variety of treatments that are available, based on the type and stage of mesothelioma. The treatment plan can vary based on the level of asbestos exposure that the patient is exposed to.
Mesothelioma symptoms resemble the symptoms of a variety of illnesses like the flu and pneumonia. This makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose mesothelioma before it becomes apparent. Patients may be suffering from symptoms for months before being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
To determine the cause of the illness, doctors will perform a physical exam and ask about previous exposure to asbestos. They will follow up with scans of the blood and imaging to determine the severity of the cancer and where it is located within the body.
The most frequent mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. This affects the lung. The most likely to develop the disease are people who have worked as a welder electrician, plumber or in the automotive industry.
Pleural mesothelioma can cause a buildup of fluid, creating chest pain and difficulty breathing. Surgery can eliminate excess fluid, improving the quality of life for patients.
Pleurodesis is a different procedure doctors can utilize to prevent further accumulation of fluid in the lung. In this procedure it is the procedure of inserting a tube into the pleura to drain fluid and then the medicine is injected into the pleura to prevent the buildup of further fluids. Patients may also choose to place a shunt on their body. It is a device that circulates fluid from one area of the body to another to absorb.
The treatment of chemotherapy and radiation are both options. Chemotherapy kills cancerous cells directly. Radiation therapy targets tumors, and shrinks them with high-energy rays. Patients who are not eligible for surgery may undergo targeted therapy. This involves targeting the cancer-causing gene inside the cancer cells.
Prognosis
The mesothelioma prognosis is contingent on a variety of factors, including the type and location of cancer, the stage at diagnosis and general patient health. Patients suffering from mesothelioma could improve their odds of survival by seeking treatment from a specialist in mesothelioma, and follow their treatment regimen. Patients who have mesothelioma that take part in clinical trials could have access to novel treatments that are being researched.
Mesothelioma symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other conditions which is why they are often not diagnosed. Patients may suffer from abdominal pain, breathing problems and other symptoms before they are diagnosed. These symptoms are mild at first and can be easily confused with other illnesses. It is therefore essential to have any symptoms checked by a physician as soon as you can.
The chest's lining (pleural mesothelioma) also known as the peritoneum or in rare cases the testicles' membrane can be affected by mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma accounts for most mesothelioma cases. It accounts for 85 percent of all diagnoses made in patients over 75 years old.
Survival rates for mesothelioma can differ between men and women. This is due to the fact that men are more likely than women to work in fields that expose them to asbestos. Females exposed to mesothelioma have a twice higher chance of surviving for the next five years than male patients. This is probably due to the ways female hormones interact with mesothelioma tumor cells. Age also affects their outlook since older patients are more likely to suffer more difficulty recuperating from the illness. It's also worth noting that some mesothelioma patients live years or even a decade over their initial prognoses.
Compensation
Mesothelioma compensation assists victims to pay for medical expenses, lost wages and other costs associated with the asbestos-related disease. Mesothelioma settlements are usually awarded by combining asbestos trust funds, lawsuits, and settlements. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will help you determine 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 may seek financial compensation. Mesothelioma lawsuits can be filed on behalf of a victim's loved one or family member, or by an appointed representative by the court. If a victim died from mesothelioma, awrongful death lawsuit can be filed by the estate of the victim to collect compensation from those who are responsible for their loved ones' asbestos exposure.
Because it can take years from the moment of exposure to diagnosis many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma carry significant financial burdens resulting from their treatment. Mesothelioma settlements can help victims of the disease pay off their debts and also provide for their families' futures.
Mesothelioma lawsuits and settlements can also compensate victims for their suffering and pain. An attorney for mesothelioma can help victims and families get the compensation they are entitled to.
A mesothelioma lawyer can handle every aspect of a patient's mesothelioma claim to make it as pain-free as they can. Our attorneys at Sokolove Law have helped victims and their family members receive over $4.7 billion for mesothelioma claims. Contact us today to arrange free consultation on your mesothelioma lawsuit. Our lawyers serve clients nationwide. We are able to meet with you at your home or hospital. Our law firm only gets paid when we receive compensation for you.