Mesothelioma Lawyers - What You Need to Know About Your Mesothelioma Case

Mesothelioma victims and their families typically seek compensation to pay for medical expenses and lost wages. A mesothelioma lawyer can help you choose the best legal strategy.

The majority of mesothelioma cases are filed as personal injury or lawsuits for wrongful death. A mesothelioma lawyer can examine your case and collect documentation to start the lawsuit.

Diagnosis

The first step to diagnose mesothelioma involves having your doctor conduct a physical exam. They will ask about any signs or symptoms and prior mesothelioma lawsuit exposure to asbestos. They will also determine if you have a common illness such as pneumonia prior to examining your body for symptoms of cancer.

If your doctor suspects you have mesothelioma, they'll order imaging scans of your abdomen and chest. These tests use x-rays, CT scans and MRIs to take pictures of your internal organs. These scans can reveal fluid accumulation in your lungs and abdomen (ascites). They can also be used to detect mesothelioma tumors and determine whether they are growing.

These tests can reveal a range of possible signs of mesothelioma. However, the only method to establish an accurate diagnosis is taking tissue samples and then analyzing them under the microscope. This procedure is known as biopsy. A pathologist is an expert in interpreting laboratory tests and analyzing tissues, cells and organs to determine the presence of the disease.

It can develop in the heart. When it grows in the heart, it is called mesothelioma of the pericardium. These tumors are less frequent than pleural mesothelioma, and may be more difficult to identify.

Doctors might use needles to remove a small amount fluid from the area where the fluid has accumulated. They will then test the fluid for mesothelioma cancer cells and look at a piece of your lung to determine mesothelioma tumors.

They may also request blood chemistry tests to determine how your liver, kidneys, and thyroid are functioning. A lactate dehydrogenase test (LDH) is a test that they could run. LDH levels that are higher than normal could indicate cell damage, which could indicate mesothelioma.

Treatment

The kind of treatment you receive will be based on the stage of your mesothelioma as well as the type of cells you have. The chest and lungs are affected by pleural mesothelioma, and the linings of the abdomen are affected by the peritoneal. Most patients with pleural and peritoneal cancers survive between 19 and 21 months after their diagnosis.

The doctor who treats you will conduct an medical history and then examine you for signs of mesothelioma, including the amount of fluid in your chest or abdomen. A physical exam may be performed to determine whether the cancer has spread. Other tests include the CT scan or chest x-rays to determine the site of the cancer and whether it has spread to the heart. A biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. A surgeon can remove a tiny sample of tissue from the affected area using VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery) which is a keyhole procedure. Another option is to use a needle-guided biopsied under local anaesthesia, in which a CT scan is used to guide a tube which is used to remove the tissue in a small amount.

The most effective treatment for mesothelioma can be determined by imaging and blood tests. The tests can be used to determine if you're suffering from mesothelioma cancer cells or if your cancer is growing quickly. They can also help determine if you're an appropriate candidate for chemotherapy, which is usually used in combination with radiation therapy or surgery.

Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy X-rays or other forms of radiation to kill mesothelioma cells and shrink tumors. It is usually done in conjunction with chemotherapy and can be administered externally or internally. Internally, cancer doctors will inject a radioactive drug that is sealed in seeds, needles or wires in a place near mesothelioma.

The chemotherapy drugs used to treat mesothelioma have various side effects. They can cause nausea and vomiting and hair loss. You might also feel exhausted, increase the chances of contracting infections and decrease the amount of healthy cells within your body. Talk to your doctor about these and other possible side effects of your medications.

Clinical trials

Scientists are constantly looking for more effective ways to detect and treat mesothelioma. Clinical trials offer the chance to test new treatments that are more effective than the ones doctors currently use. The goal is to increase the odds of survival and to find cures.

Doctors are also studying the latest treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Combining these methods provides patients with more options. Many mesothelioma patients participate in clinical trials, especially when conventional treatments do not help them.

Clinical trials can take weeks, months, or even years. Participants in the trial receive treatments or experimental drugs and closely monitored by experts. Before the FDA will allow a drug for general use it must go through a number of phases of clinical trials.

Certain of these studies are testing new kinds of chemotherapy. The newest treatments are targeted to specific genetic pathways in cancer cells. The results of these studies may help researchers identify better treatment options for mesothelioma and various types of cancers.

Researchers are also looking for ways to prevent mesothelioma. In studies of high-risk populations, researchers examine whether lifestyle changes and specific medications can reduce cancer risk. Some of these prevention trials are examining ways to detect mesothelioma earlier in people.

Doctors are also studying surgery and other surgical procedures to treat mesothelioma. There are many surgical procedures that are available to treat mesothelioma. These include extrapleural pneumonectomy (which removes the affected lung, pleura and chest wall), pleurectomy with diaphragmatic decortication (which removes lungs and part of the chest wall), and trimodality treatment, which includes radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Some doctors are also examining the effectiveness of immunotherapy to treat mesothelioma. This treatment involves injecting mesothelioma sufferers with an immune-system-boosting drug which can target cancer cells. Immunotherapy is a method of treatment that can be used to treat advanced pleural cancers and to improve the chances of surviving. It is also being investigated as an option for treatment first-line in peritoneal cancer. A controlled, randomized study of the mesothelioma immune therapy drug tremelimumab is in the beginning. Participants are compared with those who are given placebo. Tremelimumab patients have a better overall survival rate than the placebo group.

Settlements

The vast majority of mesothelioma cases settle out of court. However, it is crucial to prepare for the possibility that your case is going to trial, and you should be able to have an experienced mesothelioma attorney by your side throughout the process.

The aim of a mesothelioma lawsuit is to pay the victims and their families for losses caused by this disease. Compensation may include the cost of medical treatment in the past and the future loss of wages, travel costs to seek treatment, and more. In some instances, a settlement will also include noneconomic damages like suffering and pain or loss of companionship.

Mesothelioma requires long-term treatment. This can result in high medical bills and the financial burden that is associated with not being able to work can make it hard to cover the essential expenses. Settlements or other awards can ease the burden and allow patients to focus on regaining their health.

A mesothelioma case that is successful can help hold asbestos litigation producers accountable and make them to pay for their wrongful actions. Many of these companies knew their products were hazardous but continued to put profits before safety. Mesothelioma lawsuits provide a means for the sufferers and their loved ones to seek justice against the corporations responsible for their mesothelioma.

The number of defendants in a mesothelioma or wrongful death case and the availability of funds will influence the amount of compensation that is provided. Baron & Budd's mesothelioma attorneys are skilled at building cases that can lead to a favorable verdict or settlement.