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

Mesothelioma patients and their families often seek compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. A mesothelioma lawyer can help you determine your best legal strategy.

Most mesothelioma claims are filed as personal injury or lawsuits involving wrongful deaths. A mesothelioma lawyer will examine your case and collect evidence to file the suit.

Diagnosis

The first step to diagnose mesothelioma involves having your doctor perform an examination. They will ask you about your prior exposure to asbestos, as well as any symptoms you are having. Before looking for cancer, they'll first rule out common illnesses like pneumonia.

If they suspect that you have mesothelioma, your doctor will order imaging scans of your chest and abdomen. These tests take pictures of your organs by using x-rays or CT scans. These scans may reveal fluid accumulation in the abdomen or lungs (ascites). They can be used to identify mesothelioma cancers and determine whether they are spreading.

These tests can reveal several possible indications of mesothelioma. However, the only way to confirm the diagnosis is to take tissue samples and study them under a microscope. This procedure is known as biopsy. A pathologist is a doctor who is skilled in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues and organs to determine the presence of diseases.

Mesothelioma cancer typically develops in the chest lining or abdominal cavity, but it can also develop in the heart. Pericardial mesothelioma is the name used to describe it when it develops inside the heart. These tumors can be difficult to identify and are more prevalent than pleural msothelioma.

To get an image of your mesothelioma, doctors may put a needle into the area of fluid buildup and then take only a small amount of fluid. They will then examine the fluid for mesothelioma tumor cells and examine a small piece of your lung to determine mesothelioma tumors.

They may also request blood tests to assess the health of your kidneys, thyroid and liver. One specific test they could run is a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) test. LDH levels that are higher than normal may be a sign of cell damage, and could indicate mesothelioma compensation.

Treatment

The kind of treatment you receive depends on the stage and cell type of mesothelioma you have. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lung's lining as well as the chest wall, while mesothelioma affecting the peritoneal lining of the abdomen. Most patients who suffer from pleural mesothelioma last 19 to 21 months following diagnosis, while those with late-stage peritoneal mesothelioma last between 12 and 16 months.

The doctor who treats you will take a medical history and examine you to check for symptoms of mesothelioma. This includes the amount of fluid that is in your abdomen or chest. A physical examination may be conducted to determine whether the cancer has spread. Other tests include chest x-ray or CT scan to determine the location of the tumor and if it has invaded the heart. A biopsy will be needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. A surgeon can remove a tiny sample of tissue from the affected area by using VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedure) which is a keyhole surgical procedure. Another alternative is to perform a needle-guided biopsy under local anaesthesia. In this procedure, an CT scan is used to guide a tube which is used to remove some of the tissue.

Mesothelioma doctors also employ imaging and blood tests to help them determine the best method of treatment. The tests can be used to determine whether you have mesothelioma cancerous cells or if your cancer is growing quickly. They can determine if you're a suitable candidate for chemotherapy, which is typically used in combination with radiation or surgery.

Radiation therapy involves the use of X-rays with high energy or other forms of radiation to reduce mesothelioma cancer cells. This is typically done in conjunction with chemotherapy and can be administered either internally or externally. Internally, cancer doctors will inject a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds or wires in a place close to mesothelioma.

The chemotherapy drugs used to treat mesothelioma suffer a variety of adverse reactions. They can cause nausea and vomiting, and hair loss. You might also feel tired, which can increase your chances of contracting infections and decrease the number of healthy cells within your body. Talk to your doctor about these and other possible side effects of your medications.

Clinical trials

Scientists are always looking for new ways to detect mesothelioma and then treat it. Clinical trials give patients the chance to test new treatments that may be more effective than the treatments doctors currently use. The aim is to increase survival rates and find the cure.

Doctors are also studying new treatment methods such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. They often combine these methods to give patients more options. Many mesothelioma patients participate in clinical trials, particularly when conventional treatments do not help them.

Clinical trials can take months, weeks, or even years. In the course of the trial, participants receive experimental drugs or therapies and closely monitored by experts. Most drugs have to pass multiple stages of clinical trials before the FDA approves the use of these drugs in general.

Certain of these studies test new forms of chemotherapy. The latest treatments are designed to target certain genes within cancer cells. The results of these studies could help scientists identify better treatment options for mesothelioma as well as other types of cancers.

Researchers are also studying ways to stop mesothelioma. Studies in at-risk populations are examining whether lifestyle changes or certain medications may reduce the risk of developing mesothelioma and mesothelioma other forms of cancer. Some of these prevention trials are investigating ways to detect mesothelioma earlier people.

Doctors are also studying surgery and other surgical procedures to treat mesothelioma. This includes extrapleural pneumonectomy which removes the affected lung and pleura, pleurectomy that includes pulmonary decortication, which removes part of the chest wall and diaphragm, and trimodality therapy, which uses radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Some doctors are also researching the effectiveness of immunotherapy in mesothelioma. This treatment involves injecting mesothelioma patients with an immune system-boosting drug that can target cancerous cells. Immunotherapy is a method of treatment that can be utilized to treat advanced pleural cancers and to increase the chance of surviving. It is also being investigated as a first-line treatment option for peritoneal cancer. A controlled study randomized to the mesothelioma immunotherapy drug tremelimumab is in progress. Participants are compared to those who are given placebo. Tremelimumab-treated patients have a higher overall survival rate than those who received placebo.

Settlements

The majority of mesothelioma lawsuits are settled without a court hearing. But, it's important to prepare for the possibility that your case is going to trial, and you should have a knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer on your side throughout the process.

The goal of a mesothelioma case is to compensate victims and their families for the loss associated with this disease. Compensation can be used to pay for future and past medical expenses as well as lost wages, travel costs to seek treatment and more. In some cases the settlement may also include non-economic damages such as suffering and pain, or the loss of companionship.

Mesothelioma requires long-term treatment. This can lead to high medical costs and the financial burden of not being able to work can make it difficult to pay for necessary expenses. A settlement or other award could ease the burden, allowing patients to focus on their recovery.

A successful mesothelioma lawsuit could assist in holding asbestos manufacturers accountable and force them to pay for their negligent actions. These manufacturers knew that their products were hazardous yet they chose to make profits over safety. Mesothelioma suits provide a means that the victims and their families are able to seek justice against companies responsible for their mesothelioma.

When negotiating a mesothelioma or settlement for wrongful death, the number of defendants involved in the case and the amount of money available can influence the amount of compensation provided. The mesothelioma attorneys at Baron & Budd know how to construct strong cases that are more likely to result in a favorable settlement or verdict.