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

Mesothelioma patients and their families typically seek compensation for medical expenses as well as lost wages. A mesothelioma lawyer can assist you choose the best legal strategy.

The majority of mesothelioma lawsuits are filed as personal injury or lawsuits involving wrongful deaths. A mesothelioma attorney can review your case, collect documentation and file the lawsuit.

Diagnosis

The first step in identifying mesothelioma involves having your doctor perform a physical exam. They will inquire about any symptoms and your prior exposure to asbestos. Before examining for cancer, they will first confirm that you are not suffering from common illnesses such as pneumonia.

If they suspect you may have mesothelioma, your doctor will 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 show fluid buildup in the abdomen or lungs (ascites). They can also aid in identifying mesothelioma tumors, and determine if they have developed into a disease.

These tests can reveal a variety of possible signs of mesothelioma. However the only way to confirm the diagnosis is to collect tissue samples and study them under a microscope. This is referred to as a biopsy. A pathologist is a medical professional who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues and organs to determine the presence of disease.

It can grow in the heart. Pericardial mesothelioma is the name given to it when it grows within the heart. These tumors are difficult to diagnose and are less frequent than pleural mesothelioma.

To collect a sample of mesothelioma, your doctor may place a needle in the area of buildup of fluid and then remove only a small amount of fluid. They will then test the fluid for signs of mesothelioma. They will also examine a sample from your lung to look for tumors.

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

Treatment

The type of treatment you get depends on the stage and cell type of mesothelioma you have. The tissues of the chest and lungs are affected by pleural mesothelioma while the linings of your abdomen are affected by peritoneal. The majority of patients with pleural or peritoneal cancers live between 19 and 21 months after their diagnosis.

The doctor who treats you will inspect you and take your medical history to look for mesothelioma signs, such as the amount of fluid that is in your chest or abdomen. A physical examination may be conducted to determine whether the cancer has expanded. Other tests include a chest x-ray or CT scan to find the location of the tumor and indication that it has invaded the heart. A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. A surgeon can collect a sample of the affected tissue to test using either VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery), which is a keyhole surgery, or a needle-guided biopsy with local anaesthesia in which the tissue sample is removed using a tube that is guided by a CT scan.

Mesothelioma specialists also use imaging and blood tests to help determine the best method of treatment. The tests can be used to determine whether you have mesothelioma tumor cells or if the cancer is growing rapidly. They can also determine if you're a suitable candidate for chemotherapy, which is often used in combination with radiation or surgery.

Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy X-rays or other forms of radiation to kill mesothelioma cells and shrink tumors. This procedure is typically performed in conjunction with chemotherapy and can either be given internally or externally. Internally, cancer doctors will inject a radioactive drug that is sealed in seeds, needles or wires in a place close to the mesothelioma.

The side effects of the chemotherapy drugs used to cure mesothelioma can be numerous. They can cause nausea and vomiting, as well as hair loss. You might also feel tired, increase your risk of infection and reduce the amount of healthy cells in your body. Discuss with your doctor about these and other possible side effects that could be caused by your medications.

Clinical trials

Scientists are always looking for new ways to diagnose mesothelioma and treat it. Clinical trials allow doctors to test experimental treatments that are more efficient than the ones they currently employ. The aim is to improve the rate of survival and discover cures.

Doctors are also studying the latest treatment methods like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Combining these treatments offers patients more options. Many mesothelioma patients participate in clinical trials, especially if standard therapies do not help them.

Clinical trials can last for weeks, months, or even years. In the course of the trial, participants are given an experimental drug or therapy, and are monitored closely by experts. Before the FDA will approve a medication for general use it must go through several phases of clinical trials.

Certain of these studies are testing new kinds of chemotherapy. The latest drugs are designed to target certain genetic pathways in cancer cells. The results of these studies could aid scientists discover better treatments for mesothelioma and various types of cancers.

Researchers are also studying ways to stop mesothelioma. In studies in high-risk populations researchers investigate whether lifestyle changes or mesothelioma attorney certain drugs can lower the risk of cancer. Some of these prevention trials are looking at ways to detect mesothelioma earlier in people.

Doctors are also studying surgery as well as other surgical procedures for mesothelioma. There are several surgical procedures that can be used to treat mesothelioma. These include extrapleural pneumonectomy (which removes the affected lung, pleura and chest wall) and pleurectomy with diaphragmatic decortication (which removes the lungs and a portion of the chest wall) and trimodality treatment which includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Some doctors are also investigating the effectiveness of immunotherapy to treat mesothelioma. This treatment involves injecting a mesothelioma patient with an immune system-boosting medication that can target cancer cells. Immunotherapy can be used to treat advanced pleural mesothelioma as well as increase the chances of surviving. It is also being researched as an option to treat first-line patients with peritoneal cancer. A controlled study randomized to the mesothelioma immune therapy drug tremelimumab is in the beginning. Participants are compared to those who are given placebo. Tremelimumab patients have higher overall survival rates than the placebo group.

Settlements

The majority of mesothelioma cases settle out of court. But, it's important to prepare as if your case will go to trial, and you should have an experienced mesothelioma attorney by your side throughout the entire process.

The goal of a mesothelioma lawsuit is to pay the victims and their families for the loss caused by this disease. Compensation can cover past and future medical expenses loss of earnings, travel costs to seek treatment and more. In certain cases the settlement may include non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or the loss of companionship.

Mesothelioma requires ongoing treatment. This can result in large medical bills and the financial strain that is associated with not being able to work can make it hard to pay for essential expenses. A settlement or another award can help alleviate this stress and allow patients to concentrate on regaining their health.

A mesothelioma claim that is successful will hold asbestos producers accountable and force them pay for their negligent actions. Many of these companies knew their products were dangerous however they continued to put profits before safety. Mesothelioma lawsuits are a way that victims and their families can seek justice against the companies responsible for their mesothelioma.

The number of defendants in a mesothelioma or wrongful death case, and the availability of funds could determine the amount of compensation given. The mesothelioma attorneys at Baron & Budd know how to build strong cases that are more likely to result in an outcome that is favorable to the settlement or verdict.