mesothelioma lawyers (next page) - What You Need to Know About Your Mesothelioma Case

Mesothelioma patients and their families typically seek compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. A qualified mesothelioma attorney can help you determine the most efficient legal strategy.

Most mesothelioma lawsuits are filed under personal injury or wrongful-death laws. An attorney for mesothelioma can look over your case, gather documentation and file the lawsuit.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will conduct an examination of your body to determine mesothelioma. They will ask you about your previous exposure to asbestos as well as any symptoms you're experiencing. Before looking for cancer, they will first determine if you have a common illness such as pneumonia.

If they suspect that you have mesothelioma Your doctor will request imaging scans of your chest and abdomen. These tests take pictures of your organs using x-rays or CT scans. These scans could reveal the presence of fluid in the abdomen and lungs (ascites). They can also help find mesothelioma tumors, and determine whether they've developed into a disease.

These tests can reveal a range of possible signs of mesothelioma. However the only method to establish a definitive diagnosis is by taking tissue samples and then analyzing them under microscope. This procedure is called a biopsy. A pathologist is a specialist who specialises in interpreting lab tests and evaluating organs, tissues and cells to determine the presence of disease.

Mesothelioma cancer typically develops in the chest's lining or abdominal cavity, however it can also develop within the heart. If it develops inside the heart, it's known as mesothelioma of the pericardium. These tumors are rarer than pleural mesothelioma, and may be more difficult to identify.

Doctors may use a needle to take a small amount of fluid from the area where fluid has accumulated. They will then analyze the fluid for mesothelioma cancer cells and examine a portion of your lung for mesothelioma tumors.

They can also conduct blood tests to determine the health of your thyroid, kidneys and liver. A lactate dehydrogenase test (LDH) is a test they can perform. The presence of higher than normal levels of LDH could indicate damage to your cells which can be a sign of mesothelioma legal.

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. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and chest wall, while mesothelioma legal in the peritoneal region is found in the lining of the abdomen. The majority of patients suffering from pleural and peritoneal cancers live between 19 and 21 months after their diagnosis.

The doctor who treats you will conduct an medical history and then examine your body to look for signs of mesothelioma. This includes the amount of fluid present in your abdomen or chest. A physical exam can be performed to determine whether the cancer has expanded. Other tests include chest x-ray or CT scan to determine the area of the tumor and also signs that it has invaded your heart. A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. A surgeon can take an x-ray of the affected area of tissue to test using either VATS (video-assisted surgery using thoracoscopic instruments) which is a keyhole surgery, or a needle-guided biopsy under local anaesthetic in which the tissue sample is removed using an instrument that is guided by a CT scan.

The best treatment for mesothelioma can be determined through blood tests and imaging. Tests can identify certain chemicals in your blood that are related to mesothelioma cancer cells, as well as how fast your cancer is growing. They can also determine if you're a good candidate to receive chemotherapy, which is typically used in conjunction with radiation or surgery.

Radiation therapy employs high-energy X rays or other types of radiation to kill mesothelioma cancer cells and shrink tumors. This is typically done in combination with chemotherapy and can be given externally or internally. The cancer doctors inject a radioactive substance in the form of needles, seeds or wires around the mesothelioma.

The chemotherapy drugs used to treat mesothelioma suffer various adverse effects. They can cause nausea and vomiting and hair loss. You might also feel tired, which can increase your risk of getting sick and decrease the number of healthy cells within your body. Consult your physician about these and other possible side effects that could be caused by your medications.

Clinical trials

Scientists are constantly looking for more effective ways to detect and treat mesothelioma. Clinical trials allow doctors to test experimental treatments that may be more effective than the treatments they currently employ. The goal is to increase the odds of survival and to find cures.

Doctors are also researching new treatment methods like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Combining these techniques gives patients more options. Many mesothelioma patients participate in clinical trials if the standard treatments fail.

Clinical trials can last weeks, months or years. During the trial participants receive experimental drugs or therapies and closely monitored by experts. Before the FDA will allow a drug for use in general it must go through several phases of clinical trials.

Certain of these studies are testing new kinds of chemotherapy. The newest treatments are targeted to specific genetic pathways that are present in cancer cells. These studies could lead to improved treatment options for cancers like mesothelioma.

Researchers are also looking at ways to stop mesothelioma. In studies of high-risk populations researchers are examining whether lifestyle changes and specific drugs can lower the risk of cancer. Some of these trials examine ways to detect mesothelioma earlier in individuals.

Doctors are also studying surgery and other surgical procedures for mesothelioma. There are several surgical procedures that are available to treat mesothelioma. Some of them 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 that includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Some doctors are also investigating the effectiveness of immunotherapy for mesothelioma. This kind of treatment involves injecting a mesothelioma patient with an immune system-boosting medication that targets cancer cells. Immunotherapy is a treatment that can be used for advanced pleural cancer and to increase the odds of survival. It is also being investigated as an option to treat first-line patients with peritoneal cancer. A controlled, randomized study of the mesothelioma immunotherapy drug tremelimumab has started. Participants are compared to those who receive placebo. The tremelimumab group has higher overall survival rates than the placebo group.

Settlements

The majority of mesothelioma lawsuits are settled outside of court. It is crucial to prepare for trial and to have a seasoned mesothelioma lawyer at your side.

The purpose of a mesothelioma case is to compensate the victims and their families for the loss caused by this disease. The compensation can be used to pay for future and past medical expenses, lost wages, travel costs to seek treatment and more. In some instances the settlement could also include non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or loss of companionship.

Mesothelioma requires ongoing treatment. This can result in hefty medical expenses and the financial burden of being unable to work can make it difficult to pay for necessary expenses. Settlements or other awards can ease the burden and allow patients to focus on regaining their health.

A mesothelioma lawsuit that is successful will to hold asbestos producers accountable and make them pay for their negligent acts. Many of these manufacturers knew their products were dangerous but continued to put profits over safety. Mesothelioma lawsuits provide a means for victims and their loved ones to get justice against the corporations responsible for their mesothelioma.

The number of defendants in a mesothelioma or wrongful death lawsuit, and the availability of funds could influence the amount of compensation provided. Baron & Budd's mesothelioma lawyers know how to build cases that result in a favorable verdict or settlement.