Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the cells lining a person's body cavities such as chest, abdominal area or the region around the heart. The incidence of Mesothelioma has been linked to asbestos exposure. In most cases of mesothelioma, the association with asbestos exposure has been documented and proved. Mesothelioma lawsuits are carried out by specialized law firms. A Mesothelioma attorney needs to track the patient's case history and prove the association with asbestos exposure at the workplace. Read up more on this specialized section of lawyers.
Mesothelioma lawyer
Asbestosis class action lawsuits are carried on by mesothelioma attorneys who are well versed in the nuances and complexities of consumer representation and environmental law. With mesothelioma lawsuits resulting in compensatory damages running into tens of millions of dollars, top-notch mesothelioma law firms undertake the task of guiding the litigation and lawsuit process. The onus of demonstrating factually that the person suffers from malignant mesothelioma on account of exposure at the defendant's company premises lies on the mesothelioma attorney. The mesothelioma lawyer is expected to show facts and records that indicate that the alleged victim was in the employment of the defendant company during a particular period when asbestos was used.
A specialized attorney commands enormous sums of money as professional fees as his/her specialized skills and years of honing them determine the success rate. As a career option, one has to undergo years of training and mentoring under a leading attorney.
The Mesothelioma law firm provides accepted medical facts to prove defendant company liability. Symptoms of malignant Mesothelioma such as swelling on the face and extremities, weight loss and coughing of blood and shortness of breath are outlined in the case history. A mesothelioma attorney represents his clients on a contingency basis. You are not liable to pay the mesothelioma lawyer in case you do not receive any settlement from the asbestos company.
The counsel for the defendant company asserts corporate ignorance since there were no laws or environmental standards at that time when asbestos was widely used. They plead that these asbestos cancer cases are borne out of greed and a battle to pin responsibility on American companies with retrospective effect. It is argued that manufacturers of products containing asbestos were aware of the harmful effects of asbestos but did not inform their employees about it nor did they take any protective action.
Mesothelioma cancer
The mesothelium plays the important function of a protective sheath for the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma cancer affects that peritoneal lining of the organs in the abdominal cavity as well as other organs such as lungs, heart and brain.
Most commonly, it affects the lining of the lungs resulting in Pleural mesothelioma. With inhalation of toxic asbestos fumes, the lining turns cancerous. Mesothelioma affecting the abdominal cavity manifests in symptoms such as pain and swelling of the belly, nausea and swollen feet. According to information gathered on Mesothelioma, it is seen that more men tend to be affected by it than women. This disease is fatal with a survival time of about a year after diagnosis.
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is mined all over the world. It was extensively used for insulation and fire resistance. Light asbestos fibers tend to remain airborne for long and travel far too. Employees working in such an environment tend to breathe in these fibers everyday without realizing it. These fibers are entrapped in the lining of the lungs and other organs. This reduces the lung capacity due to increased scarring of the lung tissues. This results in symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Typically, symptoms of mesothelioma tend to appear decades after the exposure to asbestos. The symptoms of asbestos mesothelioma tend to be mistaken for other less serious conditions.
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. Nearly 75% of the cases of mesothelioma are workers who were exposed to asbestos. Asbestos was commercially used since the late 1800s. The risk of Mesothelioma was unknown then. With the surge of workers from shipyards and asbestos mills and mines developing mesothelioma symptoms, the association between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma was confirmed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has prescribed the acceptable limits of asbestos exposure in a workplace and laid down guidelines for protective personal equipment that can lower the risk of asbestos exposure. It has been noticed that family members and those living with asbestos workers also had increased chances of developing mesothelioma. This is on account of the asbestos dust that clings to clothing and hair of workers who are exposed to it.
Mesothelioma treatment
Common symptoms of mesothelioma include dyspnoea, pleuritic pain, lasting cough, fatigue, and weight loss. CT scans and MRI can help in diagnosis. Surgery is an option that doctors sometimes resort to but this can be done at an early stage of diagnosis. Mesothelioma treatment, including oxygen, drugs and other procedures is expensive. The location of the Mesothelioma cancer and the stage of the disease play a vital role in determining the treatment for Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma doctors sometimes combine surgery and radiation along with chemotherapy. With surgery, the mesothelioma doctor will remove the cancerous part, be it a part of the lining of the chest or abdomen or even a lung. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill the cancerous cells. Sometimes chemotherapy is also used. The anti-cancer drugs are injected intravenously to kill cancerous cells throughout the body. Sometimes the mesothelioma doctor may drain the fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. Drugs are also used to prevent the fluid from accumulating further.
Mesothelioma lawsuit
When there is a death of a person suffering from asbestos mesothelioma, his family can file a mesothelioma case against the asbestos manufacturer. A mesothelioma lawsuit is conducted by a mesothelioma attorney after the doctor confirms the diagnosis. There are time constraints in some states that regulate the amount of time in which you can start a mesothelioma lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks compensation for the injuries suffered on account of this fatal condition as well as compensation for the patient and his family and punitive damages against some asbestos companies. Mesothelioma lawsuits are filed to claim medical expenses, loss of income and compensation for the pain and suffering that the disease is associated with.
Mesothelioma lawsuits involve class action litigation for victims of this fatal disease that is associated with asbestos exposure. The compensation for mesothelioma lawsuits depends on the products that the patient was exposed to as well as other factors such as extent of exposure and date and location of exposure. Other mesothelioma settlements also affect any mesothelioma lawsuit as also the culpability of the defendant. Average settlements for mesothelioma lawsuits rang between $750,000 and $2.5 million. There have been increasing number of mesothelioma and asbestos related deaths in the US since the past few decades. This is because of the fact that asbestos-related diseases develop slowly.
| 
