A Mesothelioma asbestos attorney notes that mesothelioma is a rare cancer believed to be caused almost solely by an individual’s exposure to asbestos. The cancer can affect the abdominal cavity, heart, or the protective, thin membrane surrounding the lungs. Approximately 3,000 cases are reportedly diagnosed each year in the United States. People who have developed mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure may be eligible to pursue compensation with the help of a product liability attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated mesothelioma asbestos attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
How Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma cancer starts after the worker is exposed to asbestos, most commonly in a workplace such as public buildings, schools, old houses, auto repair shops, shipyards, and industrial settings. While it typically takes long-term exposure to put an individual at risk, heavy, short-term asbestos exposure may also cause mesothelioma cancer as well. Victims of both long- and short-term exposure may have equal rights when filing claims with asbestos attorneys.
A mesothelioma asbestos attorney notes that when a worker ingests or inhales asbestos fibers, the fibers lodge in the mesothelial tissue and cause cellular damage that ultimately result in tumor growth. The body often has difficulty getting rid of or destroying these fibers and, over time, the asbestos cause biological changes resulting in genetic damage, scarring, and inflammation. Once the fibers begin this process, the stage is set for a 20- to 50-year latency period wherein malignant mesothelioma will begin. After a positive diagnosis, many workers have sought the assistance of asbestos attorneys to seek compensation for their suffering.
Although asbestos has been used rarely in recent years, the prevalence of mesothelioma remains constant. It can take between 20 to 50 years following exposure to asbestos before any obvious symptoms appear and a physician is able to make a definitive diagnosis. While there is no cure and the prognosis is usually poor, researchers have made significant progress in terms of various alternative therapies and treatment options.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma represents about 75% of all cases and is considered to be the most common type of the disease. Peritoneal mesothelioma, the second most common type, consists of 10 to 20% of cases, while roughly 1% of cases are testicular and periocardial mesothelioma.
Early symptoms of mesothelioma are often mild, so few people recognize or even notice them; many don’t experience symptoms until the cancer has already developed into its later stages. Late-stage symptoms are often more noticeable and may be more likely to provoke someone to visit his healthcare physician. Late-onset symptoms include:
- Bowel obstruction
- Fluid buildup
- Weight loss
- Chronic pain near tumor
- Shortness of breath
According to the American Cancer Society, “Many of the early symptoms of mesothelioma are more likely to be caused by other conditions, so at first people may ignore them or mistake them for common, minor ailments. Most people with mesothelioma have symptoms for at least a few months before they are diagnosed.”
Treatments for Mesothelioma
There are three main treatments for mesothelioma, and many plaintiffs filing claims with their asbestos attorneys admit to trying at least one or more of these procedures. Many mesothelioma physicians prefer to combine two or more of the treatment methods in an approach known as multimodal therapy for the best chance of success.
Curative surgery is available for patients who are still in the early stages, while palliative surgery is best for those already in the late stages of the disease. Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy or surgery to relieve symptoms, prevent recurrence, shrink tumors, and kill the malignant cells. Finally, radiation therapy may be used in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy or by itself to prevent tumor seeding, to manage the tumors, and to kill cancer cells.
How a Mesothelioma Asbestos Attorney Can Help
Product makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a product maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by the fault of others may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those killed may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
Affected individuals and their families are encouraged to seek the advice of a mesothelioma asbestos attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
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