This cancer most commonly forms in the lining of the lungs but can also be found in the lining of the heart and abdomen.
Mesothelioma is caused when asbestos fibers are inhaled.
Chest pain and shortness of breath are some of the first signs of mesothelioma.
For most people who are diagnosed with this disease, life expectancy is rarely more than a year past their diagnosis, with treatment options such as radiation, chemotherapy, and/or surgery.
Treatment for this cancer is long, expensive, and very hard on the patient physically and emotionally.
The Types of Mesothelioma
There is not just one, but three primary types of this malignant disease.
The most common type of mesothelioma, which is known as pleural mesothelioma, originates in the lining of the lung, or the pleura.
Another type, which occurs in the membrane that encloses the heart, or pericardium, is known as pericardial mesothelioma.
Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity.
There are also three types of mesothelioma cells, sarcomatous, epithelial, and biphasic.
Of these three, the epithelial is the most common and has the best survival rate.
Sarcomatous is the rarest and has the worst survival rate. Biphasic is a combination of the sarcomatous and epithelial.
The life expectancy of this type of mesothelioma depends on whether or not the patient has more sarcomatous cells or epithelial cells.
Fighting Mesothelioma
The fight against mesothelioma can be an emotionally and physically draining, long and expensive battle.
Sadly, not many patients who are diagnosed with this disease are financially prepared for the costs of treatments and procedures that will be required for that fight.
Those who are battling against this disease because of asbestos exposure or secondary exposure may choose to look for a mesothelioma law firm.
Patients may also need mesothelioma attorney assistance or help from a mesothelioma trust fund.
One of the first things that a mesothelioma sufferer may need to know is how to look for a mesothelioma law firm.
Two Types of Mesothelioma Lawsuits
There are generally two types of mesothelioma lawsuits.
If you or someone in your family has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you might want to look for a mesothelioma lawyer and firm.
Asbestos litigation or mesothelioma litigation could be a good choice to help cover the financial burden that such a diagnosis can put on a family.
You might choose one of the following types of mesothelioma lawsuits:
- Personal Injury Claim – A personal injury claim is the type of lawsuit that the patient who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma can file. In situations where a person knows when they were exposed to asbestos, they can usually file a claim against the company that was responsible for that exposure.
Asbestos liability can usually be proven if that company failed to warn employees or consumers about the dangers involved with inhaling the asbestos, and/or failed to clean up the asbestos.
If any compensation is awarded in these cases, the patient themselves would be the ones to be given the money to disburse to medical bills, medications, and other costs.
- Wrongful Death Claim – This type of claim is filed by the family of a mesothelioma patient after the patient has died from the disease. This compensation would help the family or loved ones to pay for medical bills, funeral arrangements, and loss of wages. If a patient has filed a personal injury claim but does not live to see the end of the case, the family may turn it into a wrongful death claim. In wrongful death claims, the compensation is usually awarded to the estate.
Asbestos and Mesothelioma Trust Fund
All too often, when a company fails to give a proper warning about asbestos exposure or fails to clean up asbestos properly to protect employees and consumers, there will be many victims of that company’s negligence.
Unfortunately, when a company is sued by several victims or their families, that business may end up in bankruptcy.
When this happens, there must be a way to protect any future victims and provide potential compensation for them.
When a negligent asbestos company goes bankrupt, a mesothelioma trust fund may be started for future victims of this disease who contracted it because of that company’s negligence.
These trust funds will help protect future patients and their families who deserve compensation from that company.
These funds will contain enough money to compensate future victims, and make it possible for people to file a claim with the trust fund instead of needing a mesothelioma lawsuit.
These victims will usually need a mesothelioma attorney to help file this claim.
How to Choose a Mesothelioma Lawyer
Because mesothelioma is such a rare disease, it is important to choose an attorney that understands the illness and how to handle this type of claim.
There are a lot of asbestos lawyers to choose from, both locally and on a national level.
Here are a few ideas for how to choose a mesothelioma attorney.
- They Should Meet You At Home – The best choice for a mesothelioma lawyer would be one that is willing to meet with the clients in their homes since mesothelioma patients are often sick.
- They Should Have Experience With Mesothelioma – As mentioned before, mesothelioma is a rare illness and when choosing an attorney for this type of lawsuit, you will want one who has handled such cases before and has both experience and knowledge with filing for mesothelioma trust funds or filing mesothelioma lawsuits.
- They Should Work on Contingency – Most mesothelioma lawyers will work on contingency, or they will not require payment from you until they have won your case. Their payment will be a percentage of your winnings. That percentage should be determined when the attorney agrees to take your case.
A good mesothelioma attorney should also be willing to answer any of your questions about mesothelioma litigation and what you can expect.
While only so much can be answered here, an asbestos lawyer or mesothelioma lawyer will be glad to help you find the answers that you may be looking for concerning a mesothelioma case.