Mesothelioma Settlements

In addition to being New York’s leading 9/11 lawyers, the Napoli Shkolnik PLLC firm frequently works with clients who are suffering from the deadly medical condition known as mesothelioma. This diseases can radically impact a patient’s quality of life and can prevent them from working. This blog post will cover what this disease is, its effects on an individual’s health, and the notable settlements that Paul Napoli and his mesothelioma attorney associates have earned for their clients.

What is Mesothelioma?

Caused by exposure to the harmful product known as asbestos, mesothelioma is a form of cancer that infects and attacks the lining of the lungs and other components of the respiratory system. In some cases, these cancers can spread beyond the lungs and take hold in the heart, throughout the chest and abdomen, and even the testicles. Unlike asbestosis, which is similar to mesothelioma in several ways, the exposure to asbestos does not result in the scarring of the lungs. Instead, groups of tiny cancerous growths take root in one lung, and slowly spread into the other. These cancerous groups keep an individual from breathing normally and getting the oxygen they need to stay healthy. Unfortunately, due to the rarity of this illness, there is no way to measure how much exposure to asbestos is needed to develop mesothelioma.

What Are The Symptoms Of Mesothelioma?

The symptoms of mesothelioma develop rapidly and worsen with sustained exposure to asbestos. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma include dramatic and sudden weight loss, frequent and radiating chest pain, a persistent and ragged cough, and difficulty or shallow breathing. Soon after appearing, these symptoms often worsen, leaving patients experiencing muscle weakness, fever, and anemia. These feelings are caused by a lack of oxygen being introduced into the patient’s body.

Is There A Cure For Mesothelioma?

Unlike asbestosis, where a patient’s prognosis may be for years, mesothelioma patients are often only given a few months to live after their diagnosis. This is largely due to the fact that mesothelioma is extremely difficult to detect. The disease is also very rare, with fewer than 20,000 reported cases every year. At this time, there is no known cure for mesothelioma. Many treatment options serve only to lessen the symptoms and to ease the patient’s discomforts in their final months of life.

Notable Settlements

Paul Napoli and the mesothelioma attorneys at Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC have successfully won settlements for their clients that have significantly improved their ability to seek helpful treatment options. In one case, a client who worked as an insulator was exposed to direct contact with products that contained asbestos. After a career working with these products, the client developed mesothelioma. The Napoli Shkolnik mesothelioma attorneys obtained a $2 million settlement on behalf of the client and their family against companies like ExxonMobil, Shell Oil Co., and other major contractors and product manufacturers.

In another case, after working for 30 years in conditions that were exposed to high amounts of asbestos, a maintenance worker in a Pennsylvania power plant contracted mesothelioma. The firm’s mesothelioma attorneys were able to recover compensation for their client from more than thirty different companies that produced and sold asbestos-based products. This settlement earned the client a multi-million dollar payout.

Napoli’s Interest In Mesothelioma

The attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 created a massive debris field. During the collapse of the towers, an immense cloud of smoke, dust, debris and harmful asbestos fibers was released into the air. The towers were constructed using nearly 400 tons of asbestos-based products. The result was that an estimated 410,000 people were exposed to asbestos-based toxins in the immediate aftermath of the event. This includes the hundreds of rescue workers and first responders. As part of his commitment to helping the workers and survivors of the 9/11 tragedy, Napoli has encouraged the partners in his law firm to specialize in any area of law that could help these clients in earning settlements and aid.

If you’re concerned that you may have contracted mesothelioma while working with and near asbestos-based products, don’t wait to seek help. Instead, reach out the mesothelioma lawyers at Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. With our experience and aggressive style of representation, we can get you the support and compensation you deserve. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.