As with all cancers, medical science has divided Mesothelioma into multiple stages based on the progress of the cancer. There are four stages of mesothelioma. When a patient is known to be in stage of mesothelioma it means that the cancer has not grown and the probability of a positive prognosis are very high. But the biggest issue with Stage 1 is that the symptoms are very common in nature or are shared with other diseases too, e.g. fever, sweating, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, etc. Some more serious symptoms include abdominal pain, chest pain, etc.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Prognosis
When one is suspects symptoms of mesothelioma, visit the doctor as soon as possible. If one is detected with mesothelioma, the doctor will provide prognosis, which basically refers to the likely outcome of the patient's case. A mesothelioma patient's prognosis also includes details of its life expectancy. The doctor also discusses the possible treatments based on various factors associated with the disease and patient.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which mostly develops in the lining of lungs, abdomen or heart. There are five kinds of mesothelioma:
- Pleural mesothelioma: affecting lining of lungs
- Peritoneal mesothelioma : affecting lining of abdomen cavity
- Pericardial mesothelioma : affecting lining of heart
- Pericardial mesothelioma : affecting lining of sac surrounding the testis
- Omental mesothelioma : affecting omentum, a sheet of fatty tissue in the abdomen
How Mesothelioma Lawyers Work
To be diagnosed with mesothelioma is stressful both emotionally and financially. A mesothelioma patient is always concerned about his loved ones and their interest while his near and dear ones are concerned about his health and well being. While there is no sure for mesothelioma but by taking good medical care one can prolong the life of the patient and also ensure his comfort. Unfortunately, this is an expensive affair and requires lot of money. In many cases the patients do not have the kind of finances require to sponsor their treatment. Filing a mesothelioma lawsuit can be one way to get some financial support, after all the suffering of the patient in most cases is because of negligence of others.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit Process
If you are diagnosed with an asbestos induced disease such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, etc. the first thing you should do is to consult an genuine and experienced mesothelioma lawyer immediately. As mesothelioma and asbestos related lawsuits are time sensitive, consulting a lawyer will help you decide whether you should file a mesothelioma lawsuit at all and if yes, when you should do it. If after consultation you decide to go ahead and file a lawsuit you should be self aware of what stages a typical mesothelioma lawsuit has and how can you contribute to the success of your case.
A typical mesothelioma lawsuit has these stages:
- Case development
- Filing of case
- Responses by defendants
- Information gathering about claims
- Settlement or trial
- Appeals
- Payment (in case lawsuit is won)
How to Prepare for Your Mesothelioma Case
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma the first and most important thing you should be doing is to discuss your case with a lawyer. It is very important to choose the right lawyer for your case and a lot depends upon the lawyer's experience and abilities to get a settlement. There are some simple guidelines which can really help you hiring a good lawyer they include:
- Looking for relevant experience of individual attorney fighting the case
- Collective relevant experience of law firm
- Win -loss ratio
- Reference of past clients
These are just a few of the many important aspects. You can find detailed list here. Choosing a good lawyer will for sure take away a major burden from your but to ensure the outcome of the case is positive you will also have to contribute in the case. This is because there will be so much of information and facts that only you would know. In many cases these facts will be so old, they will be hard to recall also.
How to Identify a Good Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma cases are very different as compared to other work related injury cases where the impact of a wrongdoing or negligence is visible rather quickly. In case of asbestos exposure cases, this time period of showing up of symptoms can be as long as 50 years! With such a long duration, the case requires special handling and thus a specialist lawyer. This is why a good lawyer plays a very important part in ensuring you receive your Mesothelioma claim.
Asbestos and Cancer
Asbestos is a group of minerals which is available naturally. Because of its useful properties of strength, insulation and chemical resistance, it was used widely in many products across the globe. According to some estimates more than 3,600 products around us have asbestos in it. But later it was realised that asbestos fibres (which can be 1000 times lighter than human hair) are cause of fatal diseases, asbestos has been banned in many countries and its usage limited in many others.
Asbestos Related Laws in USA
Asbestos was widely used across the globe because of its useful properties such as strength, insulation capabilities etc. But when it was realized that it is harmful for human health, the situation changed. In last few decade many countries have banned the use of asbestos and many others have limited its usage.