Mesothelioma Lawsuits are on the rise. With the long latency period of this disease and its seriously dire prognosis Mesothelioma Lawsuits often offer large settlements to cover the expenses incurred by those who have this terrible disease. Mesothelioma lawyer asbestos cancer lawsuits routinely see settlements of well over a million dollars.
Mesothelioma often goes undiagnosed for years, and most cases are found so late that the life expectancy after diagnosis is under one year. Because mesothelioma and asbestosis are almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure, experts suggest that anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos should be checked for the early signs of mesothelioma. In the WebMD section for mesothelioma symptoms it states, “The main symptoms of mesothelioma of the lungs are shortness of breath and chest pain from an accumulation of fluid in the pleura. Symptoms of peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma can include weight loss, swelling and pain in the abdomen, blood clotting problems, anemia, and fever.”
Early detection and treatment are essential for the successful treatment of the disease. If the cancer is caught during the earliest stage, mesothelioma Stage I, the cancerous tissue can be surgically removed. When the mesothelioma cancer has spread enough for it to be considered Stage II surgery may still be an option but it must also be treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The survival rate drops drastically between Stage I and Stage II. Mesothelioma lawyer asbestos cancer lawsuits are most often filed after Stage II or Stage III diagnosis.
Occupational Hazards for Mesothelioma Pleural
There are several common occupations that have been linked to high levels of asbestos exposure and are thus more likely to develop mesothelioma. Some of these are relatively obvious while some may come as a surprise. The following list in not all inclusive but does contain the most common hazardous occupations:
- asbestos textile mill worker
- automobile manufacturing production – especially brake and clutch manufacturing
- building engineers
- construction workers
- electricians
- shipyard workers
- custodians
- demolition and wrecking crews
- railroad workers
- sheet metal fabricators
- refinery workers
- warehouse workers
Secondary Exposure to Asbestos
Workers are not the only people to develop mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos. There are several cases of family members of people in the above professions developing asbestos related cancer as well. The secondary exposure was most often found in family members who came in direct contact with work clothing before it had been laundered. The asbestos dust was inhaled from the clothing and lodged itself in the membrane of the lungs the same as if the family members had been working side by side. Although not common mesothelioma lawyer asbestos cancer lawsuits have been filed in secondary exposure cases.
Why Mesothelioma Litigation Exists
As stated on Asbestos.com , by the 1930s and '40s, medical evidence had clearly linked asbestos exposure to lung disease and deadly asbestos cancers. Even though asbestos companies were warned of the dangers several chose not to use alternative substances in order to keep their profits high. Mesothelioma litigation exists because of these unethical actions and asbestos manufacturers are held liable for the undue suffering of those coping with asbestos-related disease.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma should contact a lawyer to discuss their options. With the costs of treatment routinely reaching upwards of $500,000, it is imperative that those responsible for the illness be made to pay for it. There are a number of lawyers who specialize in mesothelioma cases.According to HoustonLawyersMesothelioma.com the average settlement for a private mesothelioma case is over $1,000,000.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Survival RatesThere are several facts about mesothelioma that are not widely known. The following list is not all inclusive, but does touch on some of the major talking points of mesothelioma. These are some of the things that mesothelioma lawyers use to their clients advantage during case litigation.
- Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new cases are reported each year in the U.S. More than 10,000 are reported worldwide.
- Three times more men than women develop the disease.
- Approximately 80 percent of diagnosed cases can be directly linked to a job where asbestos was present.
- Mesothelioma typically has a latency period of 20-50 years.
- The average age of a mesothelioma patient has historically been about 65 years old.
- The five-year relative survival rate for mesothelioma patients is about 10 percent. The one-year survival rate stands at about 40 percent.
Sources and Further Reading on Mesothelioma
WebMd.com, "Mesothelioma: Causes and Symptoms" (accessed May 2010)
Asbestos.com, "What is Mesothelioma?" (accessed May 2010)
Hse.gov.uk, "Mesothelioma" (accessed May 2010)
Mymesorights.com, "Mesothelioma & Asbestos Statistics (accessed May 2010)
Kenneth Sleight - Ken Sleight is a resident of Haslett, Mi. He was voted among his friends as, "most likely to be the phone a friend on Who Wants to be a ...
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