Mesothelioma is a form of cancer contracted by inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. Asbestos fibers cause tumors in the lung and/or abdominal lining which, like any other form of cancer, is ultimately fatal unless properly treated. Common causes of death are internal bleeding or hemorrhage from the tumors, or cardiac arrest from the buildup of body fluids secreted by the body’s immune system in an attempt to fight the tumors.

Most people who get mesothelioma are in their mid-to-late lives, with symptoms only manifesting 20 to 50 years after exposure. For this reason, the number of cases of mesothelioma patients diagnosed has been steadily increasing, due to the fact that asbestos was used primarily for most industrial jobs during the 1970s and 1980s.

To help victims affected by asbestos-induced cancer, certain law firms and attorneys have begun to specialize in mesothelioma cases. Most of the time, companies in the past were aware of the adverse effects of asbestos fibers on the human body, but did not take proper precautions with their workers.

In cases like these, injured patients are assisted by attorneys or firms to find out exactly (or approximately) when and from what source they contracted mesothelioma. A properly filed and defended case can result in millions of dollars in compensation for injured parties.

Aside from work-related cases, there have also been cases where the careless demolition of houses and buildings that had asbestos in their foundations and walls (in an attempt at fire protection) was also revealed to introduce large amounts of fibers. of asbestos in the air causing mesothelioma in nearby residents. Again, these cases can be tracked by these law firms and won in a court of law with proper filing.

Then there are also law firms that specialize in malpractice claims against doctors who used “alternative” (ie unproven) methods of treatment for mesothelioma. The commonly accepted method of treating mesothelioma is to use heat/laser surgery and chemotherapy in tandem to burn off tumors without harming healthy cells in the body. Alternative methods include medications to stimulate the body’s immune and regenerative systems, as well as alternative diets and exercises.

Classic tumor removal surgery for cancer is actually ineffective against mesothelioma and has led to the death of patients after an apparently successful operation. The maximum useful life after an operation is set at around 5 years. Again, performing regular surgery to treat mesothelioma can also lead to a malpractice claim.

Another type of lawsuit that law firms and mesothelioma attorneys can pursue is negligence. While not as serious as a malpractice lawsuit, it can still be detrimental to a doctor’s career and can net you a pretty decent compensation if the case is won.

The reason for these types of cases is that the symptoms of mesothelioma are quite similar in nature to any number of relatively harmless disorders, including the common diseases of old age, asthma and indigestion. When these regular treatments fail, a good doctor should recommend an x-ray, and these will reveal the presence of tumors in the lungs or stomach. However, some doctors will simply dismiss current treatments as ineffective and prescribe another set of medications instead of choosing an X-ray, leading to the true problem going undiagnosed.

These are some of the top common cases handled by mesothelioma attorneys and law firms, and their credo is to help their clients find justice against the parties that have wronged them. While they can’t directly do anything to cure mesothelioma, they can at least ensure that justice is served and compensation for the injury is recovered, and money made from lawsuits can go a long way toward helping their clients receive the proper treatment. .

Lastly, mesothelioma attorneys recommend that as soon as a person is diagnosed, they contact an attorney as soon as possible, as there is a short statute of limitations for filing a mesothelioma case. The attorneys can then proceed to do their initial research to determine if the injured party has a strong case and enough evidence to make a successful claim in a court of law. If the answer is yes, then a case can be filed and everything proceeds from there.