Mesothelioma Lawyers

With an increase in mesothelioma cases across the US, it’s important for individuals to learn the essential steps in tackling this deadly cancer. One of the foremost items is the selection of a competent mesothelioma lawyer. Today there is no dearth of mesothelioma lawyers in the US. With the increasing number of mesothelioma cases, lawyers dealing with mesothelioma are also on the rise. Mesothelioma lawyers are experienced professionals who have dealt with several successful mesothelioma lawsuits.

The role of the mesothelioma lawyer begins as soon as the disease is identified. Most mesothelioma lawyers provide clients with details on facts and figures on previous mesothelioma cases that they have handled. This enables victims to assess the credentials and competence of the lawyer. However, these lawyers often do not provide the details of previous mesothelioma cases where the information is of a confidential nature. Mesothelioma lawyers can also help you find out about unsuccessful mesothelioma lawsuits and the reasons for their failure. Identifying the elements in a mesothelioma lawsuit that led to its failure will enable individuals to identify the probable pitfalls of their own case.

Thus, finding an experienced mesothelioma lawyer as soon as the disease is identified is perhaps the most important step in a successful lawsuit. Most US states have a time limit within which a lawsuit can be filed, so it is imperative that victims do not miss out on the timeline. After locating a competent lawyer, you will need time to undertake the necessary research and work out a case against the negligent parties.

The role of a mesothelioma lawyer becomes pertinent when it comes to handling critical issues. For example, victims usually fail to identify when and where they were exposed to asbestos, since the disease manifests after several decades. During this long period the victim may have worked in several places and may not exactly recollect when and how they came in contact with asbestos. Lawyers help victims to identify products and also the place and time when they were exposed to asbestos. In some cases lawyers even go to the extent of hiring a private investigator to pinpoint the company where the asbestos exposure took place.

Although people identified with the cancer are often bogged down with too much on their minds, and filing a lawsuit is perhaps not the first thing on their list of preferences, the timely selection of a lawyer and filing a lawsuit can enable victims to secure the future of their families and dependents.

Mesothelioma Symptoms: An Overview

Malignant mesotheliomas are rare cancers that form in the tissues lining the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum) or heart (pericardium). Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, is the most common, accounting for about 75 percent of all malignant mesotheliomas. Between ten and twenty percent of all malignant mesotheliomas are peritoneal mesotheliomas. Pericardial mesotheliomas are extremely rare. A history of exposure to asbestos is found in most individuals with mesothelioma. The time from exposure to onset of cancer may be as long as thirty years; this is why most people with malignant mesothelioma are between 50 and 70 years old.

Many symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are non-specific, and are also seen in a number of other chest and abdominal conditions. This, combined with the lack of an accurate history of asbestos exposure in some patients, may considerably delay diagnosis. The majority of people with mesothelioma only have symptoms during the two to three months before they are diagnosed. About one quarter of all people with malignant mesothelioma have symptoms for about six months before diagnosis.

Once symptoms are present, they may depend on the location of the primary cancer. In general, symptoms become more pronounced with more advanced disease. With pleural mesothelioma, common symptoms are difficulty breathing, cough, pain in the chest or under the ribcage, coughing up blood, hoarseness, and the collection of fluid or pleural effusion in the pleural cavity. The face and arms may swell up. Many of these symptoms and signs are also seen with lung cancer.

With peritoneal mesothelioma, symptoms may include a lump or swelling in the abdomen, abdominal pain, fluid in the abdomen, constipation due to bowel obstruction, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Patients suffering from pericardial mesothelioma may experience chest pain, breathlessness and palpitations. Some symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are common to many cancers. These include unexplained weight loss, fever and fatigue.