Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma Cancer

Diagnosis of mesothelioma should be done if you have symptoms of mesothelioma which can be shortness of breath, chronic chest pain and coughing. These symptoms might differ according to the type of mesothelioma cancer. If you are exposed to asbestos it is a wise idea to consult your doctor and get diagnosed if necessary. Preliminary detection of mesothelioma can be done through imaging methods.

Some of the imaging methods used for diagnosis are:

Chest X-ray: The most common technique used to detect tumor, but a more effective test has to be performed to confirm mesothelioma cancer.

CT(Computed Tomography) scan: CT is used to generate a 3 dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of 2 dimensional X-ray images which will help in identifying any abnormal fluid buildup in your body.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan: MRI uses magnetic and radio waves to produce detailed image which will help in detection of tumor in your body.

PET (Positron Emission Tomography): This is the most efficient way of determining mesothelioma cancer. It helps in determining the staging of mesothelioma.

If mesothelioma is suspected during imaging methods, it should be confirmed through proper diagnosis methods like:

Biopsy

If tissue that is not normal is found in your body, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it reviewed under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy.

Thoracoscopy

If the cancer is located in the pleura, a small incision will be made through the chest wall and a thoracoscope will be inserted to obtain a tissue sample. It is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic

Peritoneoscopy

If the cancer is in the abdominal cavity, a doctor will use a peritoneoscope to obtain sample tissue for further examination. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.

Monday, November 10, 2008

What to do next after filing a case?

In discovery, you gather information, documents, and other evidence relevant to your case.

Before a case is scheduled for trial, a number of things must happen. Information about most of these -- for example, whether and when a settlement conference with the other side will take place, when papers must be filed, and how to place a case on the court's trial calendar -- are available from the court clerk. Unfortunately, how to accomplish other pre-trial tasks, including case investigation (often called "discovery"), is left largely up to you and the other parties to the lawsuit.

Case investigation takes two forms: informal investigation and formal discovery.

Informal Investigation

Informal investigation includes all information-gathering that you can do on your own, working with cooperative people or organizations both before and after a lawsuit is filed. Informal investigation encompasses such activities as:


  • conducting informal interviews

  • collecting documents

  • taking photographs (of damaged property, accident sites, or other pertinent objects or locales), and

  • finding out about an adversary's insurance coverage.

Formal Discovery

Formal discovery is a legal process that kicks in after a case has been filed. Formal discovery encompasses a number of investigatory tools, including:


  • Interrogatories -- written questions directed to the adversary that the adversary must answer in writing and under oath.

  • Depositions -- oral in-person questions that the adversary or another person must answer under oath.

  • Request for Production of Documents -- a request for a particular document or class of documents likely to be relevant to your case.

  • Requests for Admissions -- a written statement you serve on your opponent in an effort to get your adversary to agree that certain facts are true or documents are genuine.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

A to Z About Meso. Lawyer

When someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, they may find that they need an attorney to help them with their case. This is a disease that is rare, and there is little to be said about the condition. The rate of this disease is on the increase and there are new lawyers that are trying to settle many cases for different people. They have stepped in for the rights of the people to help them with their case.

Many victims of this disease need to have a mesothelioma lawyer to help them with their fight. These lawyers and law firms will deal with the victims and their families to help them claim the right compensation that they deserve from the companies that are responsible for their problems. These lawsuits result in a lot of money being won by the families when the right lawyer or firm handles them.

Handling asbestos causes mesothelioma. This comes from working in an environment that is affected by this deadly material or by someone that is contracted to remove it. Most of the time, the workers are made clear of the dangers that can be caused by working with this type of material. However, some employers will allow little or no protection from the material when the employees are handling it. These workers are entitled to compensation for their work.

Today there are many mesothelioma lawyers to choose from and there are many that are right for you. Many of these lawyers have dealt with this type of suit in the past and know the correct way to handle it. Those people that are looking for a lawyer should choose someone with a good history and experience in this type of case. Most lawyers are happy to provide clients with information that may be helpful in using them for your services. They will show past cases with the names deleted to show proof of their victory.

It is a good idea to find out if the mesothelioma lawyer that you are looking into has won any of their cases or not. These elements can make all the difference when it comes to trying to find the right lawyer to help you with your situation. It is a good idea to do as much research as you can on the entire situation. You may be able to determine your future when you choose their right mesothelioma lawyer for you and your case.

When it comes to being sick with a disease that could have been prevented, it is hard to deal with. Finding the right mesothelioma lawyer to help you in your fight against these companies is a good start. You will be fighting for something that means so much to a lot of people and it will be worth it in the end.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

A Quick Overview to Health Issues and Asbestos

Asbestos is a fibrous material that is highly resistant to burning. It has a long history. While it was first used on a large scale commercial basis at the turn of the twentieth century, it has actually been around much longer. In fact, the ancient Egyptians were known for using it burial clothes.

Common modern applications used to include building materials, products and automobile brake pads, which all required a fire resistant element. Asbestos is still used today, but on a fairly small scope. The reason has everything to do with health. Asbestos in and of itself is not harmful to people. What is harmful, however, is asbestos dust.

Asbestos dust is a vicious thing. Due to the chemical makeup of the material, the dust is like a cloud of fine glass particles. While they will not damage your skin, they do great damage to the lungs. Making matters worse, asbestos dust is so fine that it is easily raised from asbestos material like ceiling tiles and walls. Once in the air, it is all but invisible. Prolonged exposure, such as when working on or in a building with asbestos materials, can result in massive amounts of the toxic dust entering the lungs.

Once asbestos dust is in your lungs, you cannot expel it by coughing. That doesn’t mean the body does not try. Asbestosis is scarring of the lungs from acid created by the body in an effort to get the asbestos dust out. If this process is allowed to occur for 10 to 20 years, the lungs may stop functioning because of excess scarring. If that sounds bad, it only gets worse. Asbestos dust can lead to terminal cancer in the form of mesothelioma. [What is Mesothelioma?]

Asbestos is an excellent fire resistant material that saves us from burning while killing us in a much slower manner. Since 1989, it has been banned in the United States in all but a few commercial areas.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Law Resources for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a deadliest form of cancer that has developed via the exposure of asbestos. Mesothelioma develops the malignant or cancerous cells in the mesothelium, which is the cell which protects various internal organs in our human body. The types of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. The mesothelioma law resources provide you information on the disease, mesothelioma lawsuits, mesothelioma doctors, and mesothelioma lawyers and other legal resources.

Mesothelioma law resources help a person who has developed the disease in the exposure of asbestos providing the legal resources and further steps for the mesothelioma settlements. Mesothelioma is the disease that damages the cells which surround various internal organs like the heart, lungs and the abdomen. It develops gradually within the human body by damaging the cell lining which covers these organs. Inhaling the asbestos materials from the workplace is a major cause for the development of mesothelioma.

Shortness of breath and chest pain developed due to the accumulated fluid in the pleura are the major symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Bowel obstruction, abnormality in the clotting of blood, fever and anemia are few of the peritoneal symptoms. The common symptoms of the pericardial mesothelioma are persistent coughing, palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pain.

The person who has developed mesothelioma has to be diagnosed immediately when these symptoms are seen. If the presence of mesothelioma is confirmed, immediate treatment is recommended. The person may seek lawsuit assistance as the legal compensation for the mesothelioma through the exposure of asbestos. A legal medical expert can help you in providing the information of the disease that has developed through the exposure of asbestos. This would help you in receiving rightful and fair compensation.

There are several law firms that offer you the best service. One has to assess whether the law firm to be selected is a good one and certified applicable under the State Bar Association. A perfect lawyer can be approached from any top law firm who has a well specialized track record in dealing with mesothelioma cases. A mesothelioma lawyer with a good track record can offer you with the best compensation for mesothelioma from the irresponsible firms that have failed to protect you from the exposure of asbestos.

Get success in Mesothelioma Lawsuit

Recent years have witnessed a tremendous rise in mesothelioma cases across the US. The unprecedented rise in mesothelioma cases has bred a new set of specialized lawyers who are competent in dealing with mesothelioma and asbestos lawsuits. These lawyers often deal exclusively with mesothelioma victims who wish to claim compensation from errant companies that were responsible for their exposure to asbestos. By filing a solid lawsuit, competent lawyers help victims collect millions of dollars in compensation for their families.

Asbestos lawyers are specialists, and the best ones who can bring a successful lawsuit for victims. Experienced asbestos lawyers are in great demand all across the US. Most victims affected by asbestos can easily find a local lawyer with a little research. Apart from the lawyers, there are also specialized firms that offer a comprehensive range of services to the victims.

There are certain essential rules that victims need to follow after selecting an asbestos lawyer or firm. It is advisable you should not expect immediate answers to all your queries in one go. Rather, it is advisable that you work out a series of meetings with your lawyer so that the lawsuit firms up properly. Lawyers usually assess each case on its own merits, and the course of action can be determined by any number of factors. An inability to identify the right source of asbestos infection may eat into your time and also lead to an unsuccessful lawsuit. Next, you should be able to provide comprehensive information to your lawyer so that he is able to process your case faster. Be frank to your lawyer while discussing your case, and avoid providing half-done descriptions.

It is also understood that victims often remain depressed as soon as they learn about the disease, and so it is advisable for victims to take along a family member to discuss the intricate details with the lawyers. Most asbestos lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you need not pay anything until you receive the compensation. In case of an unsuccessful lawsuit, you do not have to pay anything.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Mesothilioma a Sudden Killer

The sudden onset of a deadly cancer is possibly the last thing on your mind when you feel "not so normal". However, most victims of asbestos cancer (mesothelioma) barely survive 12 months after being diagnosed with this cancer.

The two most common forms of mesothelioma have different symptoms, relating to different parts of the body. Pleural mesothelioma (present in the lining surrounding the lungs) and peritoneal mesothelioma (present in the lining surrounding the abdominal cavity and the abdominal organs) may display signs of other unrelated illnesses, however the immediate affects can be quite deadly.

For instance, peritoneal mesothelioma, the rarer of the two, can lead to swelling, abdominal pain due to fluid buildup in the abdomen cavity, weight loss, bowel obstruction, abnormalities in blood clotting and fever.

Symptoms of the more common pleural mesothelioma include chest pain and difficulty breathing. Occasionally other symptoms may be present, including weight loss, fever, cough and night sweats. Also occasionally a patient may be diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma before any symptoms manifest.

All these symptoms may mask the real disease if misdiagnosed. The only way to diagnose mesothelioma is to take a series of tests to discover if the disease is present.

The most important link is to determine if the patient has been in contact with asbestos within the last 15 to 50 years. If so, imaging scans to help diagnose for mesothelioma should be undertaken.

Chest X-Rays For Mesothelioma

Commonly these include taking a chest x-ray which will show a picture of the lungs to determine if there are any abnormal changes.

CT Scan For Mesothelioma

A CT scan, computer tomography, is a type of x-ray that uses a computer rather than film to display its images. It can be used to show three-dimensional representations of the relevant parts of the body.

MRI Scan For Mesothelioma

The final type of imaging that may be used is an MRI scan, or magnetic resonance imaging. In an MRI, magnetism is used in conjunction with the computer to create clear images of your body.

What Your Doctor Might Do

If your doctor finds an unusual mass during the imaging process, they are most likely to take a tissue sample (biopsy), or draw fluid from it to determine what type of tissue is.

Typically a needle is used to draw a small amount of fluid from the tissue. If the results aren't able to rule out the condition completely, the next step would normally be to insert a small tube which is attached to a camera and to take a small piece of the tissue remotely.

In some cases a more extensive surgical procedure may be needed in order to get a good sample of the tissue.

The medical expenses for mesothelioma are also higher, a mesothelioma lawyer can help you get some compensation by filing legal case against the company responsible for exposing you to asbestos.