Unfortunately, research suggests that people battling mesothelioma may experience additional serious health risks beyond the cancer itself. According to at least two studies of mesothelioma patients, the risk of developing blood clots is considerably higher for those with the disease than the general population. Blood clots can circulate in the body, lodging in smaller blood vessels and causing strokes, heart attacks, lung blockages, deep vein thrombosis, and even death. Researchers have not found a link between blood clots and the type of mesothelioma the patient is experiencing. Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial mesothelioma all appear to present the same risk of blood clots for patients. Additionally, the stage of the disease doesn’t appear to matter either. Every patient battling mesothelioma faces additional health risks from blood clots. Fortunately, there are medications that can reduce the risk of blood clots. Mesothelioma patients in Louisiana must work closely with their doctors to identify…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country It’s not unusual at all for our clients to ask if their mesothelioma lawsuit will have to go to trial. And we understand this because many of you are worried about what your role would be in a lawsuit. Obviously, a mesothelioma victim must take care of their health needs first and we encourage them to do so as soon as possible. Next, we explain to our clients that we will prepare for their case as if we are going to trial. However, a large number of our mesothelioma lawsuits have been settled out-of-court before a trial. In case your lawsuit does go to trial, we make sure this process is as easy as possible for you and your family. For instance, we know that traveling to our offices can be difficult and unnecessary, so we’ll visit you…Read More
For more than a century, industries like construction, manufacturing, and transportation relied on asbestos to provide insulation and fireproofing products, despite awareness by doctors that workers who were exposed to asbestos were likely to face respiratory problems, and worse, as a result of their exposure. Because it was a durable, low-cost, and extremely flexible insulator, it fit the needs of American businesses from the industrial age forward. Only in the 1970s did the dangers it posed become recognized by the public, and new regulations over that decade and beyond have limited asbestos use and helped reduce the risk of exposure for millions of American workers. But there are some applications where asbestos continues to be the best available material, and regulations allow for low levels of asbestos in a number of common products. In the automotive industry, brake pads and clutches still rely on asbestos for safe, reliable operation of cars…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country This question is one of the first questions we get when meeting with an individual that has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma. And it’s a legitimate question because the medical costs will be significant and you certainly do not want to burden your family with these costs. The actual diagnosis and medical treatment for mesothelioma is just the start. If you add on support services and long term care, the costs are even greater. And if you’re not able to work because of the disease, or have already retired, your options to pay for all of this becomes even more limited. If you have no insurance, even obtaining medical treatment will be difficult. That’s why meeting with a mesothelioma attorney as soon you’re diagnosed is so important…. because they can help. Here’s a brief overview of what we discuss…Read More
While many researchers do believe that genes play some role in determining whether a person who is exposed to asbestos will develop mesothelioma, how quickly the disease may progress, and how it may respond to treatment, medicine’s understanding of these factors is in its early stages. In terms of heredity, mesothelioma is not a cancer that is shared between family members via genetic predisposition. Instead, family members may be exposed to asbestos through second-hand routes, such as fibers carried in on a loved one’s clothing or hair. This can result in multiple members of a family developing the disease. There is evidence that certain genes may contribute to familial susceptibility to mesothelioma. At this time, there is no test that can tell you whether you have a genetic predisposition to developing cancers if you are exposed to asbestos, or how your body will react to the disease and its treatments. Researchers…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country If you, or a family member, have been exposed to asbestos and recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you’re likely looking for answers to the many questions you have. Perhaps the two most common questions we hear from our mesothelioma clients are: Can I expect to collect any money from a lawsuit? If I file a mesothelioma lawsuit, how much money will I receive? If it can be proven that you, or your family member, were exposed to asbestos, then the likelihood of receiving significant money damages is good. How much you, or your family, will receive varies greatly because it depends on a number of factors, such as: Will the case be settled or go to trial; The costs of medical expenses; Lost wages; And other damages that can be secured by a lawsuit. When it’s proven that you…Read More
This is something you should discuss with your doctor. However, there are numerous instances of spouses and children developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related health problems through the occupational exposure of a family member. In many industries, and for many decades, workers would wear clothes home from their jobs that were covered in asbestos dust, and over time the home environment would become contaminated. Playing with the kids or sitting down to dinner together after work would create airborne asbestos fibers that family members could breathe in. Why some people develop mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos while others don’t remains a mystery. The important thing for family members of those who developed mesothelioma because of asbestos exposure in their working life is to have an open and ongoing dialogue with their healthcare providers so that symptoms can be investigated and appropriate care can be provided. Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because of the…Read More
For most people in New Orleans and Louisiana, exposure to asbestos, which is a naturally occurring substance in the environment, will be negligible and poses almost no health risk. However, because of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, it is possible that Gulf Coast residents encountered higher levels of exposure as old insulation, shingles, siding, and other asbestos-containing materials were damaged and exposed and buildings were torn down quickly. The results of this potential exposure won’t be known for many decades, but the Environmental Protection Agency has warned that airborne asbestos resulting from the storm and its aftermath may pose health risks to residents and those who worked to rebuild the region. Some occupations have become notorious for exposing workers to airborne asbestos fibers, which become lodged in lung tissue and may result in mesothelioma later in life. Shipyard workers experience a higher-than-normal rate of mesothelioma (particularly those in Navy…Read More
The U.S. government did not begin officially tracking deaths caused by mesothelioma until 1999. While the late date for tracking this information has resulted in a limited pool of information, it is an unfortunate fact that many of the industries where employees suffer a high rate of mesothelioma are the same type of industries prevalent in the New Orleans region. Overall, approximately 80 percent of mesothelioma cases can be directly linked to a job where asbestos was present. Exposure at work is by far the most common cause of asbestos-related diseases. In 2005, the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) issued a report that set forth data on the 18,068 mesothelioma deaths that occurred in the U.S. between 1999 and 2005. This report found that workers in the following industries suffered the most mesothelioma related deaths in that time period: Shipbuilding and Repairing Industrial and Miscellaneous Chemicals Petroleum…Read More
While there’s no one “typical mesothelioma” or a “typical prognosis,” for those in New Orleans and elsewhere in Louisiana, there are many factors that will contribute to an individual’s ability to fight the disease effectively. Age and health status are two major pieces of the prognosis puzzle. A younger patient with no other serious health concerns will, in general, do better when facing mesothelioma than much older patients, who often have other ailments to contend with. The type and location of mesothelioma is another consideration. Epithelial mesothelioma is the most common form, and the most treatable. Mesothelioma that occurs in the lining of the lungs, called pleural mesothelioma, is generally more treatable than that which occurs in the abdomen or other parts of the body. Finally, the stage at which the cancer is caught is extremely significant in survival rates. Diagnosis at an early stage can add months or years…Read More
