Getting diagnosed with lung cancer, no matter what stage it is in, is a traumatic experience. When you suspect that your cancer could be linked to harmful substances such as asbestos or radon, that can make it an even more difficult diagnosis to handle. If someone else’s negligence caused your cancer, then you may be able to recover compensation.
You might benefit from working with a New Hampshire lung cancer lawyer who can take your case and negotiate to get you the maximum award that you deserve. Contact a representative at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to begin a free consultation and start on filing your claim at (800) 217-6099.
Causes of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer can form for many reasons, but according to the Mayo Clinic, the number one cause is smoking—firsthand and secondhand smoke. Even if you were or are a smoker and that contributes to your cancer, there could be other factors at play. Nonsmokers with lung cancer may also contract it after exposure to radon or asbestos.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), asbestos was used frequently in construction up until the mid-1970s. Once it was discovered that asbestos could cause cancer, they stopped using it in newer buildings. However, it could still be present in older buildings, and if it is disturbed, the asbestos breaks into small fibers that people then breathe in. Those fibers may travel throughout your body and irritate certain areas, causing cancer to form. Most of the time, you may not discover this until years later when you begin experiencing common symptoms of lung cancer.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure can happen at home, school, or work. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. behind smoking and leads to more than 20,000 cancer-related deaths each year. Property owners should routinely test for radon to see if it is present in their buildings—if they do not, then you could be exposed to too much of this radioactive gas and never know it until you are diagnosed with cancer. Radon is colorless and odorless, meaning it cannot be detected until a test is done.
If you can link your cancer back to radon or asbestos exposure, then it could be possible to recover compensation for your medical treatment and much more. Talking your case over with a legal professional could shed some light on what can be done.
Why You May Want a Lawyer to Help with Your Lung Cancer Claim
Once you have decided to file a lung cancer claim, know that it can be a complicated road to navigate alone. There are many issues that can arise, and you may not know what to do, whereas a New Hampshire lung cancer lawyer may be able to anticipate these problems and work around them. For example, the other side may claim that smoking caused your lung cancer, but there could be evidence that asbestos or radon contributed to it.
Additionally, your lawyer will handle all negotiations on your behalf. When you are going through chemotherapy and trying to recover from its side effects, you do not need the added stress of fighting with an insurance company whose main goal is to avoid paying out money. The company may also try to give you a low payout, which would not help you or your family in the way you need it. Your attorney will fight to get you the maximum possible settlement and may also be able to find other forms of compensation. Some asbestos manufacturers have trust funds set up for victims of asbestos, but you may not know how to find all of them on your own in order to file a claim.
Forms of Compensation You Might Be Able to Obtain
After receiving a lung cancer diagnosis and determining negligent behavior was the cause, then there are certain forms of compensation that you may be able to obtain by including them in your claim. Your lawyer will help you decide what you should file a claim for and how much you should include. Types of compensation you may have in your claim could include:
- Lost time at work: treating cancer takes time, as well as being there for the person suffering from cancer. This inevitably means that you and your loved ones will lose time at work, and with lost work comes lost wages.
- Future earnings: if it is discovered that you cannot return to your previous job because of your cancer, then you will lose out on those future earnings. Put in an estimate of how much you could have earned if you were still able to work.
- Pain and suffering: these non-economic damages measure the mental and emotional toll that cancer diagnosis and treatment can cause.
- Medical costs: chemotherapy visits, oncologist appointments, surgeries, and hospital stays can be very expensive. You should not have to be stuck with the huge financial obligation of these costs.
- Future medical bills: you could have therapy, rehabilitative stays, and other treatments that last well into the future and deserve to be compensated for all of that as well.
- Wrongful death: if you tragically lost a loved one to lung cancer, you could file for wrongful death, which can include loss of income, loss of companionship, funeral costs, and more.
If You Are a Victim of Lung Cancer, Contact Us Today to See if We Can Help You
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we aim to help lung cancer victims to recover the awards they need after paying for treatments and other costs associated with the disease. If you are concerned about legal fees, we will not collect anything from you until you receive your award. Your initial consultation with us is free and of no obligation to you. We will talk with you about what happened and try to determine if you would benefit from working with a New Hampshire lung cancer lawyer.
Call our representatives today at (800) 217-6099 to begin your free consultation. We are here to help you in whatever way we can during this stressful and trying time for you and your family.