Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that often escapes detection until it has reached an advanced stage. If a doctor recently diagnosed you with mesothelioma, you might still be in a state of shock. You may have difficulty breathing, chest pain, and other symptoms. An oncologist might have told you there is little they can do to help. The cancer has progressed to an untreatable stage, and you might not have much time left to live. Your treatment plan consists of making you feel as comfortable as possible.
You and your family have struggled to take it all in and figure out what to do. The medical bills have become overwhelming. You cannot return to work, and you have used up most or all the family savings to cover essentials, such as your mortgage, utilities, and groceries. You may have considered tapping into your retirement accounts to make ends meet.
You might feel debilitated by their illness, unable to care for yourself, perform everyday tasks that you enjoyed, or play with your children or grandchildren.
All these factors could take a severe emotional toll on your entire family. The illness itself, plus the financial costs and uncertainty about the future, might have caused you to suffer from anxiety and depression. You now have trouble sleeping and concentrating, prompting feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
A Florida mesothelioma lawyer might be able to help you seek justice. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf to pursue financial compensation for your illness and losses associated with it. While an award would not change your prognosis, it could give you and your family peace of mind. Call our office today at (800) 614-2067 to discuss your case with a member of our staff.
Causes of Mesothelioma
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASOC), most mesothelioma patients experienced asbestos exposure at some time. Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibers mined for its resistance to heat and electricity. Many industries used asbestos for decades in building materials, car parts, fire-resistant clothing, appliances, cosmetics, shipbuilding materials, and other products.
People who worked with products that contained asbestos and not provided appropriate protective equipment often inhaled and swallowed asbestos fibers. In many cases, employees who faced daily exposure to asbestos over several years later developed mesothelioma.
In some cases, people transported asbestos home from their workplaces on their hair, skin, clothing, and shoes, then exposed their families to it. They deposited fibers on furniture and carpets, and when those fibers became airborne, family members inhaled or ingested them. Some of those relatives then developed mesothelioma decades later.
A wide range of consumer goods containing asbestos remained on the market for years or decades. Some people who have mesothelioma experienced asbestos exposure by using everyday household products.
How Mesothelioma Affects the Body
The Mayo Clinic explains that malignant mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can affect the linings surrounding the lungs, abdomen, heart, or testicles. In most cases, mesothelioma affects the pleural lining around the lungs. That form of mesothelioma may cause a buildup of fluid in the chest (pleural effusion), chest pain, and shortness of breath. Mesothelioma that affects the abdominal lining might cause pain and swelling in the abdomen and a bowel obstruction.
In general, cancer is easier to manage, and patients have a better chance of surviving when doctors detect the illness at an early stage and treatment begins immediately. When doctors catch mesothelioma early, they can treat it with chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.
Once cancer has metastasized, or spread to other parts of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat. In many cases, patients do not receive their mesothelioma diagnosis until the cancer has already metastasized, leaving doctors with few options to treat it. The American Cancer Society reports only eight percent of patients with distant (advanced) mesothelioma survive five years after diagnosis.
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How a Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer Could Help You
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm has represented clients across the United States who suffered personal injuries in various circumstances. We have helped numerous mesothelioma patients seek justice.
A Florida mesothelioma lawyer can start by determining the circumstances of your asbestos exposure. If you did not work around asbestos, you might have no idea how you encountered it. Many of our past clients were in similar circumstances. We have compiled information on products that contained asbestos and companies that produced and sold them through our work representing mesothelioma patients. We can use that information to pinpoint the source of your exposure.
Our team can then file a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. If the company responsible for your asbestos exposure has declared bankruptcy, we might still be able to obtain a financial award for you. Many companies went bankrupt after facing lawsuits filed by patients with mesothelioma and set up trust funds under 11 U.S.C. § 524(g) to compensate victims who might come forward in the future with similar claims. We could seek a financial award through one of those trust funds.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to learn more about how we could assist you.
Contact a Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you have received a mesothelioma diagnosis, you might struggle to cope with your physical symptoms, the financial costs, and the shock of learning that you have an aggressive form of cancer and a poor prognosis. While a financial award will not change the course of your illness, it could give you and your loved ones some peace of mind.
A Florida mesothelioma lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your losses. If you worry about costs, our firm operates on a contingency basis, meaning that you will not have to pay us unless we obtain a financial award on your behalf.
According to § 95.11(3)(a) of the Florida Statutes, the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit for an action based on negligence is four years. In addition, § 774.206(1) starts the clock on asbestos cases when the patient receives their mesothelioma diagnosis.
It might take our team several months to investigate and build a case, and your lawsuit could take months or years to resolve. Time is unfortunately not a luxury that you have. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 614-2067 to speak with a team member about your case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get started.
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