Malignant Mesothelioma Info - Types of Mesothelioma
Malignant Mesothelioma Info - From Diagnosis to Litigation
Between 2,000 and 3,000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States alone. Pleural mesothelioma, one of three types of malignant mesothelioma, is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. A suspected case of malignant mesothelioma is verified through histopathological examination. Unfortunately, the average post-diagnosis survival time for mesothelioma patients is between one and two years.
Mesothelioma treatment begins shortly after diagnosis; however, mesothelioma treatments have been unsuccessful in combating this fatal disease. Newer treatment modalities are currently being researched and tested with the hope that they will have more success.
Asbestos Litigation
Asbestos attorneys have seen a greater demand for their services since the inception of asbestos litigation in the early 1970s. An asbestos attorney specializes in litigation surrounding asbestos-related diseases. It has been demonstrated that asbestos health hazards were known by product manufacturers long before the carcinogen was regulated under section 112 of the Clean Air Act in 1970. Employers chose to place business and profit margins ahead of public health; this decision resulted in what has been labeled the greatest occupational health hazard in the history of the United States.
Asbestos litigation has seen a number of substantive changes over the last 30-years. The focus of asbestos litigation has shifted from federal court, down to state court, and most recently, over to bankruptcy court. There is no model currently being used for asbestos litigation, meaning that one asbestos lawsuit can be dealt with in a completely different manner than another; efforts at determining a global settlement structure have also failed. Most recently, Congress has been considering asbestos litigation reform legislation dubbed the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005. The "FAIR" act would create a $140 billion trust fund that would serve as compensation for future asbestos-related disease victims. The most difficult part of the process has been trying to get union leaders, asbestos attorneys and liable parties to agree on a set of guidelines that would determine who is eligible for trust fund compensation.
Asbestos attorneys seek compensation for victims of negligent asbestos product manufacturers who chose not to warn their employees of the health hazards associated with asbestos inhalation. An asbestos attorney is experienced in locating the source of asbestos exposure and determining all liable parties.
Mesothelioma Settlement
A mesothelioma settlement is an agreement between a liable party and mesothelioma claimant that provides injury compensation without entering into the trial process. Mesothelioma settlements have become more common as the number of mesothelioma claims has increased. It can be cheaper for liable companies to reach mesothelioma settlements with claimants as opposed to going to trial, where they are taking the chance of having to compensate a claimant in addition to paying substantial litigation costs.
Malignant Mesothelioma Info
Malignant mesothelioma is an incurable type of cancer affecting the mesothelial tissue that lines various large body cavities. Though considered a rare type of cancer, malignant mesothelioma is estimated to have been the cause-of-death of more than 200,000 people worldwide. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of malignant mesothelioma; but exposure to the fibrous carcinogen can cause asbestosis, asbestos lung cancer or pleural plaques.
There are three types of malignant mesothelioma:
- Pleural Mesothelioma: Cancer of the mesothelial tissue lining the lung cavity (pleura).
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Cancer of the mesothelial tissue lining the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).
- Pericardial Mesothelioma: Cancer of the mesothelial tissue lining the heart sac (pericardium).