If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you’re likely going through treatment. Or you may have lost a loved one to the disease. Either way, dealing with mesothelioma is a physically and emotionally taxing process and thinking about a personal injury claim may be the furthest thing from your mind. However, you may be entitled to compensation for the situation that caused you or your loved one’s illness. This money could go toward affording treatment and assisting in your financial security.
You don’t have to fight this on your own. A Chicago mesothelioma lawyer from Krzak Rundio Gorman, Injury Attorneys will stand by your side. We’ll help hold the right people accountable for their actions and get you the justice you deserve.
What Is Mesothelioma and What Causes It?
Tissue lines your organs including your lungs, stomach, and heart. It’s called mesothelium. When a tumor forms in that tissue, it’s called mesothelioma. The tissue can be benign or malignant. The malignant tissue is cancerous.
Many people get mesothelioma from asbestos exposure. Bundles of fibers that come from the environment have six naturally occurring minerals—these minerals are what we call asbestos. The fibers can be separated and used in many types of industries because of their resistance to fire, heat, and chemicals. However, they also pose significant health risks.
Because there was so much use for it, manufacturers and other companies concealed the dangers of asbestos. Consequently, workers were unknowingly around a life-threatening material. This has led to countless cases of illnesses and deaths that should not have ever happened.
While there is more knowledge about asbestos and its dangers, there is a public misconception that asbestos is completely banned in the United States. While certain products are not allowed, asbestos continues to remain present in numerous industries. Many people have been in situations where they were exposed. People can face exposure in their homes, workplaces, or other places of business.
Those working in the following areas may have been exposed to asbestos:
- Construction
- Firefighting
- Farming
- Insulation installation
- Carpentry
- Glasswork
- Production facilities such as power plants, food processing plants, and textile factories
The chances of getting mesothelioma increase in different circumstances. The following factors can affect the risk of getting sick from asbestos:
- Dose (the amount of asbestos the person was exposed to)
- Duration (amount of time the exposure occurred)
- Type of asbestos fiber
- Where the exposure happened
Additional factors can increase the risk as well. Those who smoke or already have another type of lung disease are at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.
There are many other ways one can be exposed to asbestos, so it’s okay if you don’t recognize your occupation listed above or have a clear idea of how long you were exposed. When you meet with your attorney in Chicago, we’ll work through the possibilities of how, where, and the duration of your exposure.
What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?
There are a few mesothelioma symptoms that may indicate you need to see a doctor. Keep an eye out for the following:
- Issues with breathing
- Having unexpected weight loss
- Feeling pain under the rib cage
- Feeling pain, noticing swelling or lumps in the abdomen
Other symptoms include dry coughing, feeling fatigued, muscle weakness, and having a fever.
One of the more difficult aspects of mesothelioma is that it can get confused with lung cancer. Doctors must conduct certain kinds of tests to get the correct diagnosis, such as X-rays and blood tests. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often found when it’s in an advanced stage because that is when people start to identify symptoms. At this stage, the cancer has most likely spread from one localized spot, which makes treatment a more complex process.
If you or a loved one is aware of a history of asbestos exposure, bring this up with your doctor. You’ll be able to seek out options like cancer screenings which could catch the illness in its earlier stages when it is easier to treat.
Cancer treatment is tough on your body all by itself. You may undergo chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of the three. While this is happening, you may experience side effects from the treatment. Side effects include fatigue, hair loss, delirium, appetite loss, memory or concentration problems, pain, nausea, sleep problems, bladder problems, and changes to your skin and hair.
During chemotherapy cancer treatment, you will also have a compromised immune system. This means that you will have to be especially careful about personal health. If you get the flu or even a common cold, it could be threatening to your health. You may find it’s safer to spend most of your time at home and this may also mean having fewer visitors than you’re used to. While this gives you a better chance of staying healthy, there may also be a lot of emotional distress attached to this.
Your lifestyle has to change to fit the treatment for your illness. You may not be able to go out to dinner, go shopping, or go to the movies. Seeing fewer people may also increase the feeling of isolation. A housebound person may start to develop a mental illness like depression or anxiety. These psychological conditions cannot go untreated, either. You may need professional help or some form of medication to help your emotional state. Affording this on top of cancer treatment may seem overwhelming, but that’s what your Chicago attorneys are for. We’ll make sure to aggressively pursue your claim to assist in recovering funds through a settlement or jury trial to help cover all forms of treatment that you’ll need.
Krzak Rundio Gorman, Injury Attorneys Can Protect Your Rights
Mesothelioma is a serious diagnosis that will change the course of your life. You’ll have to focus on treatment and healing while also keeping your legal options in mind. You deserve to have the chance to hold the people accountable for your illness liable for what they’ve done.
Going up against a major company can be intimidating. They may have a team of lawyers dedicated to delaying cases and trying to prevent you from pursuing your case. Drawing out a case can cost more money and some people may feel discouraged or that it’s not worth the energy to keep fighting. But that’s why we’re here. Your Chicago personal injury attorney will help explain the legal process and give you realistic parameters and expectations for your case. They’ll also be a source of strength and support. We’re not afraid to take a company to the mat to hold them accountable for their negligent actions.
Your voice matters and needs to be heard. Your lawyers will work hard to show how others negligent actions caused your illness and make them see how their actions were unacceptable. This could lead to companies and manufacturers being more transparent about their business or change their policies to better ensure people’s safety. Your case may lead to others not having to go through what you have been through.
If you feel you have been injured by the negligent acts of another, we are here to help. After you get in touch with us, we’ll schedule a free consultation. In a no obligation, free meeting, we’ll talk about the facts of your case, what happened to you, and discuss the course of action that’s best for you to help you decide how to move forward.
