At the end of 2019, researchers looking for ways to treat mesothelioma patients found that there may be a manner in which to improve survival rates in sufferers of the deadly disease. A collaborative study of researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine of Temple University, University of Siena, and from the Spanish Center for the Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra have discovered new molecular targets that could lead to effective new treatments.
However, despite this hopeful new information, there are still a number of people who are suffering from mesothelioma related diseases, and sadly will not recover. In cases like these, it is important that those left behind can claim the compensation that they are rightly owed.
Claiming mesothelioma compensation on behalf of a loved one
Despite the fact that it is more difficult to claim compensation after a loved one has died, it isn’t impossible with the right legal help. The process for making asbestos claims on behalf of someone else can be more complicated because it is harder to collect and gather evidence. Pinpointing when and where exposure originally took place is often crucial to the case, and this is harder without the individual to question. However, it is not impossible with the help of experienced lawyers. Mesothelioma compensation for family members is possible and important for those left behind.
What exactly is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a disease that was very rare until the commercial use of asbestos began, likely due to the fact that 80% of mesothelioma cases are directly caused by exposure to asbestos. It is a cancer that primarily affects the thin layer of tissue that covers most of the internal organs. Mesothelioma is not the only health issue that asbestos can cause. Others include:
- Rounded atelectasis
- Pleural Effusion
- Diffuse pleural thickening
- Malignant mesothelioma
- Pleural Plaques
- Asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis due to asbestos)
- Lung cancer
Some of the specific symptoms of mesothelioma being present in the lungs include:
- Fluid surrounding the lung
- Shortness of breath
- Chest wall pain
- Wheezing, hoarseness, or a cough
- Extreme tiredness
- Coughing up blood
Mesothelioma can also cause:
- Problems with bowel function
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen
- A mass in the abdomen
- Jaundice
- Blood clots in the veins
- Low blood sugar
- Pleural effusion
- Severe ascites
In some rare cases, mesothelioma is found to affect the heart and result in cases of heart failure or pulmonary embolism. There are also symptoms such as:
- Substernal chest pain
- A severe cough
- Shortness of breath when lying down
Are there time limits to claim on behalf of a loved one?
Any living sufferer of an asbestos-related disease has a time limit of three years from the date of their diagnosis to make a claim themselves. If they pass away within that three-year time period, then a relative has a further three years from the date of death to make a claim in their name. It is always worth consulting a legal professional if you are unsure as to any timing limitations. Mesothelioma compensation is important to claim for either a victim or their family, because it can offer important financial support.