ITS TENTACLES RUN DEEP.
ITS VICTIMS ARE MANY. MOST OF WHOM HAVE NO IDEA FOR
SEVERAL YEARS THAT THEY ARE EVEN. AFFECTED.
THIS MORNING, IN THIS BEHIND THE. MYSTERY - RARE GENETIC DISEASES
SEGMENT, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS A.
VERY UNUSUAL CANCER:
MESOTHELIOMA. OUR GUEST THIS MORNING, OUR
ATTORNEY MARC BERN, AND ALSO. PULMONARY SPECIALIST, DR. DAVID
KAMELHAR.
GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.
GOOD MORNING, OLGA. GOOD MORNING, DOCTOR.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. DOCTOR, LET ME START WITH YOU.
TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IS.
MESOTHELIOMA.
MESOTHELIOMA IS A CANCEROUS. CONDITION OF THE MESOTHELIUM.
THE MESOTHELIUM IS THE DELICATE. MEMBRANE THAT WRAPS AROUND THE
LUNG AND WHICH COATS THE CHEST. CAVITY WHERE THE LUNG SITS.
DURING NORMAL BREATHING, THOSE.
TWO SURFACES GLIDE AGAINST ONE
ANOTHER FOR NORMAL, COMFORTABLE. BREATHING THAT ALLOWS IRRITATION
NOT TO OCCUR IN THAT SPOT. IF AN ASBESTOS IS INHALED,
ASBESTOS MOVES ITS WAY TOWARD. THE EDGE OF THE LUNG AND REACHES
THE MESOTHELIUM, REACHES THE.
EDGE OF THE LUNG, AND CAN CAUSE
INFLAMMATION IN THOSE DELICATE. CELLS.
ASBESTOS HAS BEEN DIRECTLY. LINKED TO THIS MALIGNANT CHANGE.
ASBESTOS IS BY FAR AND AWAY THE. MOST COMMON CAUSE OF
MESOTHELIOMA.
OKAY.
MARC, LET ME BRING YOU IN IT. LET'S TALK ABOUT ASBESTOS.
TELL ME ABOUT IT. ASBESTOS IS A NATURALLY OCCURING
MINERAL THAT IS MINED. AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, THE
WORKERS IN THOSE MINES WERE NOT.
TOLD ABOUT THE TERRIBLE DANGERS
INVOLVED WITHOUT USING THE. PROPER RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT OR
OTHER THINGS TO PROTECT. THEMSELVES, PARTICULARLY FROM
BREATHING IN THIS TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE FIBER.
AND YOU KNOW, GENTLEMEN, THIS. BRINGS TO MIND--AND CORRECT ME
IF I'M WRONG--THE WORLD TRADE.
CENTER, 9/11, AFTER THE FACT, SO
MANY RESCUE WORKERS, PEOPLE. VOLUNTEERING, HELPING, AND THEY
WEREN'T REALLY WEARING ANYTHING. TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND...AM I
WRONG, DOCTOR, THAT MANY CASES. CAME OUT AFTER THAT?
THE LATENCY PERIOD IS AT LEAST.
TEN YEARS.
MOST OFTEN THIRTY YEARS. BUT CERTAINLY, THE 9/11
EXPERIENCE, THE WORLD TRADE. CENTER EXPERIENCE IS A VERY GOOD
EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW. BEGINNING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF
INHALING MATERIALS THAT NOBODY.
RECOGNIZED AS BEING PROBLEMATIC
WHILE THEY WERE EXPOSED TO IT. AND MARC, YOUR THOUGHTS?
WELL, SO MANY OF THOSE HEROES, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WENT DOWN
TO THE SITE, RESCUE AND RECOVERY. WORKERS, WERE TOLD OF COURSE
THAT THE SITE WAS OKAY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
THEY WEREN'T GIVEN THE PROPER.
RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT.
AND HERE THEY WERE EXPOSED TO. THIS TOXIC SOUP, WHICH INCLUDED
ASBESTOS AND OTHER VERY, VERY. DANGEROUS MATERIALS.
AND SO TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE SEEING THE BEGINNING OF
THOSE EXPOSURES, WHICH NOT ONLY. INCLUDES MESOTHELIOMA, BUT LUNG
CANCER, WHICH IS ALSO CAUSED BY.
EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS.
DOCTOR, ARE THERE SYMPTOMS THAT. ONE COULD BE AWARE OF?
SYMPTOMS OF MESOTHELIOMA ARE THE. SAME SYMPTOMS OF ANY LUNG
CONDITION. THE LUNG CAN MAKE YOU COUGH.
THE LUNG CAN MAKE YOU SHORT OF.
BREATH.
THERE COULD BE PAIN IN THE. CHEST, AND PERHAPS OTHERS, BUT
THERE'S NOTHING UNIQUE TO. MESOTHELIOMA.
ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN, I WANT YOU. TO STAY RIGHT THERE BECAUSE
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK.
BREAK...
(MUSIC). ...AND AFTER THE BREAK, WE'RE
GONNA RETURN AND TALK ABOUT. WHO'S AT RISK.
WHO IS EXACTLY AT RISK. YOU MIGHT BE ACTUALLY SURPRISED
TO LEARN HOW CLOSE THIS COULD.
HIT HOME.
IT'S VERY SURPRISING. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE.
BEFORE THE BREAK, WE WERE. DISCUSSING MESOTHELIOMA.
WE ARE REJOINED BY PULMONARY.
SPECIALIST, DR. DAVID KAMELHAR,
AND ATTORNEY, MARC BERN, SENIOR. PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL LAW
FIRM, NAPOLI BERN RIPKA. SHKOLNIK.
GENTLEMEN, LOOK AT THESE.
NUMBERS--AND I'D LIKE OUR
VIEWERS TO LOOK AT THIS AS. WELL--AND THIS WAS ASTONISHING
TO ME. APPROXIMATELY THREE THOUSAND NEW
CASES OF MESOTHELIOMA ARE. DIAGNOSED EVERY YEAR.
AND THE THREE THOUSAND DOES NOT.
COUNT THE MANY THOUSANDS OF
ADDITIONAL CASES OF LUNG CANCER, WHICH ARE ALSO KNOWN TO HAVE
BEEN CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO. ASBESTOS.
MANY OF THESE ARE WORKERS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, MOST OF
THEM HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND OR. NEAR IT, BECAUSE ASBESTOS IS
EVERYWHERE. BUT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL OF
THEM.
WE HAVE MANY CASES OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE AT HOME. IN FACT, DOCTOR, YOU HAVE AN
AMAZING STORY AND A VERY SAD. ONE, DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS.
IT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE FIRST. CASES OF MESOTHELIOMA THAT I
SAW, THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH.
IT WAS A GIRL WHO, WHEN HER
FATHER WORKED IN THE BROOKLYN. NAVY YARD, HE CAME HOME, AND SHE
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WASHING HIS. CLOTHES.
AND FROM THAT EXPOSURE, HE HAD. THE ASBESTOS ON HIS CLOTHES.
SO IF THERE IS SUCH A THING AS.
SECOND-HAND EXPOSURE, I THINK
THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF IT. SHE DEVELOPED MESOTHELIOMA.
OBVIOUSLY, SHE KNEW THAT SHE HAD. ASBESTOS IN HER ENVIRONMENT
BECAUSE HER FATHER WORKED THERE, BUT IT'S THE HAIR DRYERS, THE
TOASTERS, THE OTHER HOME. IMPROVEMENTS...
MARC, IT'S ALMOST LIKE.
MATERIALS, PRODUCTS THAT WE USE
EVERY DAY. ABSOLUTELY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE
CALL "TAKE HOME EXPOSURE." CAN WE TALK ABOUT SOME
TREATMENTS? THE BEST TREATMENT IS SURGERY.
IF THERE IS A LOCALIZED CASE, WHERE THERE IS ONE AREA OF CHEST
WALL THAT IS INVOLVED, THEN. THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR THAT.
MARC, LET ME END WITH YOU. IF SOMEONE OUT THERE MAYBE KNOWS
OF SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN EXPOSED.
OR WONDERS IF THEY'VE BEEN
EXPOSED, WHAT OPTIONS DO THEY. HAVE?
THEIR REAL OPTIONS ARE HOPE. THEY HAVE TO REMAIN HOPEFUL.
AS DR. KAMELHAR HAS INDICATED, THERE ARE...
THEY CONTINUE TO DO WORK EVERY.
DAY, BUT THEY MUST, MUST GET
MEDICAL HELP AS SOON AS. POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, OLGA.
BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR CREATING
AWARENESS.
AND YOU, MARC.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
(MUSIC). AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ASBESTOS
AND ITS CONNECTION TO. MESOTHELIOMA, THE DEADLY FORM OF
CANCER, AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.
YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, GO TO THIS
WEBSITE. THAT'S NAPOLIBERN.COM.
NAPOLIBERN.COM..
John R. Kane - Pittsburgh PA Super Lawyers - Mesothelioma
[GRAPHIC: Super Lawyers, John R. Kane rated
by Super Lawyers, Attorney John R. Kane describes what has made him a successful lawyer.] John R. Kane: I became a lawyer because I
wanted to make a difference.
Life isn't fair, and nobody makes that claim, but when you
have a lawyer on your side, it's about as fair as it can get. In order to be a successful
attorney, I think you have to put yourself in the client's shoes. You can look at it
from a legal perspective, as any lawyer does, but in order to really understand it and to
really help somebody, you have to look at it not from your perspective, but from their
perspective. Nothing can make them whole.
Nothing can make it right. Nothing can take
back what's harmed them. The best you can do is find out what their ultimate goal is,
and what do they want to achieve? What does their family want to achieve? What sort of
justice are they looking for? I've been an attorney for 15 years, and one
of the things that I still love about my job is my clients. I can't begin to tell you how
gratifying it is when the case settles, and you look at the relief on the client's face,
and as terrible as things are, I can give them peace of mind.
I can give them relief
from their worries, and I see it on their faces, and like I said, it's just it's
what I love. [GRAPHIC: Super Lawyers, 412-227-6556, www.Sdklaw.Com,
John R. Kane rated by Super Lawyers].
by Super Lawyers, Attorney John R. Kane describes what has made him a successful lawyer.] John R. Kane: I became a lawyer because I
wanted to make a difference.
Life isn't fair, and nobody makes that claim, but when you
have a lawyer on your side, it's about as fair as it can get. In order to be a successful
attorney, I think you have to put yourself in the client's shoes. You can look at it
from a legal perspective, as any lawyer does, but in order to really understand it and to
really help somebody, you have to look at it not from your perspective, but from their
perspective. Nothing can make them whole.
Nothing can make it right. Nothing can take
back what's harmed them. The best you can do is find out what their ultimate goal is,
and what do they want to achieve? What does their family want to achieve? What sort of
justice are they looking for? I've been an attorney for 15 years, and one
of the things that I still love about my job is my clients. I can't begin to tell you how
gratifying it is when the case settles, and you look at the relief on the client's face,
and as terrible as things are, I can give them peace of mind.
I can give them relief
from their worries, and I see it on their faces, and like I said, it's just it's
what I love. [GRAPHIC: Super Lawyers, 412-227-6556, www.Sdklaw.Com,
John R. Kane rated by Super Lawyers].
Janet Ward Black Mesothelioma Attorney in North Carolina Asbestos Lawyer
The mission of this law firm is to
represent injured people. We protect people's
rights. We do that in car wreck cases, workers compensation, asbestos disease, environmental pollution
cases, we just represent anyone who has
injuries and needs help. I think sometimes people don't call
lawyers because they think they can afford them, but we represent people on a contingency
basis, and what that means is that if that
person doesn't get compensation as a result of our work we don't get
paid.
We have staff, we have technology, that can
support even the most complicated of cases and we
have individuals here who speak with power. I'm a fighter if my client's case needs
to go to trial I'll take it to trail. My clients will get their
day in court if the insurance companies won't give them a fair settlement. I think we serve our clients exceptionally well because of the amazing staff we have, we have a staff of about 20 people and if you added together all of our
years of experience together, it would probably be somewhere around a
hundred and fifty years that we've worked together.
I love helping people, they're not many professions in which you can go to work everyday and know that you are going to do some good for somebody. We're very involved in our community, urban ministries, battered women's shelter, Toys for Tots Operation Christmas Child,
we work hard with the North Carolina Bar Association to provide free legal services to people who
can't afford them. So we choose a number of different
projects to help make our community a better place. My personal philosophy for this law
firm is that all of us be committed, to protecting
people's rights.
That we do the right thing for everybody
that we represent that we take each case, no matter how
large or how small very seriously and do an excellent job
for each client. We give everyday people a
powerful voice so that they'll be treated fairly..
represent injured people. We protect people's
rights. We do that in car wreck cases, workers compensation, asbestos disease, environmental pollution
cases, we just represent anyone who has
injuries and needs help. I think sometimes people don't call
lawyers because they think they can afford them, but we represent people on a contingency
basis, and what that means is that if that
person doesn't get compensation as a result of our work we don't get
paid.
We have staff, we have technology, that can
support even the most complicated of cases and we
have individuals here who speak with power. I'm a fighter if my client's case needs
to go to trial I'll take it to trail. My clients will get their
day in court if the insurance companies won't give them a fair settlement. I think we serve our clients exceptionally well because of the amazing staff we have, we have a staff of about 20 people and if you added together all of our
years of experience together, it would probably be somewhere around a
hundred and fifty years that we've worked together.
I love helping people, they're not many professions in which you can go to work everyday and know that you are going to do some good for somebody. We're very involved in our community, urban ministries, battered women's shelter, Toys for Tots Operation Christmas Child,
we work hard with the North Carolina Bar Association to provide free legal services to people who
can't afford them. So we choose a number of different
projects to help make our community a better place. My personal philosophy for this law
firm is that all of us be committed, to protecting
people's rights.
That we do the right thing for everybody
that we represent that we take each case, no matter how
large or how small very seriously and do an excellent job
for each client. We give everyday people a
powerful voice so that they'll be treated fairly..
iWalk4MESO - A virtual race to end mesothelioma.
You dont have to be a doctor to help find
a cure for cancer. You can help by walking to raise awareness
and to raise money to fight Mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. People get it after they are exposed to asbestos. Who gets it? The skilled construction workers who built
our cities and towns and the dedicated veterans and ship-yard workers who protected us.
September 26th is Mesothelioma awareness day. We invite you to join us to do something to
stop this disease. Were having a virtual race to help spread
the word and raise money for research. Join us to find a cure for Mesothelioma.
Pledge to walk, walk to help people too sick
to march with us. Donate money for research and join the cause
by sharing your efforts on Facebook and the iWalk4MESO Facebook group. I walk for my dad, a construction worker in
New York City. We walk for our grandfather.
A United States veteran. I walk for my husband, an auto mechanic. I walk for my grandfather, a Navy ship builder. Because everyone deserves a long and healthy
life.
They built our cities and protected us. Now its our turn to be there for them. They did their part, so do yours. Join us on September 26th to end Mesothelioma..
a cure for cancer. You can help by walking to raise awareness
and to raise money to fight Mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. People get it after they are exposed to asbestos. Who gets it? The skilled construction workers who built
our cities and towns and the dedicated veterans and ship-yard workers who protected us.
September 26th is Mesothelioma awareness day. We invite you to join us to do something to
stop this disease. Were having a virtual race to help spread
the word and raise money for research. Join us to find a cure for Mesothelioma.
Pledge to walk, walk to help people too sick
to march with us. Donate money for research and join the cause
by sharing your efforts on Facebook and the iWalk4MESO Facebook group. I walk for my dad, a construction worker in
New York City. We walk for our grandfather.
A United States veteran. I walk for my husband, an auto mechanic. I walk for my grandfather, a Navy ship builder. Because everyone deserves a long and healthy
life.
They built our cities and protected us. Now its our turn to be there for them. They did their part, so do yours. Join us on September 26th to end Mesothelioma..
Illinois Mesothelioma & Asbestos Lawyers1-866-468-8631
Each year thousands of families across the
country come face to face with mesothelioma. And hard working families throughout Illinois
are impacted. This silent killer, caused by exposure to asbestos, in anything from brake
pads to home insulation, can remain dormant for decades before turning a life upside down
in a matter of months. Unfortunately, because mesothelioma is a rare cancer, many victims
have difficulty finding an advocate who understands the complex medical and legal issues they're
dealing with.
At the Simmons Law Firm, we want you to know that you're not alone. We've
been fighting asbestos companies on behalf of mesothelioma victims across the state for
over a decade. To date, we've recovered over 760 million dollars for victims living in
Illinois. We have offices in both Alton and Chicago and we're dedicated to giving each
family the personal attention they deserve.
If you live in Illinois, and you or a family
member has been affected by mesothelioma, contact the Simmons Firm today for a free
consultation..
country come face to face with mesothelioma. And hard working families throughout Illinois
are impacted. This silent killer, caused by exposure to asbestos, in anything from brake
pads to home insulation, can remain dormant for decades before turning a life upside down
in a matter of months. Unfortunately, because mesothelioma is a rare cancer, many victims
have difficulty finding an advocate who understands the complex medical and legal issues they're
dealing with.
At the Simmons Law Firm, we want you to know that you're not alone. We've
been fighting asbestos companies on behalf of mesothelioma victims across the state for
over a decade. To date, we've recovered over 760 million dollars for victims living in
Illinois. We have offices in both Alton and Chicago and we're dedicated to giving each
family the personal attention they deserve.
If you live in Illinois, and you or a family
member has been affected by mesothelioma, contact the Simmons Firm today for a free
consultation..
How to Find a Mesothelioma Attorney
How to Find a Mesothelioma Attorney Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused
by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma cases are unique in the legal
field due to the long period between being exposed and getting sick. Therefore, it is extremely important to find
an attorney who is familiar with taking on these sorts of cases. You have a limited amount of time to pursue
your claim, so you should find an attorney as soon as possible after your diagnosis.
Preparing to Search for an Attorney 1-1-Determine the jurisdiction you must make sure you are clear about the
appropriate county, or parish, and state in which to bring your claim. A lawsuit should be brought in the county,
or parish, and state in which the person you are suing, called the Defendant, lives or
operates a business. Many specialist mesothelioma attorneys will
have practices in a number of different states 1-2- Consider what you should be looking for The attorney you work with will need to be
someone you can talk to in confidence and feel comfortable with. You may be discussing very personal information
about your health and your condition.
Keep in mind that good communication and trust
is essential if you are going to have positive and successful relationship with an attorney. 1-3- Understand how costs work Understand how costs work. Attorneys in this area of law work on a contingency
basis. That means that your fee will be taken out
of any award money you receive, whether that be through a settlement or jury award.
However, some court costs and travel fees
may have to be paid by you up front. Before you sign up with an attorney you will
agree a percentage of the settlement that you will pay to the attorney after the claim
is completed. Finding Attorneys 2-1-Speak to former colleagues If a trusted friend or colleague can recommend
an attorney this could be a good option. If your colleague got a good result, and they
had a good working relationship with the lawyer, you should add this lawyer to your shortlist 2-2-Search online It's important that you spend some time carefully
reading through the legal information each lawyer provides on the website.
You should be looking for well-written and
in-depth information that evidences the expertise, experience and sensitivity of the attorney. Be wary of adverts that do not provide detailed
information, and just make a bald statement, such as "Millions of Dollars Guaranteed" 2-3-Use some online lawyer directories When you search online you will no doubt come
across a number of large online attorney directories. These can be helpful if you are struggling
to navigate the many thousands of search engine results. Use the same critical criteria to evaluate
any posting, advert or website for a mesothelioma attorney.
3-Evaluating the Attorneys 3-1-Do some initial investigation and research you need to do some investigation about the
records, history and profile of different attorneys. This can become a major task so try to focus
your search as much as possible. You can do an initial assessment by reading
through websites and evaluating the contents and presentation. Review the site for the quality of information,
grammar and spelling, and visual appeal.
Attorneys who maintain sites with large amounts
of grammar and spelling errors, low quality articles, and a barrage of ads can be crossed
of your list..
by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma cases are unique in the legal
field due to the long period between being exposed and getting sick. Therefore, it is extremely important to find
an attorney who is familiar with taking on these sorts of cases. You have a limited amount of time to pursue
your claim, so you should find an attorney as soon as possible after your diagnosis.
Preparing to Search for an Attorney 1-1-Determine the jurisdiction you must make sure you are clear about the
appropriate county, or parish, and state in which to bring your claim. A lawsuit should be brought in the county,
or parish, and state in which the person you are suing, called the Defendant, lives or
operates a business. Many specialist mesothelioma attorneys will
have practices in a number of different states 1-2- Consider what you should be looking for The attorney you work with will need to be
someone you can talk to in confidence and feel comfortable with. You may be discussing very personal information
about your health and your condition.
Keep in mind that good communication and trust
is essential if you are going to have positive and successful relationship with an attorney. 1-3- Understand how costs work Understand how costs work. Attorneys in this area of law work on a contingency
basis. That means that your fee will be taken out
of any award money you receive, whether that be through a settlement or jury award.
However, some court costs and travel fees
may have to be paid by you up front. Before you sign up with an attorney you will
agree a percentage of the settlement that you will pay to the attorney after the claim
is completed. Finding Attorneys 2-1-Speak to former colleagues If a trusted friend or colleague can recommend
an attorney this could be a good option. If your colleague got a good result, and they
had a good working relationship with the lawyer, you should add this lawyer to your shortlist 2-2-Search online It's important that you spend some time carefully
reading through the legal information each lawyer provides on the website.
You should be looking for well-written and
in-depth information that evidences the expertise, experience and sensitivity of the attorney. Be wary of adverts that do not provide detailed
information, and just make a bald statement, such as "Millions of Dollars Guaranteed" 2-3-Use some online lawyer directories When you search online you will no doubt come
across a number of large online attorney directories. These can be helpful if you are struggling
to navigate the many thousands of search engine results. Use the same critical criteria to evaluate
any posting, advert or website for a mesothelioma attorney.
3-Evaluating the Attorneys 3-1-Do some initial investigation and research you need to do some investigation about the
records, history and profile of different attorneys. This can become a major task so try to focus
your search as much as possible. You can do an initial assessment by reading
through websites and evaluating the contents and presentation. Review the site for the quality of information,
grammar and spelling, and visual appeal.
Attorneys who maintain sites with large amounts
of grammar and spelling errors, low quality articles, and a barrage of ads can be crossed
of your list..
How is Mesothelioma DiagnosedAttorney Joe Williams
How is mesothelioma diagnosed? Hi. I'm Joe
Williams. I'm a mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City and I can tell you that there
is generally two ways that physicians (doctors) diagnose mesothelioma. The first way of diagnosing
mesothelioma is a clinical diagnosis.
That means that a doctor is evaluating a patient's
presenting symptoms to draw a picture as to what this patient could be suffering from.
So the things that are evaluated are things like shortness of breath. Often with mesothelioma
victims builds up, it's called a "pleural effusion." But it's basically just a buildup
of fluid between a bony ribcage and the lungs. And when the fluid builds up, it pushes on
both the ribs and the lungs. The ribs don't move - they're made of bone -- so it pushes
in and impacts the lungs, makes it harder for the patient to breathe.
Shortness of breath
is a known symptom of mesothelioma. General fatigue and weakness. Weight loss, substantial
weight loss unexplained in a short period of time is another factor, another symptom,
that physicians will use to clinical diagnose or be suspicious of mesothelioma. For mesothelioma
victims, the definite diagnose comes in the form of a biopsy.
And for pleural mesothelioma,
it's a biopsy of the pleural. And the pleural is the lining on the outside of the lung,
sometimes referred to as a "saran wrap like substance" that lines the exterior (the outside
of the lung) and doctors will take a biopsy of that surface to determine if a patient
has mesothelioma. And how is that biopsy taken? Well, it's usually taken through a surgical
technique and I would say the most common one would be a video assisted thoracoscopy,
sometimes known as a VAT (a video assisted thoracoscopy). The doctors go in with several
instruments -- one of which has a camera on it -- and the surgeon (the doctor) can visualize
the area in the chest where the mesothelioma could be.
And with other instruments (and
again, this is a minimally invasive technique) the physicians can take a biopsy (a piece
of flesh). That biopsy material is then taken and sent to a pathology lab within the hospital
and the pathologists (they're specialized doctors who deal with diagnosing disease from
looking at a slide). The flesh is put onto a slide and for mesothelioma victims the slides
are often stained in certain ways so that different cell types can be visualized when
the pathologist looks under a microscope at the slide. That pathologist then writes out
a report -- it's called a "pathology report" -- and the pathology report is a very important
piece of paper that becomes part of that patient's medical case because it definitively diagnoses
their disease.
And it becomes a very important part of their legal case because it definitively
diagnoses them of having been a victim of pleural mesothelioma. I'm sure you have many
other questions about how mesothelioma is diagnosed. I'm Joe Williams and at our firm
we handle cases every day for mesothelioma victims. This is what we do every day and
we can answer your questions.
I encourage you to call our office at the number below
and we'll be happy to answer your questions. Thank you..
Williams. I'm a mesothelioma trial attorney in New York City and I can tell you that there
is generally two ways that physicians (doctors) diagnose mesothelioma. The first way of diagnosing
mesothelioma is a clinical diagnosis.
That means that a doctor is evaluating a patient's
presenting symptoms to draw a picture as to what this patient could be suffering from.
So the things that are evaluated are things like shortness of breath. Often with mesothelioma
victims builds up, it's called a "pleural effusion." But it's basically just a buildup
of fluid between a bony ribcage and the lungs. And when the fluid builds up, it pushes on
both the ribs and the lungs. The ribs don't move - they're made of bone -- so it pushes
in and impacts the lungs, makes it harder for the patient to breathe.
Shortness of breath
is a known symptom of mesothelioma. General fatigue and weakness. Weight loss, substantial
weight loss unexplained in a short period of time is another factor, another symptom,
that physicians will use to clinical diagnose or be suspicious of mesothelioma. For mesothelioma
victims, the definite diagnose comes in the form of a biopsy.
And for pleural mesothelioma,
it's a biopsy of the pleural. And the pleural is the lining on the outside of the lung,
sometimes referred to as a "saran wrap like substance" that lines the exterior (the outside
of the lung) and doctors will take a biopsy of that surface to determine if a patient
has mesothelioma. And how is that biopsy taken? Well, it's usually taken through a surgical
technique and I would say the most common one would be a video assisted thoracoscopy,
sometimes known as a VAT (a video assisted thoracoscopy). The doctors go in with several
instruments -- one of which has a camera on it -- and the surgeon (the doctor) can visualize
the area in the chest where the mesothelioma could be.
And with other instruments (and
again, this is a minimally invasive technique) the physicians can take a biopsy (a piece
of flesh). That biopsy material is then taken and sent to a pathology lab within the hospital
and the pathologists (they're specialized doctors who deal with diagnosing disease from
looking at a slide). The flesh is put onto a slide and for mesothelioma victims the slides
are often stained in certain ways so that different cell types can be visualized when
the pathologist looks under a microscope at the slide. That pathologist then writes out
a report -- it's called a "pathology report" -- and the pathology report is a very important
piece of paper that becomes part of that patient's medical case because it definitively diagnoses
their disease.
And it becomes a very important part of their legal case because it definitively
diagnoses them of having been a victim of pleural mesothelioma. I'm sure you have many
other questions about how mesothelioma is diagnosed. I'm Joe Williams and at our firm
we handle cases every day for mesothelioma victims. This is what we do every day and
we can answer your questions.
I encourage you to call our office at the number below
and we'll be happy to answer your questions. Thank you..
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