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Where to Seek Support for Mesothelioma Issues in South Carolina

Many types of jobs place South Carolina residents at risk for personal injury. As much the same throughout the nation, some jobs are obviously more dangerous than others. In certain circumstances, a main issue is often asbestos exposure and the many health concerns associated with such materials, such as mesothelioma and other lung diseases.

Asbestos products are often found in old buildings, such as schools or apartment complexes. There are typically very strict regulations (that may vary by state) that govern the removal of items containing asbestos from any structure or premises. Property owners, employers and others may be held liable if they order removal of asbestos-laden items without adhering to existing restrictions.

Mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose since its symptoms may not present for months or even years. By that time, those afflicted may be in the late stages of the disease. At this time, there is no known cure for mesothelioma, a cancer thought to be caused by repeated exposure to asbestos that can damage, lungs, hearts and other areas of the body.

If you live or work in South Carolina and believe you contracted mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos, you may be wondering whether you have recourse under the law to seek recovery for your losses. A good place to start to determine whether you have grounds for filing a lawsuit is to request a consultation with an attorney experienced in this type of litigation. Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC is fully equipped to address your needs regarding mesothelioma or other asbestos-related situations.

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SlideShare Provides Mesothelioma Guide For Families

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you probably have many questions. While focus must shift to medical care, you also need to get sound legal advice or you could lose the right to seek legal remedies.

Piecing together a work history can answer where and when asbestos exposure occurred. Is long-term, direct exposure necessary? In many cases the answer is no, short-term (a college internship in a metal plating factory) or secondhand (laundering asbestos laden clothing) may have been enough.

Studies in the 20s and 30s were already identifying risks associated with asbestos. But many companies and manufacturers ignored the dangers. In our recent white paper, we explain why asbestos was used and which professions  carried greater risks of exposure. Monetary damages could be available to pay for treatment and ensure protections are in place for family.

What are some of the highlights from our paper? You can find out by checking out our easy to skim SlideShare:

To learn answers about how exposure occurred and how to seek a legal remedy, please read our full white paper.

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Beware Lung Symptoms that Suggest Mesothelioma

There’s a malignant disease that can affect various parts of the body, including lungs, abdomen tissue and the heart. Many people suffer after being exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma is an incurable condition, although various medical treatments may help alleviate symptoms. South Carolina residents who suffer from this disease may not even be aware they are ill until the condition has greatly progressed. This is because symptoms are not always immediately apparent.

If a person notices a decline in his or her general health condition, and experiences unexplained chest or stomach pain, pursuing a medical diagnosis makes sense. If possible exposure to asbestos is a key factor, a doctor should be made aware of the circumstances. Many Mesothelioma situations wind up in litigation when negligence is determined to have played a role in a developing illness.

Often, such illnesses prevent the person suffering from returning to work. This may place undue hardship on an entire family when regular income is no longer coming in. In addition to covering medical expenses and other costs associated with a particular illness, just making ends meet may be tremendously challenging.

Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC is committed to helping asbestos exposure victims in South Carolina who suffer from pleural, pericardial or peritoneal Mesothelioma. We are fully aware of your legal rights and well-equipped to protect them. Whether you were briefly exposed to asbestos or repeatedly exposed over a long period of time, if you believe you are suffering illness related to asbestos, our experienced legal team is available to advocate on your behalf.

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What Are The Four Different Types of Mesothelioma?

The law firm of Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC, recently published a SlideShare discussing the four different types of mesothelioma.

Learn more by viewing our SlideShare:

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Mesothelioma: Our White Paper Guide For Patients & Their Families

Occupational exposure to asbestos from the 1940s into the 1980s is the only known cause of mesothelioma. After a diagnosis, questions of where and when exposure occurred can be difficult to answer. This is complicated by the fact that it often takes between 10 to 50 years for the disease to develop.

A work history using Social Security records, Navy veteran resources about products used on ships or interviews with co-workers could effectively put the pieces together to complete the puzzle of the where and when. How much exposure could have been enough to cause the disease? Short-term (an internship in a metal plating factory during college) or secondhand (washing asbestos laden uniforms) may even be enough.

What are your legal rights?

The law holds manufacturers responsible when they produce unreasonably dangerous products. Concerns about asbestos exposure were known as early as the 20s and 30s.

To explain the potential legal remedies, we wrote a white paper: “Putting Together the Pieces: A Guide for Mesothelioma Patients and Their Families.” In this guide, you will learn:

  • Why asbestos was so widely used
  • Which professions are associated with a higher risk of developing the disease
  • What monetary damages might be available
  • How to decide on an attorney or law firm

When you or a loved one receives a mesothelioma diagnosis, focus must shift to medical care. At the same time, you need to take action or legal remedies could be lost. By reading our white paper, you can learn about your rights and when to seek legal guidance.

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Battling Mesothelioma More Hopeful Now than Ever

Many people in South Carolina and other regions of the United States have suffered adverse consequences of asbestos exposure over extended periods of time. Some people’s illnesses occurred after being exposed to asbestos on the job. Whether work-related or not, serious illnesses such as Mesothelioma have devastated many lives.

There is good news regarding survival rates and options available to battle this dreaded disease, however. Even though it’s a very aggressive cancer, many people have withstood various types of treatment and are continuing to live full lives in recovery. Some people have even lived longer than their initial prognoses.

When a person is diagnosed with Mesothelioma, he or she undoubtedly wants to learn about the most advanced treatments available to help exceed the typical life expectancy associated with the illness. In addition to chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments, patients often face other challenges as well, especially those who are unable to return to their workplace duties because of their health conditions. Such situations often leave workers feeling overwhelmed and wondering where to turn for help.

There’s also the question of who should be responsible for medical bills and other expenses related to Mesothelioma if a person believes his or her illness was caused by asbestos exposure in a work environment. One of the easiest means for obtaining support and guidance in such circumstances is to reach out to someone who has acted on behalf of others whose lives have been ravaged by the same disease. Many work-borne illnesses lead to litigation; therefore, it’s typically best to seek help from an experienced South Carolina attorney before heading to court.

Source: mesotheliomagroup.com, “Mesothelioma Survivor Stories“, Accessed on July 5, 2017

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What Are Some Mesothelioma Risk Factors?

A mesothelioma diagnosis often comes as a shock. This is especially true since mesothelioma is often diagnosed decades after exposure to asbestos.

Following a mesothelioma diagnosis, it is important to begin tracing where and when the asbestos exposure occurred in order to seek compensation.

What is risk factor? Risk factor is anything that increases an individual’s risk of developing a disease.

It is important to note that not all individuals with several risk factors develop cancer – and individuals with no known risk factors can develop cancer.

Assessing risk factor can be beneficial for individuals who are looking to make informed decisions about lifestyle and health care.

Who is most at risk for developing mesothelioma? Let’s take a look at some risk factors:

Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos

Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma.

Many people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos at work. The exposure may have occurred decades ago in jobs such as:

  • Shipbuilding
  • Roofing
  • Pipe fitting
  • Electric utility
  • Construction
  • Insulation installation

Asbestos fibers can be transmitted on clothing or on personal items. Family members can be exposed when asbestos fibers come into the home.

Individuals who smoke

Smoking alone does not cause mesothelioma. However, smokers who have been exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma and other types of lung cancer.

Less common secondary risk factors

  • Individuals who have been exposed to radiation
  • Individuals who have been exposed to zeolite
  • Individuals who are genetically predisposed to develop mesothelioma (this accounts for approximately 1 percent of mesothelioma cases)

When mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure in the workplace, victims may be eligible for significant compensation. It is advisable to speak to an attorney for help in determining the cause of the mesothelioma as well as determining the individual’s legal options.

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Mesothelioma Rare and Potentially Deadly

Is it possible to be walking around with a potentially deadly disease raging inside one’s body without the person affected even knowing it? The answer is undoubtedly yes, as many who suffer from Mesothelioma may attest. The signs and symptoms of this disease vary, reportedly depending on where in the body the disease originates. South Carolina readers may be interested in this information.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that generally affects the abdomen, lungs and/or heart. In some male patients, the first notice they have that they may have contracted this disease is a mass growing on the testicles or swelling in the area surrounding. A common factor among most people suffering from some form of Mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

Other symptoms that may prompt someone to seek medical attention and ask about this disease include abdominal swelling, shortness of breath, painful coughing and/or unexplained weight loss. Basically, it’s always a good idea to visit a doctor if any signs of possible adverse health conditions are present. However, even if no visible signs of illness occur, if a person is simply not feeling right and can’t put his or her finger on why, it never hurts to seek medical assistance.

For those exposed to asbestos in the workplace, Mesothelioma may be a great cause for concern. Some people have pursued consultation with attorneys experienced in litigating situations involving such details, in order to discuss options that might be available to them through the legal system. A good first step to take if considering litigation in South Carolina is to document all signs and symptoms of the disease, as well as any events leading up to one’s current circumstances that may impact the outcome of a particular case.

Source: mayoclinic.org, “Symptoms“, Accessed on June 22, 2017

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Immunotherapy Drug May Help Treat Relapsed Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. Chemotherapy is usually administered to patients, but nearly all will relapse – most within six months following treatment.

promising new treatment for patients who have relapsed involves the use of immunotherapy.

A clinical trial involving 125 patients with advanced MPM was conducted in France. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatments:

  • Nivolumab (standard cancer treatment drug)
  • Nivolumab + ipilimumab (standard cancer treatment drug + immunology treatment)

Trial Results

The disease control rate was analyzed, which is the percentage of patients in which cancer did not grow.

First 108 patients:

  • Nivolumab only:
    • 44 percent disease control rate
    • 17 percent tumor shrinkage rate
  • Nivolumab + ipilimumab:
    • 50 percent disease control rate
    • 26 percent tumor shrinkage rate

Follow-up at 10.4 months including all 125 patients:

  • Nivolumab only:
    • 4 months until cancer worsened
    • 10.4 month overall median survival
  • Nivolumab + ipilimumab:
    • 5.6 months until cancer worsened
    • Overall median survival not reached (more than 50 percent of patients were still living at time of analysis!)

Side Effects

It is worth noting that severe side effects were more common among those patients who were administered nivolumab with ipilimumab:

  • Nivolumab only:
    • 10 percent experienced side effects
  • Nivolumab + ipilimumab:
    • 18 percent experienced side effects

Going Forward

What does this mean for patients with mesothelioma?

Immunotherapy shows encouraging disease control rate results in the treatment of MPM after relapse. This is positive news in the treatment of a disease that is notoriously hard to treat.

Although more research is needed to fully understand how immunotherapy can be used to treat mesothelioma, this is definitely an encouraging development for those fighting the disease, and is worth discussing with your doctors.

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How to Support a Family Member With Mesothelioma

A mesothelioma diagnosis affects the whole family. When a loved one is diagnosed, family members want to offer their help and support. But it is not always easy to know how to best do that.

Here are some ways that family members can support their loved one during this time:

  • Research: A mesothelioma diagnosis can be overwhelming. Many questions arise in the minds of the victim and those close to him or her. One way family members can offer their support is by researching treatment options, clinical trials, support groups, etc. This can take a great burden off the victim’s shoulders.
  • Spend quality time together: Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, but it is important to remember that individuals can live for years after a diagnosis. Although this can be a sad and difficult thing to go through, it is important for family members to enjoy their time together. There are many ways to do this:
    • Schedule time to visit the patient at home
    • Run errands together
    • Transport the patient to and from medical appointments
    • Call the patient on the phone
    • Ask the patient for ideas and suggestions
  • Get legal help: Victims of mesothelioma may be eligible for compensation. Working with an attorney can be a tremendous asset for those who choose to pursue a claim. An attorney can help your family through the legal process, answering your questions along the way and helping you pursue maximum compensation. Helping your loved one find an experienced, caring attorney can be a tremendous help.

Facing mesothelioma is a tough thing to do – but facing it alone is even more difficult. As a concerned family member or friend, you can make a huge difference in the life of a mesothelioma patient. Take time to listen to their needs, and make an effort to support them in every way possible.

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