While an exact number of Military Veterans in Louisiana, or veterans who worked in Louisiana during their careers, who have developed mesothelioma isn’t known. In the United States, about a third of reported cases of mesothelioma are among Veterans. Navy Veterans in particular have a high risk for developing mesothelioma, because asbestos was widely used as an insulator throughout Navy ships for decades until it began being phased out for safety reasons in the 1970s and 1980s. Because of the high number of Veterans who develop mesothelioma, the Veterans Administration has created a claims process to provide benefits to Veterans whose exposure happened in the course of their military service. Exposure wasn’t just among Navy personnel – members of the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard routinely dealt with asbestos-containing materials throughout their service prior to the 1970s and 1980s, with members of all branches potentially affected. Some occupations are considered…Read More
Whether an employer owes a duty to a worker’s household member who develops mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos fibers carried home on work clothes has been a highly contested issue. There have been several cases across the country in which compensation has been sought for family members who, for example, laundered work clothes contaminated with asbestos and later developed mesothelioma. Fortunately for New Orleans families, Louisiana courts have tended to extend the right to pursue damages to family members who contract this deadly disease. In Zimko v. Am. Cyanamid, So. 2d 465 (La. 4th Ct. App. 2005), the defendant was being sued on behalf of an employee’s household member who contracted mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos fibers carried home on the employee. The Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the employer’s “duty is the general duty to act reasonably in view of the foreseeable risks…Read More
According to The American Lung Association, asbestos-related cancers like mesothelioma typically develop between 35 and 50 years after asbestos exposure, but because most asbestos exposure is work-related, and most cases of mesothelioma develop in populations who worked with asbestos for long periods of time, it is impossible to predict when, or whether, an individual may develop mesothelioma. While the majority of mesothelioma cases in Louisiana and around the country occur in people over the age of 50, there are numerous examples of younger people who’ve developed the disease as well. Children who had a parent working in asbestos-rich environments like shipbuilding or various manufacturing and construction jobs in and around Louisiana often got daily exposure when the parent returned from work in clothing saturated with asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma develops at different rates in different people, and the mechanism for this isn’t well understood. Genes likely play a role in determining who…Read More
Unfortunately, research suggests that people battling mesothelioma may experience additional serious health risks beyond the cancer itself. According to at least two studies of mesothelioma patients, the risk of developing blood clots is considerably higher for those with the disease than the general population. Blood clots can circulate in the body, lodging in smaller blood vessels and causing strokes, heart attacks, lung blockages, deep vein thrombosis, and even death. Researchers have not found a link between blood clots and the type of mesothelioma the patient is experiencing. Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial mesothelioma all appear to present the same risk of blood clots for patients. Additionally, the stage of the disease doesn’t appear to matter either. Every patient battling mesothelioma faces additional health risks from blood clots. Fortunately, there are medications that can reduce the risk of blood clots. Mesothelioma patients in Louisiana must work closely with their doctors to identify…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country It’s not unusual at all for our clients to ask if their mesothelioma lawsuit will have to go to trial. And we understand this because many of you are worried about what your role would be in a lawsuit. Obviously, a mesothelioma victim must take care of their health needs first and we encourage them to do so as soon as possible. Next, we explain to our clients that we will prepare for their case as if we are going to trial. However, a large number of our mesothelioma lawsuits have been settled out-of-court before a trial. In case your lawsuit does go to trial, we make sure this process is as easy as possible for you and your family. For instance, we know that traveling to our offices can be difficult and unnecessary, so we’ll visit you…Read More
For more than a century, industries like construction, manufacturing, and transportation relied on asbestos to provide insulation and fireproofing products, despite awareness by doctors that workers who were exposed to asbestos were likely to face respiratory problems, and worse, as a result of their exposure. Because it was a durable, low-cost, and extremely flexible insulator, it fit the needs of American businesses from the industrial age forward. Only in the 1970s did the dangers it posed become recognized by the public, and new regulations over that decade and beyond have limited asbestos use and helped reduce the risk of exposure for millions of American workers. But there are some applications where asbestos continues to be the best available material, and regulations allow for low levels of asbestos in a number of common products. In the automotive industry, brake pads and clutches still rely on asbestos for safe, reliable operation of cars…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country This question is one of the first questions we get when meeting with an individual that has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma. And it’s a legitimate question because the medical costs will be significant and you certainly do not want to burden your family with these costs. The actual diagnosis and medical treatment for mesothelioma is just the start. If you add on support services and long term care, the costs are even greater. And if you’re not able to work because of the disease, or have already retired, your options to pay for all of this becomes even more limited. If you have no insurance, even obtaining medical treatment will be difficult. That’s why meeting with a mesothelioma attorney as soon you’re diagnosed is so important…. because they can help. Here’s a brief overview of what we discuss…Read More
While many researchers do believe that genes play some role in determining whether a person who is exposed to asbestos will develop mesothelioma, how quickly the disease may progress, and how it may respond to treatment, medicine’s understanding of these factors is in its early stages. In terms of heredity, mesothelioma is not a cancer that is shared between family members via genetic predisposition. Instead, family members may be exposed to asbestos through second-hand routes, such as fibers carried in on a loved one’s clothing or hair. This can result in multiple members of a family developing the disease. There is evidence that certain genes may contribute to familial susceptibility to mesothelioma. At this time, there is no test that can tell you whether you have a genetic predisposition to developing cancers if you are exposed to asbestos, or how your body will react to the disease and its treatments. Researchers…Read More
Mesothelioma Healthcare For Those Exposed To Asbestos In Louisiana It’s an unfortunate truth that for many people in New Orleans and Louisiana, health insurance remains unaffordable, or that sick people find out too late that the plan they have is inadequate to achieve the kind of care they require. When that happens to people suffering from mesothelioma from toxic exposure to asbestos, you have a right to know your options. Free Healthcare For Mesothelioma Victims That Are Military Veterans First, many veterans of America’s armed services are in a high-risk group for mesothelioma, and may have access to VA care. Mesothelioma is recognized as a service-related illness by the Veterans Administration. Eligible veterans are entitled to see cancer specialists throughout the VA system, including mesothelioma specialists, and may be eligible for inclusion in clinical trials where cutting edge treatments and procedures can make a difference. Veterans with mesothelioma are also…Read More
Helping Mesothelioma Victims and Their Families In Louisiana and Across The Country If you, or a family member, have been exposed to asbestos and recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you’re likely looking for answers to the many questions you have. Perhaps the two most common questions we hear from our mesothelioma clients are: Can I expect to collect any money from a lawsuit? If I file a mesothelioma lawsuit, how much money will I receive? If it can be proven that you, or your family member, were exposed to asbestos, then the likelihood of receiving significant money damages is good. How much you, or your family, will receive varies greatly because it depends on a number of factors, such as: Will the case be settled or go to trial; The costs of medical expenses; Lost wages; And other damages that can be secured by a lawsuit. When it’s proven that you…Read More
