When Diagnosed With Mesothelioma, Why You Really Do Need A Lawyer



The majority of mesothelioma diagnosed around the world is a direct result of exposure to asbestos which has been known to be a cause of cancer since before most of us were born. It is not a matter of "deserving" compensation - it is a matter o

One question asked by a person newly diagnosed with mesothelioma?why should I consult an attorney? This is certainly a fair question. It is entirely up to the individual whether or not to seek legal (or, in fact, medical) advice in any situation. For many people in this situation, the question is complicated by the fact that a lot of people don't like lawyers (OK, they hate them). But the fact is, this isn't Canada or Europe?you, your insurance company or your rich uncle have to pay for your treatment, and most of us don't have the last option. Many current, promising mesothelioma treatments are classified by private and public (e.g. Medicare) insurance companies as ?experimental?-- that means you, the patient, have to pay. Those private insurance payments will often be denied at first, resulting in a lengthy appeal, but you need the surgery or other intervention now. That can mean laying out tens of thousands of dollars up front while that insurance appeal is pending. In addition, there are travel and hotel expenses if one of the handful of established mesothelioma treatment providers nationwide doesn't happen to be in your town. Then there are those wonderful co-pays, which can range from being a nuisance to constituting financial disasters in and of themselves. If you are or were in the military and have your treatment through TRICARE and/or the VA, different issues come into play. If you are still of working age and you become disabled, you need to apply for Social Security Disability. If some or all of your asbestos exposure was in the military, you need to apply for benefits under the service-related disability program. In some of the worst case scenarios of out of control medical bills, bankruptcy filings or asset transfers may need to be contemplated. Finally, you, the patient, will probably have been told to ?get your affairs in order.? The above recitation all falls under the heading of stuff lawyers do. A law firm that is experienced in representing people with mesothelioma can help with many of these issues, either by handling them in house or referring the patient client to other legal professionals that can help with things like probate work and insurance appeals. It still remains though, that the single most important thing that a good attorney can assist with is to obtain compensation from the tort system (including the bankruptcy system) so that the person who is suffering (and the family members, who suffer as well) can rest assured that there will be enough resources to provide for the present and the future. It is perplexing that many who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma never seek legal assistance. The fact is that a substantial majority of the mesothelioma diagnosed around the world are a direct result of exposure to a lethal substance that has been known, for any company that bothered to try to figure it out, to be a cause of cancer and other diseases since before most of us were born. It is not a matter of ?deserving? compensation'it is a matter of doing justice.