Why do you need to get an attorney if you have Mesothelioma

There is some debate as to whether or not you should get a lawyer if you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by the exposure to asbestos. It is entirely up to the individual whether or not to seek legal advice in this situation. For many people, the question is complicated by the fact that a lot of people don't like lawyers. Here are some reason why you should: Many current, promising mesothelioma treatments are classified by private and public (e.g. Medicare) insurance companies as "experimental" which means that you will have to pay in full.

Private insurance payments will often be denied at first, resulting in a lengthy appeal, but you might 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 your town doesn’t offer one of the handful of established mesothelioma treatment providers that there are. Then there are those co-pay options, 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 will need to apply for benefits under the service-related disability program. In some of the worst case scenarios, out of control medical bills, bankruptcy filings or asset transfers may need to be considered. Eventually, you, the patient, will probably be told to "get your affairs in order." All of the above falls under the heading of “stuff for the lawyer to do.” This means you don’t have to worry about anything while you are sick and trying to survive.

A law firm that is experienced in representing people with mesothelioma can help with many of the above 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 is 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, but it is rather a matter of doing justice.

About the Author:

David Shaw is the author of this article on Mesothelioma. He is asbestos lawyer that handles mesothelioma cases nationwide.