North Carolina Pleural Mesothelioma Attorney

Have you recently received a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis in North Carolina? Or have you lost a loved one to this illness?

Such an experience is already devastating. It could be even more painful to learn the illness may have developed as a result of asbestos exposure. It’s possible you or a loved one became ill due to someone else’s negligence.

You may be eligible for compensation in these circumstances. The North Carolina pleural mesothelioma lawyers at Ward Black Law want to help you pursue it. Find out about your legal options by calling us or contacting us online today for a free case review. The consultation is confidential and comes without any further obligations.

What Is Pleural Mesothelioma?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, pleural mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer affecting the membrane that covers the chest wall and lungs. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

• Chest pain
• Cough that won’t go away
• Frequent hoarseness
• Trouble swallowing
• Lower back pain
• Weight loss without any clear explanation
• Unexplained fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• High fever
• Night sweats
• Swelling in the face and arms

See a doctor right away if you notice these symptoms. The sooner you receive a diagnosis, the sooner you can begin treatment.

What Is the Cause of Pleural Mesothelioma?

The Mayo Clinic lists asbestos exposure as the likely cause of most mesotheliomas. A person may develop pleural mesothelioma as a result of inhaling asbestos fibers. It often takes decades for fibers in the lungs to develop into symptomatic cancer.

Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnoses in North Carolina

The Mayo Clinic states that diagnosing pleural mesothelioma may involve:

• Imaging tests – A doctor who suspects a patient may have pleural mesothelioma might start by ordering X-rays or other such scans.
• Biopsy – Another step in diagnosing pleural mesothelioma is a biopsy. A doctor may order a biopsy when imaging results show abnormalities. A biopsy involves removing a piece of tissue and analyzing it in a laboratory.

The Cleveland Clinic lists two additional ways to diagnose pleural mesothelioma:

• Blood tests – The blood of someone with pleural mesothelioma may contain high levels of substances like fibulin-3. A blood test could provide evidence of pleural mesothelioma that further testing can confirm.
• Thoracentesis – Thoracentesis involves removing a sample of fluid from around the patient’s lungs. The fluid may contain cancer cells if a patient has pleural mesothelioma. Removing fluid to check for cancer cells could also relieve fluid buildup pressure in a patient’s chest and lungs.

Follow the doctor’s treatment advice if they discover you have pleural mesothelioma. You should contact our North Carolina asbestos lawyers as soon as possible after a diagnosis. Our attorneys can answer your questions about pursuing all the different sources of compensation you may be entitled to while fighting pleural mesothelioma.

Legal Options for North Carolina Pleural Mesothelioma Victims

Financial compensation can help patients with pleural mesothelioma cover their medical bills and related expenses. Discuss your options with our pleural mesothelioma attorneys in North Carolina to find out how you can seek the money you need.

Most pleural mesothelioma patients have three main options for seeking compensation. They are:

• Filing asbestos claims – Many of the companies responsible for exposing victims to asbestos have gone bankrupt. However, many were required to set aside funds in bankruptcy trusts first. Currently, more than 70 billion dollars are available to compensate asbestos disease claimants. Asbestos bankruptcy funds ensure victims can still seek compensation even when negligent parties are no longer in business. Our North Carolina pleural mesothelioma attorneys can review your case and explain whether filing a claim with an asbestos trust is an option.
• Filing a workers’ compensation claim – Asbestos exposure often occurs in the workplace. A victim may seek compensation by filing a workers’ comp claim if this happens. Workers’ compensation benefits can include payments of medical expenses and weekly compensation checks.
• Filing a lawsuit – You may also be able to file a lawsuit against a manufacturer, distributors, or premise owners if their negligence resulted in your exposure to asbestos. A pleural mesothelioma lawsuit may have numerous defendants. Identifying liable parties in these circumstances is often a complex process. Our pleural mesothelioma lawyers can investigate your case to determine which at-fault parties are involved in your case.

The right strategy for you may include one or more of these options. Our attorneys are ready to fully analyze your unique situation and lay out a plan for pursuing maximum compensation from every available source.

Under North Carolina law, you have three years from the time you learned of your illness – or reasonably should have learned of it – to file a personal injury lawsuit. The law states that surviving family members have two years from a loved one’s death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. According to the North Carolina Industrial Commission, a worker has two years from the time they learned of their illness to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Missing the applicable deadline could prevent you from receiving compensation. Speak with our North Carolina pleural mesothelioma lawyers right away to guard against this risk.

Why Hire Our NC Pleural Mesothelioma Attorneys

Taking legal action after receiving a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis can be a complex process. Hiring our experienced North Carolina asbestos attorneys helps simplify it.

Our lawyers can assist you by:

• Determining what type of claims you should file
• Gathering evidence and documentation you may need to present when submitting claims
• Corresponding with doctors, insurance adjusters, and other such parties
• Negotiating with insurance companies for fair settlements

Be aware that not all North Carolina personal injury lawyers are qualified to handle your case. Reasons to choose our firm include:

• Experience – We’ve been handling asbestos claims for more than 30 years and have helped over 1,000 clients during that time. Our North Carolina pleural mesothelioma lawyers thoroughly understand how to navigate this kind of case to get results.
• Availability – Not many firms handle pleural mesothelioma cases. Because these cases are extremely complex, ours is one of only four firms in all of North Carolina accepting them.
• Reputation – We’re not the only ones who believe our mesothelioma law firm offers quality representation. For more than a decade, U.S. News and World Report have listed Ward Black Law as one of the nation’s “Best Law Firms”.

Adapting to life after a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis is often challenging. As you adjust, allow our lawyers to handle your case. Doing so lets you focus on your health.