Silver Spring Mesothelioma Lawyers

Have you received a diagnosis of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease?

If so, you may be eligible to recover compensation from a former employer or product manufacturer. Call us today to learn about your possible legal options for filing a mesothelioma claim. Asbestos-related legal cases are often challenging, which is why you could benefit from having an attorney on your side.

Our Silver Spring mesothelioma lawyers at Goldberg Finnegan have over 20 years of experience. We also have a long and proven track record, recovering tens of millions in compensation for our clients.

Partner Kevin Goldberg is a past President of the Maryland Association for Justice and has been selected as a Maryland Super Lawyer each year since 2007.

There is no cost or obligation in speaking with one of our attorneys to discuss your potential case. If you hire our firm, there are also no costs or fees to pay up front or while we represent you. We do not get paid unless we achieve a verdict or negotiate a settlement for you.

Get your FREE case review. Call: 301-589-2999

Am I Eligible to File a Mesothelioma Case?

You may have a valid case if you were previously exposed to asbestos and have an asbestos-related diagnosis. However, to confirm your eligibility, it is necessary to have a qualified attorney review the details of your situation. He or she will also need the following information to help establish where you were possibly exposed to asbestos:

• Details about your work history, including the name of your former employer and relevant contact details
• Industry specifics, such as your job duties and when you may have handled asbestos-containing products
• Contact information of former co-workers who are already pursuing a mesothelioma lawsuit
• Any other relevant details that could support your claim

Our lawyers are well-versed in both state and federal laws and prepared to protect your interests. Often, those who choose to have an attorney represent them achieve significantly better outcomes than those who do not. Call our law firm anytime, night or day, to schedule your free initial consultation.

We are ready to help. Ph: 301-589-2999

What is the Value of My Case?

The overall value of a mesothelioma case will be unique to your situation. The amount and forms of compensation you may be eligible to recover will also vary. In general, this could include:

If your loved passes away before the conclusion of his or her mesothelioma claim, you may still be able to recover damages on his or her behalf through a wrongful death claim. These damages could include:

Who May Be Liable for My Diagnosis?

Most victims diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed in the workplace, so learning about your employment history is a good place to start when trying to determine liability. Mesothelioma can take decades to develop and depending on the type of industry you worked in, there could be more than one source of exposure. However, if you worked in one place for a long time, determining liability may be easier.

Our Silver Spring mesothelioma lawyers are prepared to help you with this discovery process.

Potential liable parties may include:

Is There a Filing Deadline?

It is important to note that Maryland has a statute of limitations. Generally, mesothelioma claims must be filed within three years from the date you received your diagnosis. A wrongful death claim can be filed on behalf of a family member with an asbestos-related disease up to three years from the date of death.

While there are some exceptions to these regulated deadlines, it is in your best interest to avoid any delays or you could risk losing your right to seek compensation. We recommend that you contact an attorney as soon as possible to learn what deadline may apply in your situation.

Free Consultations. Call today: 301-589-2999

What if There is an Established Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust?

There are some situations where you may not need to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation for your sustained damages. If your former employer gets hit with multiple lawsuits and goes bankrupt, there may be a bankruptcy trust fund.

In this situation, a Silver Spring mesothelioma lawyer from our firm is ready to help you file a claim with the relevant trust. The trustee in charge of awarding compensation will review the offer and then either accept it or make a different offer. This negotiation can continue until both parties agree with the offer.

Having an attorney who is also a skilled negotiator helps to ensure you recover maximum compensation.

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that forms on the healthy membrane lining that covers internal organs. Primarily, it is an incurable disease is caused by exposure to asbestos. This naturally occurring mineral was popular for years in many industries due to its insulating and heat-resistant properties.

It can be very difficult to diagnose mesothelioma because the disease can take 20 to 50 years to develop and for symptoms to manifest. Symptoms often also mimic other medical conditions.

What Types of Mesothelioma Are There?

Tumors can develop in the healthy tissue of many internal organs; however, the most common areas include the lungs, abdomen, liver, spleen, heart and testicles.

There are four commonly diagnosed types of mesothelioma, including:

Pleural Mesothelioma

Developing in the lungs and chest area, pleural mesothelioma accounts for about 70 percent of all diagnosed cases. Since doctors often do not discover the disease until it is at a later stage, mortality rates are higher.

Survival for pleural mesothelioma patients in stage one of the disease could survive up to three years – or more – thanks to today’s more advanced medical treatments. However, patients diagnosed at a later stage may not survive beyond 12 months.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the liver and spleen and is responsible for about 20 percent of all confirmed cases. Treatment could include surgery, along with a hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy treatment (HIPEC) – also called heated chemotherapy.

Patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma typically have a longer survival rate of up to five or more years when under the care of a doctor.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Very few patients suffer from pericardial mesothelioma – in fact, there are only about 200 reported cases today. This type of mesothelioma attacks the health tissue around the heart.

Patients who receive the recommended care for pericardial mesothelioma could survive for several years.

Testicular Mesothelioma

There are less than 100 known cases of testicular mesothelioma. Patients, who are typically treated with surgery and chemotherapy, can expect to survive about two years following a diagnosis.

What Are the Early Signs or Symptoms of Mesothelioma?

While the later stages of each type of mesothelioma vary based on where the tumors develop, earlier symptoms for all four types are similar:

If you worked in an industry where you may have been exposed to asbestos and suffer one or more of these symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately.

A doctor will initially examine you to see if you have any lumps. Depending on the outcome of that visit, additional testing may be needed to get more accurate information about your condition, such as:

• Diagnostic imaging tests of the chest area – such as a CT scan or X-ray.
• Tissue biopsy – this test is done by inserting a needle into the abdominal or chest area to remove fluid or taking a tissue sample during a surgery.

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will likely order other tests to help establish how far the condition has progressed.

Is Mesothelioma Similar to Lung Cancer?

People often think of mesothelioma and lung cancer as being the same or very similar. While many of the symptoms are similar, these two diseases do not develop in the same way.

Lung Cancer

• Tumors develop in the lung and can spread to other areas of the body
• Lung cancer cells grow in individual masses within defined boundaries
• Lung cancer cells appear differently in diagnostic tests

Mesothelioma

• Tumors develops in the membrane lining around the lung, abdomen, heart or testes
• Mesothelioma tumors appear like scattered nodules in a sheath that surround the affected organ
• Mesothelioma tumors do not have defined boundaries

Occupations at High Risk of Asbestos Exposure

The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines limiting the use of asbestos in the workplace today. However, hundreds of thousands of people may have developed mesothelioma prior to the implementation of these regulations.

The following industries present a higher risk for asbestos exposure:

Employees may file a complaint with OSHA if they believe they are being harmed by unsafe working conditions. However, those who have already been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease will need to file a personal injury claim.

Have Questions? Call: 301-589-2999

Common Products That Contain Asbestos

In addition to these high-risk industries, there are thousands of everyday household products that contained asbestos that may have exposed workers, such as:

How Are People Exposed to Asbestos?

There are three primary ways that someone could be exposed to asbestos fibers:

• Working in high-risk industry: This is by far the most common way people are exposed to asbestos. Handling asbestos-containing products in a poorly ventilated area – or even working with others who did – could have caused someone to inhale asbestos fibers.
• Environmental exposure: People living near an area, such as an asbestos mine, where asbestos exists in a natural environment, could have had prolonged exposure.
• Secondhand exposure: If a spouse or other family member worked in a high-risk industry, he or she could have brought asbestos fibers home on his or her hair, skin and clothing.

If you or a family member could have been exposed through work, it is important to seek medical care. Providing your doctor with a thorough background history may help you to obtain an earlier diagnosis.

Resources Available for Mesothelioma Victims

Being diagnosed with mesothelioma can be overwhelming on many levels, but one of the first things you can do is to learn everything you can about your condition and become proactive in the care and support you receive. While it cannot change the diagnosis, it can make you feel more in control of what is happening to you.

Some treatment and support resources include:

• National Mesothelioma Treatment – Get a free mesothelioma guide and information about multiple other resources.
• Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center – Additional resources nationwide, including the most current treatments available.

Contact a Silver Spring Mesothelioma Lawyer Today

Need help with a potential mesothelioma claim? Our trusted lawyers at Goldberg Finnegan understand time is critical when seeking compensation after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Our lawyers have more than two decades of litigation experience and have recovered more than $130 million in compensation for injured victims throughout Montgomery County, including a $3.75 million verdict for a man with advanced lung cancer. We are prepared to work hard to ensure liable parties are held responsible for the harm they have caused.

Our office is conveniently located at 8401 Colesville Rd, #630 in Silver Spring, less than five miles from the Montgomery County District Court.