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Widow Prevails as Missouri Court of Appeals Reverses Decision in Asbestosis Case
The widow of a man who’d worked for years on asbestos-contaminated boilers saw her wrongful death lawsuit dismissed because the boiler manufacturer she accused of responsibility argued that nobody had seen him physically touch their boilers, so there was no proof that they were the cause of his asbestosis. Upon appeal the ruling was overturned,
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Montana Supreme Court Permits Mesothelioma Case to Proceed Against W. R. Grace’s Insurer
More than 800 mine workers diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases won a significant victory last month when the Montana Supreme Court gave the green light to a lawsuit against their employer’s insurer. The mine workers had been employed by W. R. Grace & Co., and the court decided that their insurance
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Mesothelioma Fears Leads Army Corps of Engineers to Nix Fairgrounds for COVID-19 Field Hospital
Fear of future mesothelioma diagnoses has led the Army Corps of Engineers to scrap plans for housing an emergency medical unit at the Big Fresno Fair in Fresno, California after an inspection revealed both asbestos and lead paint present in the facility’s walls. Exposure to either can lead to significant illnesses in the future, with
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Court Provides Mesothelioma Widow A Second Chance for Justice
When a person loses a loved one to malignant mesothelioma, their grief is exacerbated by the knowledge that the fatal illness was totally preventable — that had asbestos companies operated responsibly and ethically, their loved one would have been protected from exposure to the carcinogenic material that led to the illness. Many choose to pursue
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International Research Alliance Will Focus on Mesothelioma Progression
While people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma need to focus on the progress of their own illness, researchers from around the world are working to achieve a greater understanding of why the rare form of cancer is so difficult to treat, and what can be done to stop or slow its growth. A renowned United States
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French Researchers Create Non-Invasive, Highly Accurate Approach to Mesothelioma Diagnosis
People who have a known history of exposure to asbestos live under a cloud of fear, constantly worrying that they might eventually be diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Should concerning symptoms arise, they are put through a long series of appointments with physicians and diagnostic tests, tolerating poking and prodding until they finally get confirmation and
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Study Reveals Concerning Aftereffects of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Surgery
Mesothelioma is a rare and fatal form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. The disease is diagnosed in approximately 3,500 people per year, and among those roughly 20 to 35% have the peritoneal form of the disease which forms in the abdominal cavity. Though patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have realized significant success
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New Law Gives Virginia Mesothelioma Victims A Significant Victory
It is not at all uncommon for a person to be diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma years after an earlier diagnosis of a non-terminal asbestos-related condition. This situation can create a legal dilemma, as the patient may have agreed to a settlement with the asbestos companies for the first diagnosis, only to find themselves unable to
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French/Canadian Study Identifies Less Invasive Path to Diagnosing Pleural Mesothelioma
When a patient presents with symptoms that suggest malignant pleural mesothelioma, there is an established protocol that often involves a thoracoscopy to confirm a diagnosis. But now researchers from Universite Laval in Quebec have published a study showing that doctors can allow patients whose health is too fragile for that invasive procedure to skip it,
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Duke University Mesothelioma Study Yields Surprising News
Immediately after a patient’s mesothelioma is diagnosed, physicians work to come up with the most effective treatment approach. Many patients are treated using a multi-modality protocol that includes a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery, though the order of delivery is highly dependent upon the patient’s specific condition. It is not unusual for surgeons
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Research Shows Upsides and Downsides of Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Participation
One of the first things that a patient diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma may consider is whether or not to participate in one of the many clinical trials being conducted by major research centers and teaching hospitals. These trials each have their own specific criteria for participation, and those who do choose to get involved do
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Hopkins Study Details Impact of Financial Stress on Mesothelioma Patients
The stress of a mesothelioma diagnosis is nearly unbearable. The condition, which is caused by exposure to asbestos, is always considered fatal, and the treatments that can prolong survival time are disruptive and come with side effects. They are also extremely costly and insurance rarely pays for all of it. Now a study out of
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Greater Understanding of Risk Guides Use of Opioids in Mesothelioma Patients
Malignant mesothelioma is diagnosed in approximately 3,000 Americans every year, and those patients’ treatment protocols are guided by the type of mesothelioma they have, how far advanced their disease is, their overall health, their age, and other factors. Most follow a multimodality path of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery, and those that have surgery are
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Mesothelioma Organization Joins With Other Patient Groups Impacted by Coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the entire world, and one of the lesser-known effects is the one being felt by organizations that support those suffering from malignant mesothelioma and other health conditions. To counter this, the heads of 213 patient and community-based organizations have collectively written to the leaders of Congress, imploring them to include
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The Latest Developments in Mesothelioma Research
Though malignant mesothelioma remains one of the most challenging types of cancer, there are tremendous breakthroughs being made in research every day, and each one brings us closer to more effective treatments and an eventual cure. Among the most promising of these is inquiry into the tumor microenvironment or TME. This scientific term describes the
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Expert Witness Points to Talc Used By Hairdressers As Overlooked Source of Mesothelioma
Anybody who is familiar with malignant mesothelioma knows that there are certain occupations that have a high level of association with the disease as a result of their known exposure to asbestos. According to a highly respected occupational health physician, those professions — shipyard workers, electricians, insulators, factory workers, firefighters and more — have been
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Study Concludes That Exposure To Cosmetic Talc Can Lead to Mesothelioma
Recent headlines have featured the stories of mesothelioma victims filing successful lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other cosmetic talc product companies, holding them responsible for their terminal diagnoses. The stories of these victims have raised fears among countless people who’ve used talc-based products throughout the years. Now a new study published in the American Journal
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Retired Penn State Professor’s Family Sues University After His Mesothelioma Death
Nearly six years after retired Penn State University professor Peter Labosky Jr. died of malignant mesothelioma, his family’s lawsuit against the school is making its way through Pennsylvania’s courts. The case is notable both because it is the first filed against a university by a former employee, and because it was made possible by a 2013
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What People With Mesothelioma Need to Know About COVID-19
If you have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and are being treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other advanced protocols, these treatments and the disease itself likely put you in the category of people who are immunocompromised. This puts you at far greater risk when it comes to the effects of COVID-19. Here is what
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Mesothelioma Lawsuit Reveals Lack of Oversight From Talc Product Company
At the heart of every mesothelioma lawsuit is the question of whether the asbestos product company being sued was negligent or reckless. That issue was on full display this week as a New Jersey jury heard an executive from the company that sold Clubman talcum powder admit that the company had never bothered to conduct
