Reno Mesothelioma Lawyer

Most of us probably know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, which makes sense given how, according to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 2 million people will receive such diagnoses in the U.S. in 2023. Mesothelioma is very different from other cancers, though. According to the American Cancer Society, only around 3,000 people are diagnosed with this rare form of cancer annually in our country.

The risks associated with contracting any cancer are great but are particularly big when mesothelioma is involved. It’s an aggressive form of cancer that quickly spreads in its later stages, causing patients to experience a poor quality of life. Thus, if you’ve received a mesothelioma diagnosis here in Reno, NV, we urge you to seek legal advice to learn more about your options.

There’s no risk or obligation in meeting with a Reno mesothelioma lawyer like ours at the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp for a free consultation. However, that meeting can make all the difference in ensuring you receive top-notch care for your condition. So, reach out to us to schedule that free case review now.

How Does NV Asbestos Exposure Occur?

What is known about mesothelioma is that its onset occurs with individuals who are exposed to asbestos, a naturally occurring but toxic mineral regularly used for production between the 1950s and 1980s. Thus, employees in some of the following industries experienced asbestos exposure:

  • Those involved in manufacturing home insulation
  • Shipbuilders
  • NV power plant workers
  • Car brake manufacturers
  • Railroad workers
  • Many others

How Does Mesothelioma Progress?

Side effects associated with dangerous asbestos exposure are rarely initially apparent but instead take a slow, subtle hold on victims. Patients don’t often start manifesting physical signs or symptoms of the disease until some 20 years after exposure to asbestos. By the time they do, there’s seldom a point of return to a good bill of health as cancerous lesions have grown too large and caused too much irreversible damage to address.

Mesothelioma patients must instead watch their medical condition quickly deteriorate once diagnosed with it. Since those with mesothelioma often receive late diagnoses, it gives the impression that it’s a particularly aggressive form of cancer that takes them from noticeable symptoms to the deathbed at break-neck speed, whereas, in reality, it’s a condition that’s been developing for more than two decades in most cases.

Is There a Cure for Mesothelioma?

There is currently no cure for mesothelioma that definitively eliminates this terminal cancer from patients’ bodies like there is for many other types of cancer, such as by performing surgeries, chemotherapy, or radiation. However, that doesn’t mean that doctors don’t try to do whatever possible to eradicate it by pursuing those aforementioned options, like surgery, to remove cancerous lesions whenever early disease is identified. Such surgeries may be followed by medical treatment like chemotherapy or radiation.

Infusion therapy has shown great promise in recent years, but it’s no cure-all either. In recent years, the administration of monoclonal antibodies by intravenous or oral infusion, whether alone or in conjunction with doctor-prescribed drugs or other treatment options, has shown the most promise for helping alleviate later-stage pleural mesothelioma patients slow the progression of this rare illness in the lungs.

In cases of advanced disease, oftentimes, mesothelioma patients’ only option is to receive palliative care, which are treatment options that relieve symptoms but don’t address the root cause of them. This can make coping with the debilitating pain these patients often experience more bearable so that they can enjoy the time they have left with their families and friends.

Legal Options Available to Mesothelioma Victims

While no amount of compensation suffices for the loss and pain and suffering asbestos victims go through or how they’re deprived of a certain quality of life, it is what our legal system views as the best remedy to “make them whole again” when they’ve been harmed by someone else’s negligence. Monetary settlements are viewed similarly when someone else’s actions resulted in the senseless and premature loss of a loved one to an asbestos-related disease as well. However, this is the way our Nevada legal system, and U.S. civil law one in general, functions.

What Is a Mesothelioma Trust Fund?

Settlements in mesothelioma cases generally draw from asbestos trust funds. This is money the courts set aside when companies that used asbestos fibers for production filed bankruptcy once awareness of the dangers associated with this toxic substance became more widespread and production as they knew it ceased.

The problem associated with tapping into an asbestos trust fund is that the money contained in them has slowly dwindled in recent years as many stricken with mesothelioma have sought compensation from these funds.

Can I Sue for Compensation if I Have Mesothelioma?

It’s probable that you can sue for compensation if you have mesothelioma. However, like all civil lawsuits, it’s necessary to prove liability for what happened to you. Two elements are particularly important in doing that, and those include:

  • You sustained harm by working with toxic asbestos products
  • The harm you suffered is quantifiable, whether in terms of you having incurred medical bills or lost wages

While forwarding mesothelioma lawsuits is never easy, it is possible, provided you can prove these and other necessary elements. Working with an NV asbestos law firm or a Reno mesothelioma lawyer with extensive experience handling these types of cases is your best bet for having a successful outcome if you file a lawsuit against an employer or other party who unnecessarily or recklessly exposed you to harm.

What Does a Reno Mesothelioma Lawyer Do?

One question our Reno mesothelioma law firm often receives from those who have developed mesothelioma is why it is necessary for them to work with a lawyer on their case. We like to remind those prospective clients during our initial phone calls with them that the risk of losing when filing claims or a lawsuit is significant, and thus your ability to seek justice for the harm you’ve been subjected to is limited if you don’t do things right.

While many individuals like yourself don’t know that they’ve been exposed to asbestos, doctors make them acutely aware of the gravity of their condition when providing them with a diagnosis. This can be a difficult time for patients once they determine what’s causing them to feel unwell. It can help to have an attorney providing personal attention as they forward your mesothelioma case while you or a loved one pursues all available treatment options.

Why I’m Among the Best Mesothelioma Attorneys in Reno

Here at the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, I’m not afraid to go up against big-name employers or manufacturers who negligently exposed a client to this deadly form of cancer, whether that’s through pre-litigation negotiations or in court. I am one of only a few Reno mesothelioma lawyers and have a long track record of helping clients who have developed this debilitating illness through their employment as follows fight for compensation:

  • Armed service members
  • Construction workers or renovation professionals
  • Power plant operators
  • Auto mechanics
  • Railroad industry professionals
  • Many others

I am confident that I’m the mesothelioma attorney best suited to take on your case and get you the results you expect and need to continue medical treatment—and, more specifically, the best you can get.

Our work together begins with a free consultation during which you and I can discuss the potential origins of your exposure to asbestos-containing products, the progression of your symptoms, your prognosis, the treatment you’ve pursued, and more. Nevada law permits me to represent clients statewide, including here in Reno, where my law office is located, as well as in:

  • Carson City
  • Las Vegas
  • Elko
  • Henderson
  • Sparks
  • Anywhere in between in NV

So, if you’re suffering from mesothelioma, now is the time to call or write us and inquire about the services of our Reno mesothelioma lawyer. Doing so could be key to extending the amount of time you have left with family and friends.