Articles About Health

A mesothelioma diagnosis can be devastating. For anyone suffering with mesothelioma, there are usually a number of different treatment options to weigh and discuss. You can significantly help your doctors to implement the course of treatment that best suits you or your family member’s medical condition, circumstances and wishes if you become an educated patient or family member.

Treatment of mesothelioma depends on the cancer’s location, the general health of the patient and the stage of the disease. Some of the more standard treatment options include radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy. In many instances, these treatments are combined.

Doctors specializing in mesothelioma treatment frequently adopt a multimodal approach: they treat a patient with a combination of therapies. Due to the relative lack of effectiveness of single-modality treatment in affecting patient survival, the multimodal combination of treatments holds more promise for prolonging survival of malignant mesothelioma patients.

Army veterans were at risk to asbestos exposure while serving duty fighting for our country. While numerous Navy veterans spent their tour of duty on ships that contained several tons of asbestos, many Army veterans experienced asbestos exposure while being transported on Navy ships. Further risk of exposure for Army veterans came as a result of their stay in Army military housing and at base facilities, or working on or around army cars and trucks.

Army Veterans and Asbestos Exposure

Military areas containing asbestos included:

• headquarters buildings
• administrative buildings
• technical buildings
• vehicle sheds
• rifle ranges

Housing areas containing asbestos included:

• family housing
• recreational grounds
• exchanges
• gas stations
• establishments for public life

Hundreds of army installations contained asbestos flooring, flooring tiles, ceiling tiles, wall insulation, asbestos cement in building foundations and other base structures. Asbestos was also used in thousands of military vehicles in the form of brakes, gaskets and insulation.

One of the dangers of asbestos-related diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma, is that you may not know you’re sick until you develop symptoms. This process can take between 20 and 50 years, and by the time you notice problems, most treatment options are limited to palliative care.

The long latency periods of these diseases mean that many patients are advanced in age. Scientists think this may be a problem because the cells of the immune system behave differently as people age, and this may not be helpful in cases of cancer.

But what if scientists could somehow reverse the aging process of these immune cells? Researchers from Australia may have succeeded in doing that very thing.

How does the immune system work?
Your immune system is quite a powerful weapon, designed to protect your body from bacteria, fungi and viruses. These cells are also tasked to scavenge and clean up injured or damaged cells, including cancerous cells. Experts say that if the immune system turned against us, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

So how exactly does the immune system work? There are two main types of cells:

• Phagocytes are cells that “eat” potentially harmful matter, such as pathogens and damaged cells. Granulocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages are all considered phagocytes. Macrophages in particular are known for eating larger matter
• Lymphocytes are white blood cells that “learn” to recognize different types of harmful cells so they can attack them more effectively. They can identify viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. B-cells and T-cells are both considered varieties of lymphocytes.

The different parts of the immune system usually work together. For example, macrophages not only eat harmful matter, but they also put the other cells of the immune system on alert in case there’s some type of infection.

Researchers make old cells young
Researchers from Australia’s Curtin University theorize that cancer is particularly prevalent among older individuals because their macrophages become less active, and therefore cannot help the immune system kill off malignant cells. They say this may be especially true of mesothelioma and lung cancer.

This concept also led them to explore what would happen if they could make the macrophages of older individuals act like those of younger subjects. For their experiment, they looked at young and old mice, both groups of which were initially healthy. After the scientists exposed them to mesothelioma cells, they noticed the immune systems of the older mice were more sluggish to respond. However, after the researchers treated them with a certain drug, the macrophages of the older mice became active and helpful again.

Scientist Connie Jackaman had this to say to Science Network in Western Australia:

“Immune dysfunction is not permanent and in fact can be restored to function similarly to a young immune system. The public may be interested to know that as they get older it is not necessarily all downhill. The next step for our research group is to see if we can target macrophages in a live model and induce tumor regression in elderly immune systems.”

In the U.S., more than 7,300 individuals die every year because of malignant mesothelioma or asbestos-induced lung cancer. The long latency periods of asbestos-induced diseases mean that their incidence probably won’t peak for another 10 years or so. This is true for the U.S., the U.K. and Australia.

These trends are what motivate scientists in their search for a cure for asbestos-related diseases, and they’re what motivates us at Kazan Law to keep fighting for our clients.

Mesothelioma research, like all scientific research, does not happen without funds. Although funds for mesothelioma research come from government agencies, universities and hospitals, it is no secret that money from private sources helps get the ball rolling either through funding the grant application process, additional staff positions, purchasing state-of-the-art equipment or helping to support conferences where researchers from all over the world can sit together and really discuss ideas.

That’s why our firm Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, A Professional Corporation is proud to be the first law firm to step up and provide substantial financial support for the upcoming 12th biannual International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group. (iMig)

We are pleased to continue to sponsor the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig 2014) when it convenes in Capetown, South Africa this October, just as we did in Boston in 2012, Kyoto in 2010, Amsterdam in 08 and Chicago in 06.

Recently, our support for iMig has grown beyond our role as a sponsor. We were honored that four abstracts from Kazan Law were chosen for poster presentation at iMig’s 2012 Boston conference.  Ours were the only papers out of hundreds submitted for presentation that were submitted by attorneys.  The information we presented was based on 20 years of experience with asbestos trust funds and 40 years representing asbestos victims. As we focus on the fight for justice for each of our clients, the entirety of our discoveries in this process brings to light implications which we believe are of benefit to the greater good of all mesothelioma cases. It was a privilege to share them.  You can see a three-minute video of me explaining their significance here.

iMig is comprised of independent international scientists and clinicians with the mission of working to understand, cure and prevent mesothelioma.  The iMig conference is one of the most important meetings where scientific information on finding greater treatment solutions for mesothelioma is presented and discussed. Because we want to see an end to the suffering caused by mesothelioma, our firm has been a generous supporter for years. Our commitment to this cause and this conference is unwavering. We give substantially and we give early.

Asbestos, the only known mesothelioma cause in the U.S., is associated with industrial uses. Because of its ability to withstand heat, asbestos was a go-to component for many manufactured products where heat resistance would be helpful. Car brakes and brake pads, home and building insulation contained asbestos. Thousands of tons of asbestos were used in World War II ships to insulate piping, boilers, steam engines, and steam turbines.

These uses of asbestos suggest occupations held primarily by men. In a report called The Asbestos Epidemic in America, the Environmental Working Group states,” Asbestos kills thousands more people than skin cancer each year, and nearly the number that are slain in assaults with firearms. The suite of diseases linked to asbestos exposure overwhelmingly affect older men.” The report goes on to say that even a tiny amount of asbestos can be lethal and that “asbestos diseases have a 20 to 50 year latency period, meaning that a substantial portion of individuals exposed in the 1960s and 1970s are just now showing up as disease or mortality statistics.”

Now new research published in the September issue of the International Journal of Occupational Environmental Health, suggests that the use of talcum powder may be a mesothelioma cause in women.

The research focuses on the use of one brand of talcum powder by a woman who had recently died.

“This brand of talcum powder contained asbestos and the application of talcum powder released inhalable asbestos fibers. Lung and lymph node tissues removed at autopsy revealed pleural mesothelioma,” the published report states. “Through many applications of this particular brand of talcum powder, the deceased inhaled asbestos fibers, which then accumulated in her lungs and likely caused or contributed to her mesothelioma as well as other women with the same scenario.”

But talc is not only in talcum powder. It is commonly found in eye shadow, baby powder, face powder, and other loose-mineral cosmetics, where it’s used as an absorbent, anti-caking agent.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states on its website it is “unacceptable” for cosmetic talc to be contaminated with asbestos. “To prevent contamination of talc with asbestos, it is essential to select talc mining sites carefully and take steps to purify the ore sufficiently.”

FDA reports that from 08 to 2010 because of safety concerns, it studied talc from four talc suppliers and 38 talc-containing cosmetic products purchased in retail stores. These included eye shadow, blush, foundation, face powder, and body powder.

The analysis found no asbestos in any of the samples of cosmetic-grade raw material talc or cosmetic products containing talc. However FDA cautions that the results “do not prove that most or all talc or talc-containing cosmetic products currently marketed in the United States are likely to be free of asbestos contamination.”

As we observe Veterans Day on November 11, it is important to remember that veterans face higher risks for developing mesothelioma. Yes, sadly not only did our brave men and women in the armed forces confront gunfire and bombs from enemy forces and endure harsh battle conditions in far-off foreign lands, our veterans also face death from exposure to asbestos in the very ships and aircraft in which they served our country.

Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain, often do not appear until 20 to 50 years after the exposure. These symptoms often indicate the presence of mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, and sometimes also the heart and abdomen.

While veterans represent 8% of our nation’s population, veterans comprise 30% of all known mesothelioma deaths that have occurred in this country.

How Veterans may have been exposed to asbestos

According to information from the Veterans Administration, veterans who served in any of the following occupations may have been exposed to asbestos: mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring and roofing.

Veterans who served in Iraq and other countries in that region could have been exposed to asbestos when older buildings were damaged and the contaminant released into the air.

Why Veterans Were Exposed to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in nearly every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The most common risks for asbestos exposure resulted from insulation used in ships, vehicles, and aircraft from the early 100s until the 1970s.

A fire at sea aboard a warship would have caused a huge loss of lives and loss of a major Navy asset. The same could be said about the potential for exploding fighter planes. Asbestos seemed at the time a way to prevent these catastrophes. Because of its insulating properties, the extensive asbestos was a key aspect in the construction of ships, planes and other warcraft for many years.

Thousands of veterans have since suffered related illnesses due to exposure during their service.

Compensation benefits for health problems

Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems related to exposure to asbestos during military service. You can File a claim online with the VA. Every veteran has ‎the right to sue and that’s why they need a good attorney to help them.

Mesothelioma costs need to be considered, unfortunately, almost as soon as you get your diagnosis. Treatments can be expensive and your mesothelioma costs can add up quickly. You can get help paying for mesothelioma treatment from your health insurance provider, Medicare, Medicaid, and possibly from financial assistance programs if needed. Once you and your physician have decided on a treatment plan, you will should gather information and map out a financial plan. Being prepared for your financial share of the cost of your treatment is important. Your lawyer can help by explaining when settlement funds may be expected.

Mesothelioma Cost Factors

Your mesothelioma costs won’t be exactly the same as another patient’s because your treatment plan will be tailored just to you. It’s good to get an estimate of the cost in advance of treatment, but keep in mind that things can change as your illness progresses. Blood tests, imaging, respiratory therapy, and additional medications may drive up costs. Many factors will influence the cost of your mesothelioma treatment – here are the major ones:

• Type of Treatments: Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy, Biological Therapy
• Duration of Treatment: Total Amount of Time Needed To Complete Treatment
• Frequency of Treatments: How Often Treatments Are Scheduled
• Treatment Setting: Home, Clinic, Hospital

How Health Insurance Can Help

Your health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or private, should pay for most of your mesothelioma costs. Call your insurance provider and tell them your diagnosis and treatment plan, then ask about details of your coverage, deductibles, premiums, and co-payments. Speak to the financial director at your oncology clinic and make sure they accept your type of insurance. If it’s going to be a stretch to pay all the bills, ask about payment plans and financial assistance.

Ask about coverage for second opinions from health professionals outside the plan. If the answer is “no”, talk to your lawyer about options.

Negotiating Health Care Liens for Mesothelioma Costs

Keep in mind that if you have filed a personal injury lawsuit against those who exposed you to asbestos and caused your mesothelioma – and I hope you have – then your health care provider will expect to be reimbursed for your mesothelioma costs from your settlement.

Contact your attorney and have them negotiate the medical bills for you. That is what we do for our clients. We make sure by going through the medical bills line by line that our clients do not get stuck with bills that have been inflated in anticipation of a settlement or are for unrelated matters. We also remind the medical providers that they are required by law to help pay the legal costs of obtaining a settlement for reimbursement. This often leads to a reduction in medical bills that we always pass along to our client. From a starting point of medical expenses that initially could total over $100,000, our client may wind up paying only $30,000 – $50,000.

How the Affordable Care Act Can Boost Insurance Coverage

The Affordable Care Act may improve insurance coverage of your mesothelioma costs. The law:

• Requires health plans to cover people with a pre-existing condition such as cancer
• Makes cancer screening tests available at little or no cost to patients
• Prohibits insurance plans from canceling coverage if patient gets sick
• Prohibits insurance plans from charging sick people – including those with cancer – more for coverage than healthy people
• Prohibits annual and lifetime dollar limits on the amount of a patient’s care the plan will pay for
• Requires insurers to provide current policyholders and people shopping for coverage with a short and simple summary of their coverage
• Makes sure that patients who take part in clinical trials are covered for their other health needs
• Helps individuals with low or moderate incomes buy health insurance

How to Get Additional Financial Help

Even if you have health insurance, you may still need some financial help with treatment and prescription co-pays. Knowing whom to ask for that help is one way to get started. Speak with the financial director at your oncology clinic about payment programs, financial aid, and local organizations that may help with mesothelioma treatment costs. Your doctor is a good resource to check with about clinical trials, which may be available at no cost to you. At the hospital, check with their social worker to learn what financial assistance resources they may offer.

Bottom Line on Mesothelioma Costs

There’s no doubt that mesothelioma is a costly disease to treat. But even if cost appears to be a barrier to treatment, seek help – don’t skip the treatment. The longer you go without treatment after a mesothelioma diagnosis, the more expensive it will be to treat. To make a little easier on your health, your family, and your budget – prepare to meet the costs of mesothelioma treatment by knowing your treatment plan, understanding your health insurance, and seeking help with the cost of care. Your life is priceless so take these steps now.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, the best way to receive the compensation you deserve is to hire the best lawyer to represent you. Look for a lawyer with a track record of successfully litigating and settling mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of clients.

How to find the Best Mesothelioma Lawyer

When you engage a lawyer to represent you in your mesothelioma claim, you are making a financial decision that can have significant consequences for you and your family. Compensation in asbestos claims can be in the millions. A good lawyer can make a difference of many thousands of dollars; the best lawyer can make a difference of millions! That’s money you need to pay your medical bills and provide for your family. Kazan Law has negotiated settlements for hundreds of clients and won verdicts as high as $27 million for our clients.

Start your search by narrowing down your list to lawyers who specialize in asbestos litigation. Don’t be afraid to talk to more than one law firm before you choose the one best qualified to handle your case.

Here are some questions to ask before you hire a mesothelioma lawyer:

• How long has the lawyer been handling asbestos lawsuits?
• How many clients have they worked with in that time?
• Where has the lawyer filed asbestos claims?
• Do they have experience in the court where your claim will be filed?
• What types of mesothelioma cases has the lawyer handled in the past?
• Have they litigated cases similar to yours?
• How many cases has the lawyer won? Lost?
• How many cases has the asbestos lawyer settled?
• What kinds of settlement amounts have they achieved for their clients? (Settlements may be confidential, but you can ask the lawyer to give you a range.)
• How many clients has the lawyer helped through the process of getting compensation from asbestos trust funds?

Lawyer Tips for How to Find a Mesothelioma Lawyer

I have been helping clients with mesothelioma get the compensation they deserve since 1974. Over my years of handling asbestos lawsuits, I have encountered a lot of wonderful lawyers and, unfortunately, many who were less than scrupulous. Here are some basic steps to take when you are choosing an attorney to represent you in your mesothelioma claim.

• Interview your attorney. If you are not feeling well enough, ask a family member or friend to do this. Request a case evaluation and a personal interview with the attorney who would be handling your case.
• Make sure the attorney’s fees are on a contingency basis. A contingency fee arrangement is when your lawyer gets a percentage of the compensation award you receive from the resolution of your asbestos lawsuit. If you wind up not receiving any compensation for the lawsuit then your lawyer collects no fees. You may still owe charges for court fees, copying, and hiring expert witnesses. Ask how the fee arrangement works – do costs come ‘off the top’ or are they just taken from your share?
• Check the attorney’s references. A good mesothelioma attorney should be able to provide you with a list of references of several previous clients to contact. Although you will only be given the contact information for very pleased clients, it will still be informative to talk to them about their experiences working with a mesothelioma attorney you are considering hiring for your case.

I am proud of the team we have built at Kazan Law.  The people at Kazan Law are incredibly talented. I’ve been so fortunate with my partners and the younger lawyers and the paralegals. People seem to stay here because they fall in love with the work; and mostly with the clients – it is really gratifying to be representing people who really need our help where we can make a difference

But not all asbestos attorneys place their clients’ interests above their own.

There are ambulance chasers. There are unscrupulous lawyers. There are guys are out there who run newspaper ads saying, “Call us to find out if you have million dollar lungs.” I think that’s outrageous. I think people need to be really careful about how they select a lawyer and about how they make what will potentially be the most important financial decision of their lifetime.

There are a lot of lawyers out there who are in this just for a buck. If you look for a lawyer on the Internet, the odds are you’re going to find lawyers who aren’t really trial lawyers. They’re really case brokers. Their operations are really designed to lure people in and sign them up and then sell that client’s case to another lawyer who does the work. The problem is they tend to sell those cases to lawyers who will give them the biggest cut rather than who will do the best job.

There is nothing wrong with a law firm advertising on the internet. What’s wrong is lawyers who disguise who they are. You will find a lot of lawyer websites that show themselves as .org sites, a web area intended originally for nonprofits, who in reality are lawyers pretending to be nonprofits, pretending to be public interest groups. What they want to do is get you to fill out their contact form, they want to get you on the phone and sign you up.

The point is clear. Be thorough in your due diligence process, ask the right questions, and meet with the lawyer. Ensure that your best interests are the first priority of any law firm that represents you and your family. Although information is vital in making the right decision so is your confidence that your lawyer is honest, trustworthy, and competent.

Since its founding in 1974, Kazan Law has represented thousands of people suffering from asbestos related illnesses, particularly mesothelioma. Our principals include pioneers in asbestos litigation and are among the most experienced mesothelioma lawyers in California. We have unmatched experience in asbestos bankruptcy reorganizations and asbestos bankruptcy funds.

There are approximately 2,500 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year in the United States. The laws and parameters regarding winning a lawsuit are complicated and vary from state to state. Mesothelioma lawyers at Kazan Law who focus exclusively on asbestos law know the intricacies of asbestos litigation and have the experience to successfully take a case through the court system are a special breed.

Kazan Law is consulted by and gives advice to more than a thousand potential clients each year. We have filed more than two thousand cases in our history. We are proud that our mesothelioma law firm Kazan Law is large enough to have extensive resources and many years of experience, yet small enough to ensure—by limiting new cases to 20–25 per year—that every client receives individual and outstanding representation.

At Kazan Law each case is individually developed and handled by a select group of lawyers, paralegals and investigators. This team has the resources of the entire office to draw upon, including professional investigators and extensive databases.

We have two important goals in our representation of clients:

1. To go as far as possible within the limits of the legal system to redress the wrong done to each of our clients.
2. To have a broader impact to improve the work-place through:
   • public education about occupational health and safety
   • legislative advocacy
   • support by the The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation, Inc
   • active participation in WORKSAFE!—a California statewide coalition that supports occupational safety and health

The mesothelioma lawyers at Kazan Law have the focus, experience and knowledge to handle your case and secure the justice and compensation you deserve.

At Kazan Law, we are not just mesothelioma lawyers. We are passionate about everyone’s right to know about potential hazards in our environment and in the products that shape our lives. As part of our commitment to corporate accountability, we joined with another law firm to fund a position at Public Justice, a public interest legal group whose mission includes the pursuit of “high impact lawsuits to combat social and economic injustice.”

That funding recently reaped big dividends for all lawyers who fight against corporate wrongdoing. Jennifer Bennett, the Kazan Budd attorney at Public Justice, won a landmark ruling in the Ninth Circuit that will prevent corporations from keeping evidence of their negligence under wraps.

Challenging a Judicial Standard

Bennett was an outstanding member of the class of 2010 at Yale Law School. With Kazan Law’s help, Public Justice was able to offer this promising young legal mind a place among the ranks of lawyers dedicated to defending plaintiffs’ rights. One of her first projects was to work on a class action suit against Chrysler for an ignition defect that had led to countless collisions and caused more than one hundred fatalities.

The case, Velasco v. Chrysler, involved a defect in the ignition switches in Chrysler automobiles. The defect causes the engine to suddenly cut out while the car is going full speed on the highway. The automaker had never informed the public about the ignition problem. It asked the judge for an order that the records in the Velasco case be filed under seal. This meant that the public – including other attorneys, journalists, and consumers – weren’t able to find out the important information uncovered by this case.

The plaintiffs asked the court to unseal the records and warn other drivers of Chrysler vehicles about this dangerous defect. The US District court refused, despite clear public safety implications. The judge took the position that court records such as these can only be unsealed after a jury verdict.

Mesothelioma Lawyers: Breaking a Cycle of Corporate Wrongdoing

The problem is that most cases never go to a jury. Bennett describes the deadly cycle of corporate malfeasance and the justice system’s complicity in a recent blog post: “Corporation conceals deadly defect. Someone dies, and their family sues. Corporation settles quietly. Court records are sealed. Nobody finds out. More people are hurt; more people sue; more settlements are reached; more records are sealed.” It sometimes takes years or even decades for the truth to come out.

The Velasco case seemed destined to follow this pattern. Chrysler settled before a verdict. The court records, along with the alarming facts about the malfunctioning ignitions, remained sealed away from public scrutiny.

Enter Public Justice, which intervened in the case on behalf of the Center for Auto Safety. Represented by Jennifer Bennett, the Center for Auto Safety appealed to unseal the records, taking the case up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Holding Corporations Accountable

In a major victory for transparency, the Ninth Circuit ruled that the records cannot be kept secret. In doing so, the court created a much broader standard for unsealing court documents. When information is “more than tangentially related to the merits of a case,” the court said, the public deserves access.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of this legal decision. If not for this ruling, thousands of Chrysler drivers would not have known that they might have faulty ignition switches. The car company would not have to face public accountability for this major product defect. Even more importantly, judges will use the new standard in future cases.

Bennett highlighted the significance of the Ninth Circuit’s opinion in her blog post:

“This is a big deal. It makes the settle-and-conceal model of handling corporate misconduct much more difficult to pull off: Corporations can no longer hope to prevent public access to court records simply by settling a case before a court gets a chance to make a final determination.”

Lawsuits are one way to bring to light willful corporate negligence. Through the discovery process, plaintiffs’ lawyers gain access to internal communications that can reveal that a corporation knew about a harmful product for years and lied about that knowledge. The ruling won by Bennett and Public Justice may stop corporations from hiding their crimes behind a wall of legal secrecy.

Mesothelioma Lawyers’ Funding Helped It Happen

As mesothelioma lawyers, we are very familiar with the harm that comes when corporations hide information about health and safety from the public. Manufacturers used asbestos with no worker safeguards for decades after they knew about its health risks. Those decades led to countless avoidable deaths.

The truth about asbestos and mesothelioma are public now. But many more dangers are still hidden by bad corporate citizens. The Velasco decision will help plaintiffs’ lawyers bring more of those hazards to light. Jennifer Bennett, the Kazan Budd attorney at Public Justice, won a court decision that will save lives in the years to come by holding corporations accountable for the harm they cause. It’s a terrific start to a promising legal career. Kazan Law is proud to have played a role in supporting this talented young lawyer who has already accomplished so much.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are entitled to seek justice and financial compensation for your medical care, living expenses, and the future welfare of your family. You need representation from mesothelioma lawyers with proven experience in asbestos law.

Over $30 Billion Set Aside for Mesothelioma Victims

Mesothelioma is caused by careless companies who know better than to expose asbestos into the environment—yet they do it anyway.

You don’t deserve this disease. Even the companies responsible for your diagnosis know that. That’s why they’ve set up trust funds exclusively to pay for the lawsuits filed against them, and won, by the victims of their misdeeds. The combined total worth of all these trusts is over $30 billion.

Finding the Right Mesothelioma Lawyers for Your Case

When looking for an attorney, make sure you find someone who:

• Is seasoned in personal injury and mesothelioma law
• Has extensive experience working with Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts
• Has a track record for bringing in the highest verdicts and settlements for mesothelioma victims
• Is associated with a reputable firm, preferably one that specializes in asbestos law

You Should Receive the Highest Compensation Possible

The best mesothelioma lawyers enjoy a well-earned reputation as pioneers in the asbestos law. At Kazan Law, our attorneys have unparalleled expertise in mesothelioma litigation. For more than 40 years, we have represented thousands of people suffering from mesothelioma, and have achieved record-breaking verdicts and settlements for our clients, including these:

• $48 Million Verdict: Won by a former construction worker vs. the Union Carbide Corporation —this 2012 verdict was nationally recognized as the highest mesothelioma verdict on record for the year.
• $27 Million Verdict: Against Owens-Illinois in a lawsuit filed by the former wife of a pipe insulator.
• $11 Million Verdict: Won against ArvinMeritor, Inc. in a wrongful death suit filed by the family of an automobile parts worker. This came after a separate $13 million award in the family’s personal injury suit.

Let us help you.

With the right mesothelioma lawyers, you will get the best compensation possible. To receive a free legal consultation, call Kazan Law today at 888-887-1238 or fill out the form to the right today.

If you are considering starting a mesothelioma lawsuit, you must understand the basic facts about mesothelioma law before beginning the process of finding the right mesothelioma attorneys to represent you. First, you need medical proof that you have mesothelioma. Your efforts to proceed with the legal process rely upon a doctor’s diagnosis. Second, and often most time consuming, you need proof that specific persons or businesses exposed you to the asbestos which caused your mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Law and Medical Diagnosis

Mesothelioma lawsuits can result in verdicts or settlements for the victim representing millions of dollars in compensation. Businesses responsible for causing mesothelioma and their insurance companies would rather not take responsibility for their actions by admitting guilt or paying out millions of dollars to those they have irrevocably harmed. Because of their unwillingness to admit responsibility for your asbestos exposure, it is critical that solid proof be gathered and documented.  Mesothelioma is a devastating preventable type of cancer with only one known cause – exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma silently and slowly attacks the tissues lining vulnerable organs of the body. In most cases because microscopic asbestos dust fibers are inhaled into the lungs, mesothelioma develops in the tissue lining the lungs. This is pleural mesothelioma. But the tiny flecks of asbestos can also make their way through the body’s systems into tissue that line other organs such as the heart and the abdomen.

What makes mesothelioma unusually difficult to diagnose and makes mesothelioma law such an  intense area of litigation is that the symptoms only emerge decades after the asbestos exposure. The disease develops silently for many years with no outward signs.

When symptoms first make themselves known they can easily be mistaken for another more common illness such as a cold or flu.

If your cold or flu like symptoms linger longer than normal, and will not go away, don’t hesitate to seek medical help. Be persistent about seeing your primary care physician. If you recall working around asbestos or recall having a family member who did work around asbestos, then take immediate action. Your physician may decide it is necessary to have you go for x-rays, blood tests and possibly additional tests, or send you directly to a cancer specialist. The sooner you have definitive results, meaning a medical mesothelioma diagnosis, the sooner you can put mesothelioma law in play on your behalf.

California Mesothelioma Law Not Limited to Californians

Mesothelioma law in California is often open to  non-Californians suffering from mesothelioma. The laws are structured so that you do not have to be a California resident to file a mesothelioma lawsuit here.  Nor do the companies named in your lawsuit have to have offices or businesses here.

California has some of the strongest most favorable mesothelioma laws in the country for achieving justice for victims of asbestos exposure.  California also has some of the top expert mesothelioma lawyers in the country, like Kazan Law.  The following are a few of the reasons why California mesothelioma laws are advantageous to those filing mesothelioma lawsuits: .

• Mesothelioma laws in California are among the most favorable in the U.S. for asbestos victims.
• California residency is not required to file an asbestos lawsuit here.
• California mesothelioma law allows you to initiate your lawsuit even if you have not yet identified who or what is responsible.
• Top pioneers in the asbestos litigation field, like Kazan Law, were at the forefront in helping asbestos victims receive compensation for their injuries

Mesothelioma Law Reflects Mesothelioma Facts

Those of us who helped initiate the first mesothelioma lawsuits and have practiced mesothelioma law for decades expected that by now mesothelioma might be a thing of the past. We had hoped that once it was understood how fatal and preventable mesothelioma was, laws would be enacted to prevent people from being exposed to asbestos that causes mesothelioma.

But unfortunately mesothelioma is still very much part of the global landscape. Although recent laws have cut down on asbestos exposure they have not eliminated it.  Mesothelioma law continues to be a necessity as reflected by mesothelioma facts and statistics.

Key current statistics to know are:

• 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the U.S. every year
• Almost 3,000  people die from mesothelioma in the U.S. every year
• 20 – 50 years is the usual time frame of asbestos exposure to diagnosis of mesothelioma

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tracks and analyzes mesothelioma statistics. Here are some results from the decade 01 – 2010, the most recent data set[1] that has been compiled.

• 26, 471 mesothelioma U.S. deaths
• 21, 246 mesothelioma deaths in U.S. men
•    5,225 mesothelioma deaths in U.S. women
•        75  median age of death from mesothelioma in the U.S.

According to the CDC, these states have the highest number of deaths from mesothelioma – which remained constant over the decade even with some fluctuations from year to year:

1. California
2. Florida
3. Pennsylvania
4. New York
5. New Jersey
6. Texas

Survival Statistics

Mesothelioma law is adamant about pursuing businesses that knowingly exposed people to asbestos because mesothelioma is almost always a fatal disease. New avenues of cancer research are making progress in developing new mesothelioma treatments. But at present many of these are not approved by the FDA and can only be accessed through participating in an investigative clinical trial, with no guarantee of results.

Conventional treatments, including surgery to remove tumors, chemotherapy and radiation, can help increase survival time. But overall survival time depends on the stage at which mesothelioma is diagnosed and age at the time of diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis and diagnosis at a younger age can improve survival odds.

Below is current median survival data for mesothelioma from the American Cancer Society[2]. Median survival is similar to an average – half the patients at each stage will not reach the survival time cited but half will live longer.

Consequently, if you have mesothelioma, you likely have enough time to see your mesothelioma lawsuit to conclusion, at least in California, but it is best to begin as soon as possible.

[1] Mortality multiple cause-of-death data from National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System.

[2] American Cancer Society data 02/17/16

Several months ago I posted an entry describing the upcoming IMIG meeting in Kyoto to which I had been invited. I gave the keynote address at the legal affairs session and spent the rest of the time learning a great deal about recent developments in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. Our firm, along with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, was a platinum sponsor of the event. In addition, for the second consecutive conference, we had the privilege of being the financial sponsors of the IMIG Young Investigator Awards. This year awards were given in honor of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, and BANJAN, the Japanese organization of victims and advocates focusing on ensuring that asbestos is banned in Japan and appropriate compensation is provided to its victims.

I have delayed publishing anything about these awards in order to give IMIG the opportunity to post the news on its own web site, which it has now done. Please take a look so that you can get some idea of the outstanding work done by these investigators. We have refrained from publishing the winning abstracts online. We hope that the conference organizers will be able to publish these abstracts in the formal public peer-reviewed medical literature so that they can be circulated far beyond those who received the published volume of abstracts.

We are very proud to have been given the opportunity to sponsor these awards, and hope to do so in the future. Look for additional updates in months to come about IMIG 2012, to be held in Boston, and IMIG 2014, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

If you recently learned that you have mesothelioma, you have probably been feeling lots of different emotions, like anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, confusion or loneliness. You may even feel numb, like your brain has shut off your emotions. This is totally normal; most people with mesothelioma react this way.

In our almost 40 years of experience helping people make informed legal and medical choices, we at Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood have learned that it’s important to address your emotions early and often.

Something to keep in mind as you go through treatments is that there is no “right” way to react to having mesothelioma. How you feel is how you feel. Here are some strategies that we recommend:

1. Don’t bottle your feelings or censor yourself around friends, family and doctors. It will only make you feel helpless or isolated. Instead, be candid and honest about your emotions. You might be surprised at how good it can feel to simply say out loud that you are scared, angry or stressed out.
2. Don’t feel you have to be the strong one. It is easy to fall into a cycle in which you end up comforting everyone else and forget (or refuse to acknowledge) that you also need support. Remember that comfort and communication are two-way streets.
3. It can be helpful to see a counselor, someone who specializes in talking with patients who have advanced cancers, chronic diseases or mesothelioma itself. Usually, taking your loved ones to these meetings is good for everyone, as it can help you and those caring for you learn to ride out the emotional roller coaster.
4. Don’t worry if you feel like a different person every day, or even every hour. This is a natural part of the mesothelioma journey. It happens because your mind, just like your body, needs time to cope with the stress and change that come with having mesothelioma.

You can expect to feel all sorts of emotions, including denial, anger, fear, depression, sadness, loneliness, guilt and confusion. Don’t try to ignore them. Go ahead and feel bad. You have every right. Be sure to talk about it, though. There are lots of peer support groups and one-on-one counselors where you can meet people who are in the same boat.

Be sure to seek help if you find that emotions like denial or depression are getting in the way of your desire to follow your treatment plan.

Also, keep in mind that with the bad feelings come good ones: hope, optimism, humor and acceptance. Making plans for the future, focusing on relationships with loved ones and acknowledging the positives of your situation can help you feel strong, whole and happy.

Related articles:

The Stages of Mesothelioma: What Can I Expect After My Diagnosis?

Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

Mesothelioma and Exercise: What Patients Should Know About Physical Activity

Some treatments come into play in nearly all cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), while others are used much more sparingly. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with the disease, you’re almost certainly curious to know: Which treatments will be available? Does the regimen vary by stage of illness? Will I have a choice of treatments?

These are important questions, and at Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we encourage you to ask them. Your doctors and legal counsel will be able to fill you in on the treatments available for each stage of mesothelioma.

MPM is measured in four stages, with the first being considered local, and the other three categorized as advanced. If mesothelioma is caught in its early stage, it is usually by accident. However, a history of asbestos exposure can help contribute to early diagnosis, since doctors know that the mineral is the sole proven cause of mesothelioma.

Many MPM patients receive chemotherapy and radiation. These modes of treatment help shrink tumors and slow malignant growth. Surgeries, on the other hand, are more dependent on MPM stage.

As a rule of thumb, the less invasive a procedure is, the more often it is used. For example, fluid draining is a very common minor surgery for MPM, one that nearly all patients will undergo. All draining surgeries end in the suffix –centesis (e.g. thoracentesis, paracentesis and pericardiocentesis). In each case, surgeons insert a needle into the chest cavity to drain built-up fluid and relieve pressure.

Surgical resections (that is, removal of tissue) are also quite common, but the extent depends on disease stage. In debulking and pleurectomy/decortication, doctors remove as much tumor mass as they can while leaving the organs mostly intact. The operations are usually utilized for stages I, II and sometimes III.

A more radical surgery, known as extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), comes into play when MPM is more advanced, as in stages II and III. In an EPP, surgeons take out the diaphragm muscle, the chest cavity lining, the sac surrounding the heart and one lung.

Stage IV mesothelioma is typically considered “unresectable,” meaning it is so advanced and a patient is so weak that surgery is not an option.

Two things to keep in mind:

1. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for MPM. Every case of mesothelioma is different, and doctors take many wellness factors into account before recommending certain procedures.

2. All treatments for MPM, surgical or otherwise, are considered palliative. This is because, for now, none is curative. However, treatments ease the tumor burden and improve comfort level, two very important benefits for people living with mesothelioma.

In the world of experimental, targeted mesothelioma treatments, scientists have thousands of potential targets to work with. Literally – since, according to Shayne Cox Gad’s Handbook of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, the human body contains at least 3,000 unique enzymes and 40,000 discrete proteins. While some of these molecules have nothing to do with malignant growth, others have been tied to the genesis of specific cancers.

CK2-alpha is one such enzyme. In a landmark study published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers from the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) became the first team to link CK2-alpha to a cellular signalling pathway that can cause respiratory cancers if uncontrolled.

This knowledge may contribute to better treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

The first domino to fall

According to the report, CK2-alpha is responsible for “switching on” at least 300 separate proteins in the human body. Hence, this enzyme is so important for the delicate balance of cell growth and death that (researchers reasoned) CK2-alpha could easily lead to cancers if it went haywire.

The team explained that, in a number of malignancies, CK2-alpha levels are higher than normal. In fact, cancers that have very high CK2-alpha concentrations often have poorer prognoses.

Why? Well, without being sure, a number of oncologists have suspected that this enzyme can set off a cascade of cellular effects that cause uncontrolled growth.

To do so, overactive CK2-alpha seems to work through the Hedgehog (Hh) family of proteins – namely, the Indian, Desert and Sonic Hedgehog trio. (And yes, the latter is named for a video game character.) Hh proteins control organ development and stem cell growth. When CK2-alpha levels jump – possibly due to asbestos exposure – the enzyme probably cranks up the activity of the Hh proteins, leading to the creation of cancerous stem cells.

At least, that was the theory. Now, the UCSF team has essentially proved it.

Establishing it three separate ways

In cementing CK2-alpha’s role as an Hh destabilizer and respiratory cancer generator, the group went about it in three distinct ways:

1. They analyzed 100 separate cancer tissues and established that the levels of CK2-alpha often match those of Gli1, a protein that, to put it crudely, does the Hh proteins’ dirty work.
2. The team used chemicals to shut off CK2-alpha activity in cancer cells. This resulted in lower levels of Gli1. It also led to lower levels of cancer stem cells in the tissue.
3. The UCSF group tried the opposite, cranking up CK2-alpha production. This led, as they suspected, to an overabundance of Gli1.

Researchers concluded that CK2-alpha may be a novel target for respiratory cancer treatments.

In celebration of the meeting of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group’s recent meeting in Boston, at iMig 2012, we at Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley funded this year’s Young Investigator Awards, as we have done at each meeting since 08. This is the third in a series of entries discussing the promising work of one of the recipients.

Researchers from the University of Toronto are figuring out how to use the body’s own immune system to boost the efficacy of chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Dr. Licun Wu, one of the scientists heading this work, was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss this exciting approach to medicine.

Activating the body’s defenses
Several medical experts are exploring ways to use the body’s immune system to kill malignant cells, according to the American Cancer Society. These approaches, collectively known as immunotherapy, may act directly on the cancer or support the actions of healthy cells.

In their laboratory, Wu and his team are focusing specifically on the behavior of the immune system between cycles of chemotherapy.

“Cancer cells tend to repopulate during the breaks between chemotherapy treatments. Evidence has shown that the rate of repopulation of surviving cancer cells accelerates over time, so better approaches to stop this process need to be developed,” said Wu.

The research team’s experiments revealed that blocking the actions of CTLA-4, a protein that acts as a brake on certain immune responses, helps prevent mesothelioma cells from repopulating during breaks in chemotherapy. Reining in this protein may allow a type of immune cell known as natural killer T cells to flourish and fight the disease.

This study potentially lays the groundwork for clinical trials that use CTLA-4 blocking medications. We at Kazan Law are happy to support this research, as we know that diversifying the types of treatments available to mesothelioma patients will do them a world of good by giving them more than one way to fight this disease.

Related posts:

International Mesothelioma Interest Group 2012 Young Investigator Award Recipient Karin Schelch

International Mesothelioma Group 2012 Young Investigator Award Recipient Yuen Yee Cheng

A significant amount of research is dedicated to finding more effective approaches to malignant mesothelioma. Scientists are trying to determine the best surgical techniques, create better diagnostic tools and test the effects of various chemotherapy drugs. At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we keep our ears to the ground for you, and we are excited about what we are hearing.

For example, some researchers decided to focus their investigation on improving the performance of the tools that are already available, such as cisplatin, which is one of the most common medications prescribed for mesothelioma patients. One team from Switzerland found that short-term starvation may actually give cisplatin a boost, according to a new study appearing in the journal BMC Cancer.

What does cisplatin do for mesothelioma patients?
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are several treatments that can help alleviate your symptoms and may even extend survival time. Chemotherapy is a powerful and valuable weapon, with doctors prescribing cisplatin alongside other medications, radiation and sometimes surgery.

Cisplatin, which is formulated with platinum, binds to areas of mesothelioma cells’ DNA, which makes it difficult for them to divide and allow the disease to grow.

Unfortunately, like many other chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin may cause various side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, dry mouth, hiccups and, in some serious cases, unusual bleeding, pain in the extremities, vision loss, fevers and seizures.

The risk of these potential side effects can not only decrease your quality of life, they may also make you less willing to adhere to prescription instructions the way you should. That could lead to real trouble.

Study discusses the effects of short-term starvation
Considering how taxing cisplatin can be, anything that improves its performance would be welcome. One team of scientists from Switzerland recalled past studies that suggested short-term starvation helped control the symptoms of conditions such as rheumatic diseases and some types of cancer. When it comes to the latter, this effect may be partly attributable to cancer cells’ vulnerability to certain types of stress.

In order to test the effects of starvation, the researchers conducted various experiments that used either cell models or rodent models of mesothelioma. For the cell models, the scientists observed the different behaviors of mesothelioma cells as well as normal cells. After they were deprived of the serum that they needed for food, the diseased cells underwent a chain reaction that ultimately made it difficult for them to grow. Cisplatin increased this effect.

A similar effect took place in mouse models that were implanted with mesothelioma or lung cancer cells. The diseased cells became more susceptible to cisplatin if the host animal was deprived of food.

Always follow your doctors’ orders
As exciting as these results are, remember that the research is still in its early stages. Just because these effects were observed in cell and rodent models does not mean the same will be true for humans. Don’t be so quick to think that you should try short-term starvation to improve your response to cisplatin.

If you are still curious, you should try discussing this study with your doctor, listen with an open mind and follow his or her orders. Your doctor will also be able to help you decide the healthiest way to deal with the side effects of your treatment.

However, that’s not to say we aren’t still excited about this work. If additional studies bear out these results, that will be good news for future mesothelioma patients. According to the Environmental Working Group, this population won’t reach its peak for another 10 years or so.

Today there are approximately 25 million veterans in the United States from all wars and all branches of service. Veterans who have served our country are at risk of developing mesothelioma or another fatal asbestos disease as a result of asbestos exposure. While veterans represent 8% of our nation’s population, veterans comprise 30% of all known mesothelioma deaths that have occurred in this country.

Veterans who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma have legal rights and may be able to recover compensation for their losses and suffering. Only an experienced mesothelioma lawyer will know if you have a valid legal claim.

Kazan Law has been helping veterans injured by asbestos exposure since 1974. We can help guide you through the steps in discovering how and when you may have been exposed to asbestos and assist you in discovering if you may be due compensation by any company that may have been responsible for your asbestos exposure.

Veterans and Asbestos Exposure

Veterans of the U.S. armed forces who served between 1940 and the 190s are at great risk of developing asbestos-related diseases due to a high rate of asbestos exposure. U.S. Navy personnel and workers employed in U.S. shipyards during World War II have the highest risk of developing lung ailments because asbestos was frequently used in the construction of navy ships. Many of these men worked in the ships’ boilers rooms and engine rooms – tight-fit, poorly ventilated areas – where asbestos fibers floated freely and were inhaled.

Vietnam veterans who served from 1964 through 1973 are at great risk for contracting mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos that was prominently used in ships, transport vehicles, garage repair shops and building construction materials.

People who lived at or worked on military bases, or were closely associated with base employees, during that time are also susceptible. Veterans were prone to carry asbestos dust home on their clothes, thereby exposing their loved ones to the dangerous fibers. There have been many cases of veterans’ family members becoming sick through second-hand exposure. Secondary exposure is especially troubling for wives who might have washed their husbands’ work clothes that had fibers stuck to them.

The latency period for mesothelioma is typically between 15 and 50 years after the first exposure to asbestos. This means that veterans exposed to asbestos who retired from active duty decades ago can be experiencing mesothelioma symptoms today. A mesothelioma diagnosis is often delayed because many mesothelioma symptoms mimic symptoms of other, less serious illnesses:

• shortness of breath
• chest pain and/or persistent cough
• fever, night sweats and weight loss
• pain or swelling in the abdomen, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia or swelling of the feet due to build-up of fluid

A thorough history, physical exam, and diagnostic tests are needed to evaluate asbestos-related disease. Chest x-rays are the best screening tool to identify lung changes resulting from asbestos exposure. Lung function tests and CAT scans also assist in the diagnosis of asbestos-related disease.

Read more about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for different military personnel.

• Navy veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Army veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Air Force veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Marine veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Coast Guard veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Vietnam veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information
• Iraq veterans: mesothelioma and asbestos information

The Environmental Working Group estimates that the incidence of malignant mesothelioma will continue to increase for another 10 years or so. This is cause for concern because there is no standard treatment strategy for this disease, which in turn underscores the need for more research.

At Kazan Law, we are happy to keep tabs on the latest developments. For years, scientists have known that mesothelioma patients are unlikely to be cured because of the use of any single treatment, whether it is chemotherapy, radiation therapy or even surgery. However, patients may have more success if their doctors administer multiple treatments.

One team of researchers from Italy recently published the results of a study that supports this approach.

Mesothelioma requires intense treatment
Scientific research to determine the best treatment for a disease usually requires that different strategies be compared against each other. Because mesothelioma is relatively rare compared to other diseases, this task has proved exceedingly difficult, according to experts from the American Cancer Society. Furthermore, the cancer is hard to approach because it can spread easily and does not grow as one single mass of tumorous tissue.

However, there is evidence showing that patients benefit the most from a regimen that combines several different treatments, a strategy known as multimodal therapy. This includes:

• Chemotherapy to shrink the cancer. Cisplatin and pemetrexed are two of the most common drugs that doctors use. While cisplatin damages the DNA of cancer cells in order to keep them from dividing, pemetrexed prevents the cells from actually making this DNA, as stated by the National Cancer Institute.
• Surgery to remove the diseased tissue. One procedure is the extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Experts from the University of California in San Francisco describe this procedure as one that excises an entire lung, plus portions of the diaphragm, pleura and the lining of the heart.
• Radiation therapy to kill any abnormal cells left behind.

New study supports multimodal therapy
There have been several studies that show multimodal therapy may be a good approach for mesothelioma patients. Based on the success of this research, the team of scientists from Italy conducted their own study to investigate the impact of this regimen. In this study, subjects who were diagnosed with mesothelioma underwent three cycles of chemotherapy that combined cisplatin with pemetrexed, an EPP three to eight weeks later, and radiation four to eight weeks after surgery.

The researchers initially enrolled 54 patients, all of whom had mesothelioma between Stages I and III. Ninety-six patients completed chemotherapy, 83 percent underwent EPP and 41 percent completed all three segments of the multimodal therapy.

Results showed that the median amount of time in which patients lived without any significant deteriorations was 6.9 months. The median overall survival time was 15.5 months. One-third of study participants still had event-free disease after one year. After two years, that figure was almost one-fourth.

“The combination of pemetrexed plus cisplatin followed by surgery and hemithoracic radiation is feasible and has a manageable toxicity profile in carefully selected patients. It may be worthy of further investigation,” the scientists wrote in the journal BMC Cancer.

However, the researchers also noted that two subjects died due to complications from radiation therapy. After this happened, the scientists adjusted their experiment by using lower doses of radiation for subsequent patients. This underscores the need for physicians to select the candidates for certain treatments, such as radiation therapy and surgery, very carefully.

If you or someone you love has recently received a mesothelioma diagnosis, it can leave you feeling like the ground just gave out from underneath you. One moment you’re planning weekend trips and vacations with your friends and family, and the next minute you’re facing the most significant battle of your life.

Regardless of how you learn about the condition, some things are certain: Life after learning about mesothelioma will never be the same again. And while the causes of mesothelioma may be unclear to you at first, the irrevocable impact that this condition can have on your life will only become more apparent as time goes on.

While it’s completely natural to be in shock after learning that the condition has affected you or someone you love, understanding how to communicate your fears, hopes and frustrations to others during cancer treatment can be crucial in obtaining mesothelioma support.

By taking care of yourself and learning how to express your innermost needs, you can help the people around you become a better source of mesothelioma support during the trying times ahead. Consider these helpful tips to learn more about communication throughout cancer treatment.

Communication with your healthcare team
Doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals and other qualified medical staff can offer insight into mesothelioma, but sometimes, it can also seem pretty scary to open up and talk to them about how you’re really feeling, especially when it comes to a new or experimental course of mesothelioma treatment.

If you’re struggling with mesothelioma and you find yourself stumbling to find the right ways to talk to your healthcare provider about your experiences, explore ways of addressing this before your office visit.

Some people may enjoy meditating or taking deep breaths before an appointment, since these methods can help to clear away the cobwebs and allow a person to become more centered and focused before an appointment. These can also be good ways to reduce anxiety and eliminate some of the nervous tension you may be carrying around your back and shoulders as a result of stress.

Talking with family
While it can seem daunting to open up to a team of oncologists that you don’t know, overcoming this hurdle can help you learn more about different treatment options and give you the opportunity to gain more confidence, both in terms of how to manage your condition and the symptoms of it, but also in how you talk about the impact of mesothelioma with your family.

Reactions to a diagnosis and treatment plan can vary from person to person, with some individuals having harder times getting in touch with their true feelings than others.

In a family setting, this can be especially significant, because people may think that bottling up their thoughts and emotions will make the experience of managing the condition less stressful on loved ones.

However, if you begin to shut out your family and friends for mesothelioma support, you may find that they become more upset and less equipped to handle the stress of the condition in everyday life. Communicating openly about how you’re feeling can give loved ones a chance to prepare mentally and emotionally for the impact of mesothelioma over time and give them a better sense of the challenges that you face.

Searching for support groups
Your sense of self-esteem and self-worth can take a pretty bad hit after learning about mesothelioma, and problems like anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts are not uncommon among people who are facing this and other forms of cancer.

While it’s essential that you understand that you’re not burdening your close friends and family by talking about your fears, it’s understandable if you’re having a difficult time opening up to them completely.

Some people prefer to find solace in mesothelioma support groups, since the individuals who meet in these environments have faced – or have a loved one who has endured – mesothelioma.

The sense of community that you can feel by taking part in groups run by the American Cancer Society, Cancer Survivors Network, National Cancer Institute or other organizations may give you the strength to overcome your fears and prevent mesothelioma from taking over your life. But it’s very important that you research these groups fully before participating, since some lawyers may create false non-profit organizations and use them to lure people into signing contracts.

Kazan Law in 1991. Partners Steven Kazan (seated) and David McClain (standing third from right) remain.

This week our firm Kazan Law, one of the top asbestos litigation firms in the US, celebrates its 40^th year fighting for mesothelioma victims and winning precedent-setting verdicts.

To commemorate the occasion here’s a look back to how Kazan Law began.

Forty years ago, the workers at the Johns-Manville plant in Lompoc, California didn’t know why; they only knew that people were sick and dying.  A lot of them.  Colleagues they had worked with for many years.  So the labor union representative collected death certificates of those who had died in the last five years and wrote a letter to someone he thought could help them.  That someone was me.

The year was 1974. Telephones were attached to walls, a computer took up a whole room and companies that produced asbestos-containing products were getting away with murder.  Employees exposed to asbestos on the job were dying from asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma.

And in Oakland, California, 40 years ago, I had just hung out my shingle.  Kazan Law then was just me and a secretary. But I had all ready become known for having expertise in litigating complex medical and scientific issues in other kinds of cases, and had worked with a workers compensation attorney who was hired to get workers compensation benefits for some men who worked at the Pittsburg CA Johns Manville asbestos products plant.

Then, in 1974, shortly after going out on my own, I was asked to help by doing the civil law suits for those plant workers.  I won a precedent-setting suit for Reba Rudkin, who developed asbestosis after working for 29 years at Johns-Manville’s plant in Pittsburg, California. Following this case, I represented over one hundred asbestos-affected workers from Johns-Manville plants.

In 1982, I won a $150,000 verdict for Bob Speake, one of the workers from the Johns-Manville plant in Pittsburg in a test case trial ordered by the Superior Court in Contra Costa County, CA.  This case is regarded as a “threshold verdict” because it created the opportunity for punitive damage verdicts against Johns-Manville. Months later, just as we were getting ready to go to settlement conferences on a large group of those cases in advance of a fall 1982 trial of a group of these cases, Johns –Manville filed for bankruptcy court protection. I eventually had 393 cases pending against the company which we resolved with the Trust Fund set up after that bankruptcy.

Today Kazan Law is still headquartered in Oakland California. Kazan, McClain, Satterley  & Greenwood now has 22 attorneys, including me.  As Kazan Law celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, the firm continues to excel at pursuing justice for mesothelioma victims and others exposed to asbestos.  Kazan Law daily puts its 40 years of experience in pioneering asbestos lawsuits and setting precedents to work for its clients today.  An $11 million verdict was just announced last month in Kazan Law’s wrongful death suit on behalf of mesothelioma victim Gordon Bankhead’s wife and children.

I am proud that Kazan Law has remained at the forefront of asbestos litigation in California and nationally.  Since 1974, we have represented thousands of people – those suffering from mesothelioma and their families.  We treasure our reputation as pioneers in asbestos litigation who are among the most experienced mesothelioma lawyers in the United States.

As we celebrate our 40^th anniversary, we recognize our history and its significance in asbestos litigation landmarks  and celebrate our current accomplishments as we face the future.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day 2014 is September 26. But here at Kazan Law, in a way every day is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Because our work in asbestos litigation brings us close to those whose lives are forever impacted by mesothelioma, we seek not only justice for mesothelioma victims and their families, but also advances in mesothelioma medical research. Through our firm and our firm’s foundation, we help support mesothelioma research at leading medical facilities all over the world. But we place special emphasis on two here in the Bay Area: the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Stanford University. Not only are they top notch, they also have helped care for many of our clients.

Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, scientific medical research involves finding many small intricate pieces that in the end will fit together to solve the puzzle. We are proud to support scientists in trying to fit together all those parts on a microbiological level to advance knowledge about mesothelioma.

Here are ten recently published research papers where our foundation’s support is noted in the acknowledgements section:

1.The expression of Dishevelled-3 and glutamine metabolism in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Researchers: Tong Li, Sheng-Cai Hou, Jian-Hua Mao, et al.

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Journal of Clinical Pathology   Citation: J Clin Pathol 2012 65: 855-858

2.Cul4A is an oncogene in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Researchers: Ming-Szu Hung, Jian-Hua Mao, Zhidong Xu, Cheng-Ta Yang, Jau-Song Yu, Chansonette Harvard, Yu-Ching Lin, Dawn Therese Bravo, David M. Jablons, Liang You

Research Institution: University of California San Francisco

Publication: Journal of Cell Molecular Medicine   Citation: J. Cell. Mol. Med. Vol 15, No 2, 2011 pp. 350-358

3.Gli as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Researchers: Hui Li , Natalie Lui , Tiffany Cheng , Hsin-Hui K. Tseng , Dongsheng Yue, Etienne Giroux-Leprieur, \

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: The Public Library of Science (PLOS) Citation: PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org 1 March 2013 | Volume 8 | Issue 3 | e57346

4.The homeobox gene EMX2 is a prognostic and predictive marker in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Researchers: Etienne Giroux Leprieur, Tomomi Hirata, Minli Mo, Zhao Chen, Junichi Okamoto, Genevieve Clement, Hui Li, Marie Wislez, David M. Jablons, Biao He

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Lung Cancer Journal   Citation: Lung Cancer (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lungcan.2014.06.018

5.Inhibition of activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway in malignant pleural mesothelioma leads to G1 cell cycle arrest

Researchers: Iwao Mikami, Fang Zhang1, Tomomi Hirata, Junichi Okamoto, Kiyoshi Koizumi, Kazuo Shimizu, David Jablons and Biao He

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Oncology Reports   Citation: Oncology Reports 24: 1677-1681, 2010

6.SMO expression level correlates with overall survival in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Researchers: Yi Zhang, Jianxing He, Fang Zhang, Hui Li, Dongsheng Yue, Changli Wang, David M Jablons, Biao He and Natalie Lui

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research Citation: Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 2013, 32:7 http://www.jeccr.com/content/32/1/7

7.The expression of CXCR4, CXCL12 and CXCR7 in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Researchers: Tong Li, Hui Li, Yucheng Wang,Chansonette Harvard, Jia-Li Tan, Alfred Au,7 Zhidong Xu, David M Jablons and Liang You

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Journal of Pathology  Citation: J Pathol 2011; 223: 519–530

8.Targeting Gli transcription activation by small molecule suppresses tumor growth

Researchers: G. Bosco-Clement, F. Zhang, Z .Chen, H-M Zhou, H. Li, I. Mikami, Hirata, A. Yagui-Beltran, N Lu, H.T. Do

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Oncogene   Citation: Oncogene (2014) 33, 2087–2097

9.Transgenic Mice for Cre-Inducible Overexpression of the Cul4A Gene

Researchers: Tong Li,Ming-Szu Hung,Yucheng Wang,Jian-Hua Mao, Jia-Li Tan,Kenneth Jahan, Hannah Roos,Zhidong Xu, David M. Jablons and Liang You

Research Institution: The University of California San Francisco

Publication: Genesis: The Journal of Genetics and Development     Citation: genesis 49:134–141 (2011)

10.miR-1 Induces Growth Arrest and Apoptosis in Malignant Mesothelioma

Researchers: Yue Xu , PhD ; Ming Zheng , PhD ; Robert E. Merritt , MD ; Joseph B. Shrager , MD ; Heather A. Wakelee , MD ; Robert A. Kratzke , MD ; and Chuong D. Hoang , MD

Research Institution: Stanford University

Publication: Chest   Citation: Chest 2013; 144(5):1632–1643

This is a guest post by Patrick Collins of Schultz Collins Lawson Chambers, Inc., the firm we hired to advise us on how to handle Kazan Law’s pension funds, our charitable foundation’s funds, and that some of our partners hired to advise them on personal money management.

You cannot take fifteen pounds out of a ten pound sack. If a “safe” investment like a CD is unlikely to provide the funds for your critical lifestyle objectives, then that investment is not safe. 

OK—you have made a budget for your mesothelioma settlement and you figure out that you need $x per month to pay for your target standard of living. Let’s say that you are age 60 and you want a $1 million nest egg to fund family-related expenses of $5,000 per month for 30 years. You realize two things: (1) that the cost of goods and services tend to go up in the future so you will have to adjust the $5,000 per month upwards to keep pace with inflation; and, (2) that investing means putting some or all of your money at risk. Ideally, you would like to preserve your target lifestyle by putting your nest-egg in safe one-year CDs at the bank.

You now have arrived at step two in the process of deciding how much risk, if any, you need to take with your mesothelioma settlement. So the big question is: how much money can you spend without taking any investment risk? In this example, if you can generate a 30-year income stream with a CD that does not put your mesothelioma settlement nest-egg at risk, you don’t need to own any risky investments.   You may want to own some growth-oriented investments; but you don’t need to own them.

Here is the central point: You cannot take fifteen pounds out of a ten pound sack. If a “safe” investment like a CD is unlikely to provide the funds for your critical lifestyle objectives, then that investment is not safe. It is unsuitable for you. This may be surprising because most consumer protection laws protect people from speculative or fraudulent investment schemes. However, in some situations, it is just as damaging to avoid risk as it is to take too much risk.

The posts provided by Schultz Collins Lawson Chambers, Inc. [SCLC] convey information on basic investment concepts.  They are intended to facilitate prudent investment decision making.   They should not, however, be the sole factor in making investment decisions; and, they are not intended to act as advice or recommendations for any specific investor.  SCLC acts as Independent Investment Counsel and is a Registered Investment Advisor.  It does not provide legal, accounting or tax advice; and the opinions expressed in the posts are solely those of SCLC.  You can find additional information about SCLC, their personnel, and client services at www.schultzcollins.com.

Veterans mesothelioma rights will be drastically hurt by a proposed new state bill. The legislation now pending in the California State Legislature disproportionately impacts veterans, who comprise 30% of all mesothelioma patients, and their families. This mean-spirited piece of asbestos legislation, motivated by sheer corporate greed, takes away the rights of all of the thousands of Americans who are sick and dying from the lethal effects of asbestos exposure. But veterans stand to lose the most if this bill passes.

Delay is the point of this bill – delay which assures that those most ill will die before their case reaches judgment.

How AB 597 Takes Away Veterans Mesothelioma Rights

Veterans mesothelioma is among the most tragic of all. These brave Americans who stepped up and did their duty for our country often put themselves in harm’s way and made sacrifices on behalf of all of us. Yet they were carelessly and needlessly exposed to asbestos. Now many of them are suffering from mesothelioma, a fatal cancer for which the only known cause is asbestos exposure.

Proposed legislation Assembly Bill 597 (AB 597) would all but eliminate the rights of asbestos victims to a fair trial and just compensation. One third of those affected would be veterans.

Bill Harming Veterans with Mesothelioma Backed by Corporate Group

Veterans and others suffering from mesothelioma should know that AB 597 is being sponsored by Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova). They also need to know who is really behind AB 597. It is an evil lobbying group that carries out the wishes of corporate interests. It is called the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC for short. ALEC — composed of thousands of mostly Republican state legislators and financed by several hundred corporations – is a corporate front group that promotes so-called “model legislation” to state legislatures. ALEC focuses on stripping consumers and workers of their rights in order to maximize profits for corporate members. It is funded by the Koch brothers, who own Georgia-Pacific, a major asbestos defendant.

How You Can Help Us Stop AB 597

At Kazan Law we are doing everything we can to defeat this new asbestos legislation that would be so detrimental to asbestos victims. But we need your help. Time is of the essence. This bill will be heard for the first time on April 28 and we want to stop it now by encouraging the author to drop the bill.

Please take a moment and write to State Assembly Member Cooley. There are three forms of letters you may find useful. Choose the one that reflects whether you are writing as an individual, a U.S. Armed Services veteran, or on behalf of an organization (the letter from organizations is pre-addressed to the Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and if you send it there, your organization will be listed among the many others opposed to AB 597). All are available on our website. Simply click the link.

individual model letter

veteran model letter

organizational model letter

Veterans with Mesothelioma Are 30% of All Mesothelioma Patients

There are 25 million US vets.  Although they represent just 8% of our population, they are an astonishing 30% of all known mesothelioma deaths.  California ranks first in the country overall for mesothelioma and asbestos related deaths and is alone home to almost 2 million vets.  These vets were often exposed while actively serving our country.

Asbestos was once used by the military in electric wiring insulation, brake pads and clutch pads on jeeps, tanks and aircraft. Military housing and other buildings on bases were constructed with building materials containing asbestos. The veterans most at risk are those who served in the Navy. All US battle ships commissioned between 1930 and 1970 contained tons of asbestos insulation in engine rooms, miles of piping running throughout the ships, and in the doors and walls as fireproofing measures.

Veterans Mesothelioma Cases Lose Right to Fair Speedy Trial

Veterans mesothelioma, like other cases of mesothelioma, does not wait for a court date. Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, typically decades after the damaging asbestos exposure occurred, the patient usually will only survive for a year.

Because mesothelioma victims die soon after diagnosis, they are often eligible for a speedy civil trial.  But a speedy trial means nothing if the victim is unable to prepare for court due to delays required by AB 597.

AB 597 forces veterans with mesothelioma and other mesothelioma victims to delay seeking a trial until they have filed claims with every single asbestos trust. Asbestos trusts were set up to protect the assets of companies guilty of asbestos exposure. They declared bankruptcy and set aside an amount of cash for the victims of asbestos exposure they knowingly harmed. But the trusts pay only pennies on the dollar. There are over 60 possible trusts and asbestos victims may be eligible for a relatively small number of these but are required by AB 597 to submit statements under penalty of perjury that each asbestos trust has been evaluated for a potential claim.  Delaying the trial date to do this often means death before the court judgment.

Also, requiring every plaintiff to file against every trust – even if the plaintiff doesn’t want to do so – ultimately reduces the amount of funds in the trust that a veteran might seek.

Veterans Mesothelioma Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

For veterans with mesothelioma who are ill and dying, justice delayed is justice denied.  In California, unlike many other jurisdictions, if the person bringing a lawsuit for injuries dies before the case is complete, there is no recovery for the pain and suffering the victim endured.  The mesothelioma veteran’s family receives far less in compensation.  And the corporate bad guys who poisoned the veteran are shielded from full accountability and receive a windfall by the delays AB 597 creates. Veterans mesothelioma deserves justice and compassion not legislative obstacles.