What can you do about the mounting expenses associated with asbestos diseases?
Linda Reinstein said she became a “mesothelioma widow” in May 2006 when her husband Alan Reinstein lost his three year battle with mesothelioma, a fatal asbestos-related cancer. She made this statement while testifying at a United States Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) hearing on the health effects of asbestos, about a year after her husband’s death. “Today I somberly represent the victims and their families who have suffered the traumatic effects of asbestos diseases. Hundreds of thousands of asbestos victims around the world paid the ultimate price for asbestos exposure: their lives,” said Reinstein. “These diseases were preventable … It is important to understand the facts. We cannot alter history or bring back the dead, but we can learn from the past to save lives and money.”
As Reinstein said, the tragic passing of a family member cannot be undone, but it is possible to prevent further contamination and provide treatment for those who are sick. Unfortunately, treatment for asbestos-related diseases can cost thousands of dollars per day, and the related medical expenses often build up much more quickly than they can be paid.
After the passing of her husband, Linda Reinstein helped to found the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent nonprofit organization that seeks to “give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure.”
As one of the nation’s leading law firms, Weitz & Luxenberg has specialized in asbestos litigation for over two decades. Please continue to visit our website for further information and updates on the medical expenses associated with asbestos-related diseases. We are dedicated to providing the public with important information about what can be done legally when a family member has become ill due to asbestos exposure. A Weitz & Luxenburg lawyer can help get the reimbursement needed to help pay for essential medical treatment and other related expenses.
Asbestos safety measures have been issued since the 1970s, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that asbestosis, a debilitating respiratory disease caused by asbestos, increased from 77 deaths in 1968 to 1,493 deaths in 2000. The World Health Organization estimates 125 million workers have been exposed to asbestos and about 90,000 workers die annually from related diseases.
Immeasurable Costs
To prolong a victim’s life, many patients with deadly asbestos disease like lung cancer, sometimes opt “for radical treatments such as having their entire diseased lung and diaphragm surgically removed,” Reinstein explained in her report for the EPW hearing. “Mesothelioma patients’ medical expenses can exceed $1 million until death,” she added.
Reinstein’s report went on to present other medical expenses related to asbestos diseases including:
- Tri-modal Cancer Treatment
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Medication & Oxygen
- Home Health/Hospice
- Psychiatry
- Interstate Travel to Medical Centers
- Lost jobs or reduced income results when victims are too ill to work.
- Health benefits are also terminated as a result of losing a job.
These medical expenses often devour a family’s assets, threatening their long-term financial stability. Reinstein noted that the costs for just one month of her husband’s prescriptions, oxygen therapy, and chemotherapy averaged about $104,000.
Together, the physical, financial and physiological devastation of asbestos diseases is immeasurable to the victims and their families. “After the patient dies, financial and psychological problems continue to plague the family. For each life lost, a shattered family is left behind,” said Reinstein.
You may be able to receive compensation to help with expenses
Weitz & Luxenberg P.C. has handled some of the most legally complicated and groundbreaking asbestos litigation in the country. Hard working Americans like your uncle, father, or grandfather, who have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease may be eligible for financial compensation from the companies who are responsible for theirillness. This compensation can help pay for necessary medical treatment and ensure the best care possible.
If you would like a free consultation or more information about your legal options, please complete the form on this page, and a representative of our law firm will contact you as soon as possible.
Sources:
Weitz & Luxenberg gets milestone asbestos verdicts