Mesothelioma Patients

Artificial intelligence brings hope for mesothelioma diagnoses

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Mesothelioma is a notoriously difficult disease to diagnose. Often, its victims do not realize anything is wrong until the disease is at advanced stages, when it becomes difficult and painful to breathe. Even then, measuring the progression of the disease presents its own challenges.

The problem doctors face

The greatest challenge for doctors is the difficulty in measuring the growth of mesothelioma tumors within and around the lungs. This is a challenge both for diagnosing the disease in the first place and for monitoring its progression.

The tumor grows so slowly and in such a complex pattern that it is extremely time-consuming and difficult to measure accurately. As a result, it can be difficult to identify in its early stages. Even after a mesothelioma tumor is identified, it is very easy for a doctor to make mistakes in measurements, even for doctors who are trained specialists.

New tools are on the horizon

Researchers and scientists at a company in Scotland called Canon Medical Research Europe have been cooperating with the University of Glasgow to come up with a solution to this problem.

These researchers have been testing an artificial intelligence (AI) program that they designed to examine CT scans. The AI has proven itself capable of identifying mesothelioma tumors without any assistance from humans.

The truly amazing part of this development is that this AI can also provide an accurate measurement of the tumors – and in a tiny fraction of the time that it would take a human doctor to make the same measurement.

How doctors can use the information

This exciting new development brings hope to the thousands of people fighting against mesothelioma around the world. With this technology, not only will doctors be able to identify tumors sooner, but scientists will also be able to perform tests of new treatment procedures.

Funding for Mesothelioma Treatment

How to respond to a mesothelioma diagnosis

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A mesothelioma diagnosis is devastating for patients and their loved ones. It raises many questions. Among the most important is, “How am I going to live my life?”

A courageous woman in Bowling Green, Kentucky, named Linda is an example of how to respond to mesothelioma. Early in 2018, doctors gave Linda a diagnosis of Stage 3 pleural mesothelioma. Linda passed away in February 2020 age 71. What Linda did during those two years is instructive.

Lessons to learn from Linda’s story

Her story is told in a recent article at Mesotheliomaguide.com, an advocacy website that provides resources to mesothelioma victims and their loved ones.

Throughout her life, Linda was a person who cared for other people. That didn’t change in the last two years of her life. The article says Linda:

  • Leaned on her strong faith to help her stay positive and strong
  • Accepted emotional support from family and friends
  • Sought help from medical and legal professionals who understood her situation

Louisville attorney Paul Kelley says Linda’s perseverance was remarkable. “Linda was the sweetest, nicest person. Despite her circumstances, she was always upbeat.”

What caused her mesothelioma?

Linda’s mesothelioma stemmed from employment at a factory in the 1980s. After her diagnosis, she took legal action and received compensation for her mesothelioma injuries. Linda used some of those proceeds to get the best medical treatment she could find, traveling to health facilities in Texas and Maryland. Her family members believe the medical treatment extended the length and quality of her life.

Linda did not fear death, the article says. She feared not being available for her family and friends, and she did her best to remain connected to them until the very end.

How long do I have to file a claim after being injured?

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Those suffering from the consequences of an injury have many things to consider. From recovery or hospital expenses, filing insurance claims, adjusting work schedules, and trying to get through each day, the list is never ending. With so much occurring, filing a lawsuit against the individual who caused the accident may not be the first priority. Unfortunately, if too much time passes, the ability to file a lawsuit may be gone. Statutes of limitations are laws that dictate the deadline for filing a lawsuit.

Deadlines for personal injury and wrongful death

Personal injury and product liability claims require either an injured plaintiff or injured person’s surviving spouse or child to file a claim within one year of the incident that caused the injury. Other tort injuries have varying statutes of limitations. Medical malpractice actions may be filed within one year of the injury or within one year of when the injured person reasonably should have known about the injury.

Wrongful death statutes can be challenging to understand, but a supportive legal team can guide individuals through the process. Normally, a deceased person’s personal representative can file a claim if the death occurred less than a year after the accident that caused the death. However, if the one-year time limit has expired, a personal representative can still file a claim if appointed within a year after the decedent’s death.

Statutes of repose

Like statutes of limitations, statutes of repose enforce a time limit on filing claims. However, statutes of repose are more strictly enforced. For products liability cases, statutes of repose creation a presumption that a product was not defective if too much time has passed. Understanding time limits and exceptions can make or break whether a claim is filed at all.

Recovering damages after a grocery store slip-and-fall

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Shopping at a grocery store can be a mundane errand for many people, but for an unfortunate few, it can lead to a devastating slip-and-fall accident. Slip-and-fall injuries can range from minor bruising to a serious traumatic brain injury or paralysis. If you have suffered injuries in a slip-and-fall accident, consider consulting with a personal injury attorney to file a lawsuit against the parties responsible for your injuries.

Potential dangers at a grocery store

As a shopper, you may suffer injuries as a result of various dangerous conditions. Some of these conditions may include:

  • Icy sidewalks and store entryways
  • Debris in the aisles
  • Wet or slippery floors
  • Broken steps or uneven carpeting/flooring
  • Poor lighting
  • Broken shelving

Proving your slip-and-fall lawsuit

Store owners owe a duty of care to shoppers and other store invitees to take reasonable steps to maintain the safety of the store premises. This duty is breached when a store owner:

  • Knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and,
  • Fails to take reasonable steps to warn of a dangerous condition on the premises,
  • Fails to take reasonable steps to remedy or fix a dangerous condition, and/or
  • Fails to take reasonable steps to inspect and maintain the premises

To prove your slip-and-fall claim, you may present the following evidence:

  • Accident report filed with the store shortly after the incident
  • Photos and/or videos of the scene of the accident and store conditions
  • Witness testimony from people who saw the accident occur or are knowledgeable about store conditions
  • Expert testimony regarding your injuries or causation of your injuries

If you successfully prove your claim, you can recover damages to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and pain and suffering. An attorney in your area can help build your case to prove your premises liability claims.

Injured by a Drunk Driver

How alcohol impairs a driver’s brain function

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Everyone knows that drinking and driving is dangerous and illegal. But it happens every day in Louisville and nationwide. The NHTSA estimates that nearly 30 people in the U.S. are killed in car accidents caused by drunk drivers every day. Hundreds more people survive their encounters with drunk drivers but are seriously injured.

The increasing effects of alcohol on Kentucky motorists

Though it’s common knowledge that alcohol impairs a drinker’s ability to drive, many people don’t know exactly what happens to the brain after drinking. Here is a basic overview of how different levels of blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) can affect behavior, perception and judgment behind the wheel.

  • .02 percent — Decline in the ability to track a moving object (such as a car or bicycle) and in the ability to perform two tasks at once
  • .05 percent — Further loss of ability to track moving objects, slower response to emergencies, reduced coordination
  • .08 percent — Concentration, information processing, perception and memory are all affected. This is the legal limit in Kentucky.
  • .10 percent — Ability to stay in your lane and brake properly is reduced
  • .15 percent — Virtually every ability related to driving is substantially affected, including control over the vehicle, concentration and processing of visual and auditory information

Even one drink raises the risk of causing a serious crash. People who choose to drink at a restaurant, bar or party have several alternatives to driving themselves home. They can choose a designated driver, use public transit, or arrange for a cab or rideshare service. By deciding to drive despite being drunk, drivers likely make themselves responsible for any injuries they cause other people if they get into an auto wreck.

Proving negligence

Proving that a drunk driver caused your injuries and showing the extent of those injuries can be challenging. That is where the help of an experienced personal injury attorney can be valuable.

Railroad Workers and FELA Claims

How railroad negligence can lead to tragedy

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The National Highway Safety Administration offers safety reminders for drivers at railroad crossings. Drivers should stop and look both ways at railroad crossings. Once drivers have entered the crossing, they should keep moving.

Also, when the railroad crossing gate is lowering drivers should stop at least 15 feet away from it and should not try to drive around it. They should wait for the gate to rise and all lights to stop flashing before crossing.

If the car stalls or stops in a railroad crossing, drivers should get out of the car and either call the phone number listed on the railroad sign or call 911 for help.

Railroad company negligence

Even when proper safety measures are taken at railroad crossings, however, accidents can happen because of the railroad company’s negligence.

Railroads are required to maintain, inspect and test trains, tracks and equipment. This includes ensuring that the railroad gate arm is operating correctly, the train warning system is working, and timing devices are accurate.

Railroads are also required to ensure that cargo is loaded properly and take precautions when carrying hazardous materials, such as chemicals.

When these steps aren’t taken, serious accidents can happen resulting in permanent harm to victims like brain and spinal cord injuries. The medical costs associated with these events can be significant.

Accident victims may be presented with a settlement offer from the railroad company. They may want to consult with an experienced attorney before accepting it, however, because it may not be sufficient to compensate them fully for their injuries.

Questions?

An attorney can review the circumstances of the accident and suggest the best course of action for the person or family involved.

 

Health Risks Associated with Asbestos

The health risks associated with asbestos

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Unfortunately, asbestos exposure is still a danger for most Kentucky employees as the health hazard appears in building materials, floor tiles, insulation for pipes and other common materials on construction sites.

However, some people still don’t know the health ramifications of long-term asbestos exposure. Some of the most serious side-effects include:

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is the consequence of indirect or direct exposure to asbestos. It usually attackers the lower digestive tract and the lining of the lungs, and there is no known cure at the moment. The best strategy is to catch it early on and treat the symptoms before the lining covers many of the body’s vital organs. The most dangerous aspect of this diagnosis is its commonality – over 1.3 million workers are exposed to significant amounts of asbestos.

Asbestos-related lung cancer

Similar to Mesothelioma, lung cancer is also a potential consequence of asbestos exposure, but it is harder to connect back to direct or indirect exposure to asbestos. There are so many possible causes for lung cancer that doctors would have a hard time pinpointing if asbestos was the sole reason. However, it’s important to know that it’s a potential risk with asbestos.

Pleural thickening

Asbestos hits the lungs the hardest, and it’s obvious is due to the risk of mesothelioma and pleural thickening – a condition that makes your lungs’ lining thicken and swell. It causes severe discomfort in the chest and results in poor breathing for most adults. It isn’t necessarily fatal, but it’s an indicator of underlying health issues on the horizon.

If there are concerns of a current medical condition is due to asbestos exposure, you may want to seek a legal claim to cover the costs of medical treatments and lost wages. But do not wait to seek treatments if you suspect mesothelioma. Your life may depend on a quick diagnosis.

Delivery drivers are at risk of being attacked by a dog

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Recent months have been a boom time for the home delivery business. From retail purchases to dinner, consumers have embraced home delivery as a way of life. When numerous people are ordering numerous things, it only makes sense that delivery drivers may find themselves increasingly vulnerable to dog attacks.

Dog bites are serious. They can cause severe trauma and require extensive medical treatment. You might find yourself facing a stack of hospital bills. Your injuries may have left you unable to work. That’s why it’s important to hold property owners accountable. You deserve to recover compensation for injuries caused by another person’s negligence.

Look out for warning signs of an aggressive dog

Dogs usually don’t attack a person without giving some kind of warning. It’s important to recognize the signs of fear or aggression. You should be on high alert if you notice:

  • A dog holding its tail high and stiff
  • A dog with its tail tucked beneath its body
  • Growling
  • Bared teeth
  • Raised fur along the dog’s back

If a dog appears fearful or aggressive, you should slowly back away. Never presume that a small dog doesn’t pose any type of danger. A dog’s teeth are razor-sharp, regardless of its size.

Steps you can take to protect yourself

There are some steps you can take to help protect yourself from a possible dog attack, including:

  • Avoiding the urge to turn and run
  • Removing earbuds when approaching a home
  • Carrying an animal repellent
  • Using the package as a barrier between you and the dog

Sometimes, you can take every precautionary step and still fall victim to a dog attack. If you are seriously injured, the homeowner’s insurance policy may provide some coverage. It’s important to discuss your case with a skilled legal professional who can help explain all of your available legal options.