Mesothelioma Compensation & Financial Assistance
Cancer treatment is expensive, and the costs of supportive care add up over time. Thankfully, mesothelioma compensation is available to help families afford treatment and cover other expenses.
Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Costs
The costs of mesothelioma treatment vary depending upon the cancer’s stage at diagnosis, what type of mesothelioma a patient has, whether they are young enough and in good enough health to withstand aggressive treatment, and whether they have insurance coverage.
Diagnostic and Treatment Costs
The financial burden of diagnostic and treatment costs of mesothelioma varies from person to person. Individual costs depend heavily on insurance coverage.
- Diagnosis: Tests to diagnose mesothelioma range from $350 for minor procedures to several thousand dollars for surgical diagnostic procedures.
- Treatment: Mesothelioma treatments, such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, range in cost from $9,000 to $26,000. Additionally, the cost of working with a mesothelioma doctor might be higher than a general oncologist.
- Medications: A variety of medications are prescribed to mesothelioma patients to help them cope with pain, swelling, difficulty sleeping, anxiety or depression and other concerns. Copays for generic drugs are around $10, while designer drugs may cost a lot more.
- Insurance: Although health insurance helps cover the cost of medical care, it does not cover all aspects of care. For example, your insurance may not cover a surgical facility fee.
- Travel: Mesothelioma is rare, and that means few doctors are specialized to treat it. As a result, many patients must travel to access appropriate care from a mesothelioma specialist. The costs of transportation and lodging can add up, especially if you have to stay overnight for an extended period of time.
- Loss of Income: People undergoing mesothelioma treatment may have to stop working so their body can recover, and some people never return to work again. This loss of income can significantly impact a family’s financial security.
Expenses Related to Cancer Care
How much families spend on supportive cancer care and living expenses depends heavily on whether they have help from other family members and friends and whether they have to hire a professional caregiver.
- Caregiver Expenses: Some patients with mesothelioma need a professional caregiver, home health aide or at-home nurse to oversee their care.
- Financial Planning Expenses: Mesothelioma often leads families to the offices of estate lawyers and financial planners to plan out their financial affairs, and the associated fees for these services can add up.
- Housing and Living Expenses: These costs may include paying someone to take care of the lawn, hiring a housekeeper, paying for groceries to be delivered or hiring someone to help run errands.
Mesothelioma Diagnostic and Treatment Expenses
| Diagnostic Scans | Diagnostic Tests | Treatments |
|---|---|---|
| CT: $525 per scan | Fine Needle Aspiration: $350 per biopsy | Chemotherapy: $12,000 a month |
| MRI: $750 per scan | VATS Biopsy: $6,491 | Surgery: $26,000 per surgery |
| PET: $2,000 per scan | Thoracotomy: $5,575 | Radiation Therapy: $9,000 per treatment |
Types of Mesothelioma Compensation
Mesothelioma treatment can leave families stuck with large medical bills in a short amount of time. One way to help with these ever-growing medical bills is to file a mesothelioma lawsuit or an asbestos trust fund claim.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos liabilities have caused most asbestos product manufacturers to file for bankruptcy, which requires them to establish a trust fund to handle future asbestos claims. There is an estimated $30 billion in these trusts to compensate asbestos victims.
Experienced lawyers are known to recover six-figure payouts from asbestos trust funds.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits
There are two types of mesothelioma lawsuits: Personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits. These legal claims are commonly settled out of court before trial begins.
Mesothelioma Settlements
The average mesothelioma settlement is around $1 million, according to a Mealey’s Litigation Report.
It is important to speak with a mesothelioma lawyer about whether you qualify to file a lawsuit and a trust fund claim.
Filing for Mesothelioma Compensation
Eligibility
If you ever worked with asbestos products and developed an asbestos-related condition, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against the companies that manufactured the products.
If your loved one died from an asbestos-related illness, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit. A consultation with an experienced mesothelioma attorney is the best way to learn about your individual eligibility.
How to File
A qualified mesothelioma attorney is the best professional to guide you through the legal process. They will help you gather evidence for your case, and they will know the best jurisdiction in which to file your claim.
Some of the information you will need to gather to file a mesothelioma compensation claim include documents proving your medical diagnosis, information about your work history and expert testimony connecting your disease with your exposure.
Financial Assistance
Veteran Benefits
Veterans of the U.S. military who have an asbestos-related condition may be eligible for additional financial assistance through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mesothelioma Grants
To help offset the costs of a cancer diagnosis, there are many organizations that offer grants for treatment, travel or any cost of living that may become harder to afford.
- The Chain Fund
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The Chain Fund Inc. is an organization that offers cancer patients grants to help pay for their mortgage, rent, utilities, prescription and insurance copays and other expenses in an effort to help them get back on their feet.
- The SAMFund
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The SAMFund provides grants to cancer patients ages 21-39 to help them move forward with their lives after cancer. It has awarded $1.1 million to recipients across the country since 2005.
- The Brenda Mehlin Cancer Fund
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The Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund provides grants to cancer patients ages 18-40 to help with the medical costs of cancer. Since its founding in 2011, it has provided $280,888 in services to more than 400 young adults.
Charities
There are some nonprofit groups that raise money for people battling the costs of living with cancer. These charities, including the American Cancer Society, LUNGevity and CaringBridge, often provide services at no cost to you, as well as offer financial assistance with traveling or finding you a place to stay during treatment.
GoFundMe.com
GoFundMe is the number one crowdfunding and fundraising website in the world. In fact, the site has helped people raise more than $280 million in donations for personal causes.
Most people use GoFundMe to raise money for themselves, a friend or loved one during an important event in life, such as a mesothelioma diagnosis. It is one of the safest and easiest ways to raise money online. It is also a good way to spread awareness of this very rare cancer.
Do You or a Loved One Have Mesothelioma?