People diagnosed with mesothelioma often feel understandably anxious about the future. This devastating form of cancer has an abysmally low five-year survival rate. Mesothelioma does not respond to most traditional forms of cancer treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy.
The person diagnosed with mesothelioma may worry about the long-term financial impact their condition could have on their loved ones. Seeking financial compensation after a mesothelioma diagnosis is a way to protect a family from the long-term economic impacts that mesothelioma could have on everyone in the household.
Why is mesothelioma expensive?
Obviously, treatment costs for mesothelioma can be an immediate source of financial stress. The best treatment options involve cutting-edge drugs and procedures, such as immunotherapy treatments that insurance may not yet fully cover. However, care costs are just one of several financial concerns.
The need for in-home support while a person undergoes treatment for mesothelioma or receives palliative care in their last month can be far more costly than people realize. Home health aides can help administer medication or perform daily tasks, such as cleaning and personal hygiene responsibilities, that people may struggle to manage on their own.
Home health aides without any certification cost an average of $33 per hour in 2025, and those with more skills who provide medical services can cost substantially more than that. Those costs can add up to thousands of dollars per month for the rest of the mesothelioma patient’s life.
The Hidden Costs of Care and Lost Wages
Then there are their lost wages to consider. Blue-collar employees exposed to asbestos in the workplace might command competitive wages. Their family members lose out on their wages and also the benefits they may have provided, including health insurance coverage.
The family may struggle to absorb those expenses while simultaneously dealing with the distress of a loved one’s illness. Thankfully, compensation is likely available. Professionals exposed to asbestos in the workplace or consumers exposed through contaminated products may have grounds to file a lawsuit or make a claim against an asbestos trust established by a business.
Reviewing one’s mesothelioma diagnosis and likely sources of prior asbestos exposure with a skilled legal team could help those with mesothelioma minimize the impact their illness has on their loved ones. Appropriate compensation can cover treatment costs, replace lost income and help families absorb the long-term financial impact of a mesothelioma diagnosis.