Documents You Will Need

The pathology report is the single most important medical document. It confirms the diagnosis, the type of mesothelioma and the date it was made. Supporting records include imaging reports, biopsy or fluid test results, and notes from the diagnosing doctor. Treatment records help show the course of the illness and its costs. If you received care at more than one hospital, list each one. Records from specialist centers that reviewed your slides can be especially useful, because they may include a confirmed diagnosis from pathologists experienced with this rare cancer.

A Social Security earnings statement lists employers by year and often reveals jobs people have forgotten. Union records can show dispatch history, contractors and job sites. Military personnel files and a DD-214 document service, ratings and assignments for veterans. Tax returns, pay stubs, employee badges and retirement records can fill gaps. Photos from job sites or letters mentioning work can help too. Don't worry if some of these are missing. Investigators are used to rebuilding work histories from partial records, coworker statements and existing information about specific sites. Even a handwritten list of employers helps.

If the claim involves a spouse's losses or a wrongful death, family records become important. Marriage certificates show a spousal relationship. Birth certificates show children and their relationship to the patient. After a death, a certified death certificate and probate court papers naming the estate's representative are usually required. Gathering these can take a few weeks, especially if records are held in another state. Starting early helps make sure paperwork doesn't slow down a filing that needs to happen before a deadline. Keep copies of everything you send, with the date you sent it, in one place.

1. 1

   Request a copy of your pathology report from the hospital that made the diagnosis.

2. 2

   Order your Social Security earnings statement to see employers listed by year.

3. 3

   Veterans should locate their DD-214 or request it from the National Archives.

4. 4

   Collect marriage, birth and death certificates if family members may be part of the claim.