Our mesothelioma law firm is proud to represent mesothelioma victims and their families across the United States, including hardworking men and women in Florida.
The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Throughout the 20th century, tons of asbestos were mined in the United States and used in products across many industries, including Florida sugar refineries, shipyards, factories, power plants, universities, and aerospace and missile production.
Major cities in Florida where asbestos exposure is known to have occurred at job sites include:
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Filing a Mesothelioma Claim in Florida
Our Florida mesothelioma attorneys are focused solely on mesothelioma, allowing us to navigate the unique legal aspects of mesothelioma cases and maximize each client's recovery while remaining sensitive to the concerns of our clients suffering. It is important to know that every state has its own laws and if you wait too long, your claims may be barred.
Florida Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
The following are cancer centers in Florida that specialize in the treatment of mesothelioma cancer. If you would like to learn more, CLICK HERE to contact our client service team or call us at 800-300-2919.
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| H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida 12902 Magnolia Dr. Tampa, FL 33612 |
Mayo Clinic 4500 San Pablo Road Jacksonville, FL 32224 |
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Florida Mesothelioma Physicians
Lary A. Robinson, M.D.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at The University of South Florida
12902 Magnolia Dr.
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 745-6895
The Southeast is home to one of the nation’s premiere destinations for cancer care and treatment – the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. And for those afflicted with mesothelioma, lung cancer or a related condition, this reputation is due in no small part to Lary A. Robinson, M.D., the director of the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
Robinson also educates future medical professionals in his role as a professor in thoracic oncology. This emphasis on higher learning is reflected in his own education, including the completion of a residency, internship and a fellowship, all at Duke University Medical Center. With board certifications in Thoracic Surgery and Surgery/Critical Care, Robinson has more than earned the respect of his colleagues and patients. He serves as a diplomat of both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery while also holding a seat on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
But it is Robinson’s work – and Moffitt Cancer Center’s entire Thoracic Oncology Department – that attracts patients. He’s considered an expert in the aggressive surgical management of mesothelioma and advanced lung cancer. He boils down the approach his team takes to the treatment of these conditions, explaining that the group “evaluates patients with a multidisciplinary approach involving medical oncologists, pulmonologists, radiation oncologists, thoracic pathologists, thoracic radiologists and thoracic surgeons.”
For earlier stage I and II mesothelioma patients, who are typically in good condition with no prior therapies, Robinson treats them aggressively with an extrapleural pneumonectomy, a procedure in which the affected lung and any portions of the diaphragm and chest and/or heart linings are removed. This is followed up with adjuvant chemotherapy and local radiation therapy. For more advanced mesothelioma or non-surgical candidates, we treat most patients with a chemotherapy protocol, possibly with adjuvant measures for palliation.
Robinson welcomes interaction between different medical branches and professionals. "As a thoracic surgical oncologist, my own expertise lies with the surgical treatment of this disease, but I maintain a strong interaction with the medical members of our mesothelioma cancer team" he says.
Robinson values the importance of research. He participates in a wide array of clinical trials. He’s written and/or contributed articles, abstracts and other works to many peer-reviewed journals.
Jacques Fontaine, M.D.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at The University of South Florida
12902 Magnolia Dr.
Tampa, FL 33612
(813)745-2733
Jacques Fontaine, M.D., hasn’t been at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa very long – arriving in 2011 – but he has been there long enough to know how hard the center works for patients with mesothelioma.
Fontaine, one of America’s bright young thoracic surgeons, is part of the newly revamped Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center at Moffitt, offering patients the latest, most up-to-date, multidisciplinary approach to therapy.
There is a good reason now for Floridians with this cancer to stay close to home. It’s important to get specialized care and expertise when it comes to mesothelioma. And you can get it right here.
Fontaine, who left Boston and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2006 as a chief resident in thoracic surgery, is one of a handful of oncologists at Moffitt who meet weekly with other specialists to review their mesothelioma cases. “Collaboration is key to the treatment of mesothelioma,” he said. “It’s a team approach. You don’t treat it with just chemotherapy, or just radiation. Or just surgery. You need all three under one roof. And we have that here. With our setup, it’s almost impossible not to collaborate.”
Tawee Tanvetyanon, M.D.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at The University of South Florida
12902 Magnolia Dr.
Tampa, FL 33612
888-663-3488
As a native of Thailand, Tawee Tanvetyanon, M.D., can appreciate how much more advanced the handling of malignant mesothelioma is here in the United States. Yet he also knows how much better it could – and probably should – be. He is doing something about that, too, at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.
“The management of the disease is much more difficult there (in Thailand). The resources are limited,” he said during an interview. “Here, some patients will do very well, and that’s encouraging, but others will not. A lot still needs to be done to find out why that is. We’ve come a long way, but certainly the management and treatment of this disease could be a lot better.”
Tanvetyanon, a medical oncologist who specializes in both thoracic cancers and cancers of the head and neck, has been working on mesothelioma since coming to Moffitt in 2005. He is a big part of the recently-revamped Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center. He understands the intricacies of this rare cancer, knowing the importance of specialized care now being provided at Moffitt. This is not a one-size-fits-all disease. You can't just go buy a cookbook, follow the recipe and think you understand it. There are a lot of details that need to be attended to with mesothelioma. It's going to take a lot more research to really master this disease.
He is specialized in lung cancer and mesothelioma. Services offered include a wide array of clinical trials, immunotherapy programs, and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for malignant mesothelioma. In addition, Dr. Tanvetyanon is experienced in managing abnormal findings from low-dose CT lung cancer screening. Dr. Tanvetyanon is a health outcomes researcher as well as an epidemiologist. To date, he has published over 30 peer-review articles in medical journals including Journal of Clinical Oncology, Annals of Oncology, Head & Neck and Journal of Thoracic Oncology. His research is geared toward improving the quality of cancer care as well as developing of statistical model to predict outcomes.
Farid Gharagozloo, M.D.
Specialty: Robotic Thoracic Surgery
Florida Hospital Celebration Health
410 Celebration Place, Suite 302B
Celebration, FL 34747
(407) 303-3828
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Farid Gharagozloo is changing the way that malignant pleural mesothelioma will be treated in the future, providing new hope with his much-needed breakthrough. Gharagozloo, medical director of thoracic surgery at Florida Hospital Celebration Health, was the first doctor in the world to successfully use robotic surgery to perform an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), the most aggressive treatment a mesothelioma patient can have.
He performed it several times in 2013 at the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, attracting considerable acclaim. He joined Celebration Health in 2015. “It’s not the golden ticket, but it can make a huge difference,” he said. “It could change the way we look at this disease. The use of the robot with this surgery is revolutionary.”
Tirrell Johnson M.D.
Medical Oncologist
UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health
1400 S. Orange Ave.
Orlando, FL 32806
321-841-1882
Medical oncologist Dr. Tirrell Johnson understands the value of staying close to home for mesothelioma treatment — and he’s doing something about it. Mesothelioma patients throughout Central Florida are visiting him at the UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health instead of looking elsewhere. “A mesothelioma patient doesn’t have to travel across the country anymore to get specialized care,” Johnson said in an interview. “Our goal is to allow patients to stay closer to home — where the family support is so critical — and still get the same great care right here.”
Johnson has played a key role in building the mesothelioma program at the UF Health Cancer Center, teaming up with thoracic surgeon Dr. Luis Herrera and oncologist Dr. Jennifer Tseng to provide expertise in treating this rare and aggressive cancer. They are determined to make a difference by helping patients get quality treatment without having to travel to New York, Boston or Houston where the more established and more publicized specialty centers are located. “For years, the patients here had limited options if they were unable or unwilling to travel,” Johnson said. “But that’s changing. With recent research, immunotherapy, clinical trials and more personalized treatment, these patients are living longer and healthier lives.”
Johnson is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine. He serves several specialty centers at UF Health Cancer Center, including the Rod Taylor Thoracic Care Center, the Medical Oncology and Hematology Center, the Melanoma and Sarcoma Center, and the Head and Neck Center.
He completed his fellowship in hematology/oncology at Brown University Medical School’s teaching hospitals in Providence, Rhode Island, and his residency in internal medicine at Orlando Regional Medical Center. He received a medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine. Johnson also holds a degree in chemical engineering from Florida A&M University. He specializes today in treating lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma and mediastinal tumors.
Rama Balaraman M.D.
Medical Oncologist
Specialty: Medical Oncology, Hematology
Florida Cancer Affiliates
433 SW 10th St.
Ocala, FL 34471
352-732-4032
Medical oncologist Dr. Rama Balaraman has been around long enough to remember when a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis meant a mostly palliative treatment regimen. That limitation often dampened her spirit. but those days are gone now that survivors are living longer because of improved treatments. One of Balaraman’s mesothelioma survivors is now her personal motivator at Florida Cancer Affiliates in Ocala. He lifts her spirits every time he walks in the door. “He just makes my heart soar every time I see him,” she said. “He made such a remarkable turnaround. To see him now doing so well, it shows how far we’ve come with this disease and the therapies. I really look forward to seeing these patients now. We can help them. For the first time, we’re seeing dramatic improvements.”
Balaraman has been an oncologist for 20 years, but only recently has she talked with such optimism about a disease that still has no definitive cure. “Hopefully, at some point we’ll find a cure. We’re certainly moving in that direction now,” she said. “Our patients today are living remarkably well with these new treatments. After all the years of hopelessness, it’s really uplifting now to see what is happening.”
Balaraman is part of an innovative, community-based practice that focuses on the most current therapies, capitalizing on unprecedented access to new investigational drugs through clinical trials. Her patients have great success with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo), two highly touted immunotherapy drugs that many researchers believe can change the face of cancer. Both have been effective in sparking a patient’s immune system to fight the cancer. “Immunotherapy is at the forefront of this fight. Technology is moving fast, and we’re moving with it,” she said. “We’re becoming a magnet site for some of the latest treatments.” Florida Cancer Affiliates is part of the US Oncology Network, which includes more than 1,000 physicians and an estimated 10,000 cancer professionals. Its goal is to expand access to integrated cancer care throughout the country.
Nestor Villamizar M.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Specialty: Thoracic Surgery
Sylvester
Comprehensive Cancer Center
1475 N.W. 12th Avenue (D-1)
Miami, FL 33136
305-243-2363
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Nestor Villamizar has raised the level of treatment for pleural mesothelioma patients at the Sylvester Cancer Center and the University of Miami Health System. He puts them among the elite when it comes to asbestos-related diseases. His arrival in 2014 brought the surgical expertise he honed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he worked closely with renowned thoracic surgeon and mesothelioma specialist Dr. David Sugarbaker. Villamizar is building a similar mesothelioma program in South Florida, believing he will provide the same kind of care in Miami that patients in the past could find only by traveling to Boston.
Villamizar is part of a mesothelioma program that also includes thoracic surgeon Dr. Dao Nguyen, medical oncologist Dr. Raja Mudad, radiologist Dr. Adrian Ishkanian, and an experienced support staff working closely to coordinate a multidisciplinary approach to treating a complex disease. Although the Sylvester Cancer Center had been handling a small number of mesothelioma cases before the arrival of Villamizar, his expertise in the complex pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) surgery brought a new dimension that has improved the overall care being offered.
He also performs the aggressive extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for mesothelioma patients. He does minimally invasive thoracoscopic lung, esophageal and mediastinal resections, along with complex chest wall resections. The thoracic surgery team at Sylvester handles all disease conditions of the chest — large and small. Villamizar also performs surgery nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital, the University of Miami Hospital and the Miami VA Medical Center, helping military veterans who have been hit the hardest by asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Resources
Mesothelioma is a rare and very serious form of cancer found in the lining surrounding the lungs, the stomach, the testes, or the heart. The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.
It often takes 10 to 60 years after exposure to asbestos before the symptoms of mesothelioma develop. This period of time is referred to as a latency period. Because of the latency period, the disease commonly affects men and women that are at least 50 years of age and that worked with asbestos between 10 and 60 years ago.
- What is Mesothelioma?
- Symptoms of Mesothelioma
- How is Mesothelioma Diagnosed?
- Mesothelioma Treatment Options
- Types of Mesothelioma
- What are my Legal Rights?
- Contact a Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer
Florida Mesothelioma Facts
Today, the use of asbestos and the handling of asbestos materials are regulated in the United States but its use is not banned. It is recognized as a hazardous material and is monitored by OSHA and the EPA but exposure risks still exist. The United States still consumes 30 million pounds of new asbestos per year. Additionally, many old homes, factories, schools, warehouses, and commercial buildings still contain old asbestos products.
The average incident rate of mesothelioma in the United States is 1 / 100,000 - the state of Florida is below the National average with an incident rate of .9 / 100,000.
There are a number of different jobs that caused a larger amount of exposure to asbestos on a more frequent basis. Below you will find today's employment numbers for several of these high risk jobs in Florida:
| Occupation | 2008 Florida Employment |
| Construction | 517,095 |
| Mechanical Engineers | 6,430 |
| Electricians | 39,590 |
| Teachers & Instructors | 63,310 |
| Mechanics & Technicians | 48,440 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters | 29,620 |
Source: Careerinfonet.org
Florida Exposure Sites
Many of our clients are unsure of how they could have been exposed to asbestos. We have hired some of the best investigators in the business. Our investigators will track down who was responsible to help ensure that they can be held accountable.
Below is a partial list of Florida buildings and job sites where asbestos exposure may have occurred. If you or a loved one have mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related injury, and wish to consult a Florida mesothelioma attorney about your legal rights to compensation, CLICK HERE for a free consultation or call us at 800-300-2919.
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Agricola Alachua Alton Amelia Island Apix Archer Auburndale Avon Park Azalea Park Baldwin Barlow Barton Bartow Bay Lake Bay Pines Beach Belle Glade Belleair Benson Springs Blountstown Boca Grande Boca Raton Bonnie Bonnie Polk County Booth Point Boynton Beach Bradenton Brewster Bricker Brooksville Bunnell Canal Point Cantonement Cape Canaveral Cape Kennedy Carol City Cecil Field Century Chattahoochee Chicora Chiefland Christina Clearwater Clermont Clewiston Cocoa Cocoa Beach Coral Gables Cottondale Cove Springs Crestview Crystal River Cutler Dade City Dade County Dania Davenport Daytona Daytona Beach De Bary Deland Disney World Dunedin Dunnellon Eagle East Palatka East Tampa Eastport Eau Gallie Edgewater Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Field Ellaville Ellendale Ellerton Enterprise Escambia Bay Eustis Fellsmere Fernandina Fernandina Beach Florida City Foley Forest City Fort Gaines Fort Lauderdale Fort Meade Fort Meyers Fort Pierce Fort St. Joe Fort Walton Beach Gainesville Gonzalez Green Bay Green Cove Springs Greenville Groveland Hague Haines City Hallendale Hardees Hialeah Highland City Hilliard Hillsboro Holiday Hollywood Homestead Hot Springs Hulberry Hutchinson Island Indian River Indiantown Inglis Inverness Jacksonville Jax Jay Jensen Beach Key West Kissimmee Lake Alfred Lake Buena Vista Lake Butler Lake City Lake Monroe Lake North Lake Wales Lake Weir Lake Worth Lakeland Lakeland County Lantana Lauderdale Lakes Lee County Leesburg Leetsdale Lehigh Live Oak Long Beach Lynn Haven Macclenny Madison Maitland Marathon Marineland Maxville Mayo Mayport McDill Air Force Base Medley Medulla Melbourne Merritt Island Miami |
Miami Beach Miami Plantation Miami Springs Millville Milton Mobile Moffet Moore Haven Mulberry Muscogee N.A.S. Jacksonville New Smyrna Beach Nicholas Nocatee Noralyn North Miami Beach North Ruskin North Shore Oakland Ocala Occidental Ojus Okeelanta Oldsmar Olive Opa Locka Orange Park Orlando Ormond Beach Otis Ovieda Oxidental Pace Pahokee Palatka Palm Beach Palm Beach Junction Parrish Patrick Air Force Base Pensacola Perrine Perry Phosphoria Pierce Pinellas Park Piney Point Plant City Plantation Plymouth Pompano Beach Pope County Port Everglades Port Laudania Port Orange Port Saint Joe Port St. Lucie Port Sutton Princeton Quincy Raiford Red Level Ridgewood Riverview Riviera Riviera Beach Rockland Royster Saint Lucie Saint Petersburg Sanford Sarasota Shamrock Sharpes Sneads South Bat South Boca Grande South Jacksonville South Pierce Southport St. Augustine St. Cloud St. Luci St. Marks St. Mary's St. Petersburg Starke Sumterville Sunny Isles Sunrise Sutton Tallahassee Tampa Tampa Bay Tangelo Park Tarpon Springs Telogia Thriftway Tice Tiger Bay Titusville Tollsom Tolson Tortugas Trenton Tuskegee United Vero Beach Victor Walt Polk Walton Beach Watertown Weedon Island West Jacksonville West Palm Beach White Springs Wilmington Winter Garden Winter Haven Winter Park Yukon Yulee Zepher Hills |
