So I'm not in PA but I'm helping a buddy in Harrisburg figure out what he needs to file and it seems like nobody's giving him a straight answer. He got diagnosed last year, worked at a manufacturing plant there back in the 80s. My understanding from talking to folks and what my own paperwork looked like is they want your medical records first, the diagnosis paperwork from your oncologist, imaging reports, all that stuff. Then they want work history. Like actual employment records showing where you worked and what you did. He's got old W2s and a letter from the company confirming he was there but he's missing some years in between.
They also want to know WHERE the exposure happened. So if it was asbestos in insulation or brake linings or whatever, you gotta document that somehow. He's trying to find old product manuals or MSDS sheets but that's tough after 40 years. His old coworkers remember it but statements from guys aren't always enough. I think they also want medical exams showing the meso is actually connected to that job and not something random.
My advice tell him to get a copy of everything his doctor has. Get his employment records organized by year. Write down what he actually did, what materials he handled, how often. Then get a lawyer because they know what each specific company or product needs to prove the connection. The VA process is different than civilian court so if he's eligible for VA benefits that might be easier but I don't know his full story.
Anybody else deal with PA claims? What did they actually ask you for.