An Asbestos Attorney Can Help Victims of Asbestos-Related Diseases

An experienced asbestos lawyer can aid victims of asbestos-related diseases. They include asbestosis and mesothelioma, as well as lung cancer.

Many companies offer a no-cost case review for patients with mesothelioma. This lets you learn about the way a company handles the claims, and determine if they are the right fit for you.

A lawsuit against a business that manufactures asbestos could result in compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other expenses. Litigation is expensive.

The History of Asbestos Lawsuits

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally, is used as an insulator and a fire-resistant material. For many years, it was used in various manufacturing commercial, industrial, and settings in New York and across the nation. Many of these facilities, such as power plants, textile mills, and shipyards, exposed workers to substantial amounts of asbestos regularly. Some of these workers later developed mesothelioma or other lung diseases that are directly linked to their exposure. A New York mesothelioma lawyer can assist those affected to receive the compensation they are entitled to.

As the first lawsuits were filed in the latter half of 1960, scientists confirmed what people had long believed to be true - that exposure to asbestos causes lung damage and diseases. This revelation triggered a flurry of lawsuits that led to dozens of asbestos manufacturers to file for bankruptcy. As part of their bankruptcy proceedings, these companies established asbestos trust funds to compensate victims and their families. The money paid to these trusts is now equal to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Congress has tried to pass legislation to resolve the asbestos litigation. However these bills have been unable to pass due to a variety of reasons. For instance they did not consider the treatment options for mesothelioma victims who are recurrently suffering from their illness or are deceased.

The asbestos defense industry is also a major obstacle in its attempt to discredit the scientific consensus that asbestos, even when it is at a low level can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. These campaigns have included financing and publishing papers in scientific journals which are designed to aid the asbestos industry's legal argument at trial.

To speed up the process, individual cases can be consolidated into multidistrict litigation. In 1991, a judge joined over 850 asbestos lawsuits filed against power plants to speed up resolution of these cases. The defendants are able to appeal a decision between 30 and 180 days. This can delay any financial award. Depending on the outcome of the appeal a defendant could end up being required to post a bond for any award of money.

Making a Claim

An asbestos lawyer can help families and individuals file various types of asbestos claims. These claims may be for compensation to pay for funeral expenses, medical expenses and lost income, loss of consortium, and suffering and pain. They can also sue companies that exposed asbestos workers. They can also assist veterans file a claim with the Veteran's Administration for disability compensation.

A lawyer who is an expert in asbestos litigation will review your case free of charge to determine if there are legal options available. They can answer your questions and explain the different legal procedures. They are often able to travel to your hospital or home to meet with you and work on a contingency basis, so you will not be held accountable for any upfront legal fees.

If a client hires an asbestos lawyer, they must make sure the lawsuit is filed within the proper deadline. The majority of states require victims to make an asbestos lawsuit within a few years after being diagnosed with mesothelioma lung cancer, or any other asbestos-related disease. It can be hard to determine whether a person has been exposed to asbestos as the symptoms usually don't show until a long time afterward. An experienced asbestos lawyer can assist clients in understanding the specific laws in their state and ensure that the lawsuit is filed in time.

After filing a complaint, an attorney for mesothelioma will seek evidence in support of your claim. This includes company records and even interviews conducted with your family members. They can also subpoena records from asbestos-related companies in order to show negligence.

A knowledgeable asbestos lawyer can help you bring a lawsuit for wrongful death if your loved one was killed by mesothelioma, or another asbestos-related disease. In a case for the wrongful death of a loved one, survivors can seek compensation to help with emotional pain, funeral expenses and loss of companionship. They can also seek punitive damage against asbestos companies.

An experienced asbestos attorney has the ability to quickly access information from various states and asbestos companies. They also provide you with more legal options than an individual law firm could provide. The resources offered by an asbestos law firm can provide victims with a better chance at winning significant compensation.

Preparing for Trial

Asbestos is a noxious mineral which was used for many years in industrial settings. Workers exposed to asbestos in the construction, shipbuilding and automotive manufacturing industries, as well as other industries, are often suffering from serious diseases such as mesothelioma (lung cancer) or asbestosis or pleural effusion (inflammation of the lung's lining). If you have been diagnosed with an illness that is due to asbestos exposure you are entitled to compensation. An experienced New York asbestos lawyer can help you recover damages.

A mesothelioma lawyer will help you to file a lawsuit for personal injury or wrongful death against the companies that are accountable for your exposure. A mesothelioma case allows you to pursue financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages.

The statutes of limitations differ according to state, for both personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. It is crucial to have a mesothelioma attorney on your side to ensure you don't overrun the deadline for filing claims.

Your attorney will investigate and collect evidence on your behalf once the legal process has begun. They will conduct interviews with you and your former employer, landowner, or other parties who may have been involved in your asbestos exposure. They will also research the specifics of your case to determine how, where and when you could have been exposed.

The majority of asbestos cases are dealt with on a contingency fee basis which means that the attorney will take the a portion of any money you receive as your representation. Your attorney will also be responsible for any expenses associated with your case and, if you prevail any settlement or judgment and they collect their fees from the party that won.

If you and your asbestos lawyer can't reach an agreement on a contingency fee, you can hire an alternative firm. The attorneys of the second law firm will be required to sign a contract dividing the work and costs.

In the majority of cases, compensation is granted to mesothelioma sufferers and their families when a jury finds in their favor. However, many asbestos lawsuits are settled out of court. Asbestos claims that are successful settle between $1 million to $1.4 millions to victims.

Going to Trial

Asbestos lawyers are able to help their clients recover compensation via either a settlement or successful trial decision. Compensation is determined by a number of factors, such as the length of exposure to asbestos as well as the frequency and severity of symptoms. Asbestos lawsuits can result in damages for suffering and pain, lost income and future earnings as also medical expenses as well as transportation, childcare, and housekeeping.

A lawsuit against asbestos can also result in compensation for deaths that were wrongful as well as money to pay for funeral expenses and other expenses related to the death of loved ones. In addition, family members may be entitled to compensation for the emotional distress and sadness caused by the loss of a loved one.

Lawyers with experience in asbestos litigation can assist victims of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses seek compensation from asbestos manufacturers. Moreover, mesothelioma lawyers can help with filing claims with trust funds set up by asbestos companies that went into bankruptcy.

It is often difficult to determine who is the person responsible for an asbestos-related disease due to the long time between first exposure and an onset of symptoms. Evidence may also vanish or be destroyed over time, and asbestos-related companies could go out of business. This complicates the case.

The lawyer representing mesothelioma plaintiffs must identify all possible asbestos producers and asbestos-related products involved in the case prior to filing a lawsuit. An experienced attorney can conduct a thorough analysis of each asbestos-related manufacturer and product to ensure that all the relevant facts are in the plaintiff in the case.

For decades, mesothelioma attorneys at Belluck & Fox have held negligent asbestos manufacturers accountable for the countless people who were exposed to this harmful substance. This has helped them secure more than $1 billion in compensation for their clients over the years. The firm has won a number of notable verdicts, including the $22 million verdict for an Navy veteran who contracted mesothelioma from repairing boilers aboard ships. Another $8 million verdict for an employee of a construction company who died due to asbestos exposure in joint sealing compounds at an Manhattan high-rise.