An Asbestos Attorney Can Help Victims of Asbestos-Related Diseases

A skilled asbestos lawyer can aid victims of asbestos-related ailments. They include asbestosis and asbestos case mesothelioma, as well as lung cancer.

Many firms offer a complimentary case review for patients with mesothelioma. This will allow you to find out how a company responds to these claims and determine if they're the right fit for you.

A lawsuit against an asbestos-related company can result in settlement for medical bills as well as lost wages and other costs. The cost of litigation is high.

The history of asbestos law suits

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, is used as an insulator and a fire-resistant material. It was extensively used in New York, as well as other areas of the country in manufacturing, industrial and commercial environments. Many of these facilities, like power plants, textile mills and shipyards, exposed workers to substantial amounts of asbestos regularly. Some of those workers later developed mesothelioma and other lung diseases that are directly related to their exposure. People who are affected should consult an experienced New York mesothelioma attorney to help them receive the compensation they are due.

As the first lawsuits were filed in the late 1960s, researchers confirmed what they had long suspected - that asbestos exposure causes lung damage and disease. This discovery triggered a flood of claims, which led to the emergence of asbestos manufacturers to file for bankruptcy. As part of their bankruptcy proceedings, these companies established asbestos trust funds to pay victims and their families. The amount that was deposited into these trusts now in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

While Congress has tried to pass legislation to resolve the asbestos litigation process, these bills have been unable to pass due to a variety of reasons. For instance they did not discuss the treatment options for mesothelioma patients who are suffering from recurrences of their illness or are deceased.

Another roadblock has been the asbestos defense industry's attempt to undermine and discredit the scientific consensus that asbestos case in all forms, even at low levels, are capable of producing mesothelioma and lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses. The campaigns have included funding and publishing articles in journals of science that are intended to help the asbestos industry's legal argument at trial.

To speed up the process it is possible to have individual cases consolidated to multidistrict litigation. In 1991, for instance, one judge consolidated over 850 asbestos lawsuits involving power plants to speed up the resolution of those cases. Defendants can appeal a verdict between 30 and 180 days. This can delay any monetary award. A defendant could be required to make a bonds for any awards, based on the outcome of the appeal.

How to File a Claim

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

A lawyer who is an expert in asbestos litigation will evaluate your case for free to determine if there are any legal options available. They can help you understand the various legal processes and answer any questions you may have. They can often travel to your hospital or home for a consultation and offer their services on a contingent basis which means you won't be responsible for any upfront legal fees.

If a client hires an asbestos lawyer they must ensure the lawsuit is filed within the applicable statute of limitations. Most states require victims to start a lawsuit for asbestos within a couple of years of being diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or an asbestos-related illness. It isn't always easy to determine the date a person was exposed to asbestos since the symptoms typically do not show up until years after exposure. An asbestos lawyer can assist clients navigate the laws of their respective states and ensure that the lawsuits are filed at the right time.

After filing a complaint, mesothelioma lawyers will collect evidence to support your claim. This includes records from the company and interviews conducted with your family. They can also subpoena older documents from the asbestos-related companies that could reveal negligence.

An experienced asbestos attorney can also assist you in filing an action for wrongful death when a loved one passed away due to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. In a wrongful death lawsuit, survivors can seek compensation for emotional grief, funeral expenses, and loss of companionship. They can also seek punitive damages against the asbestos company.

A reputable asbestos lawyer has the capability to quickly gain access to documents from different states or asbestos companies, and can provide you with more legal options than local law firms. The national resources of an asbestos law firm will provide victims with a better chance of obtaining substantial compensation.

Preparing for Trial

Asbestos is a poisonous mineral that was used for a long time in industrial jobs. Workers exposed to the material in construction, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, and other industries frequently suffer from serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, lung cancer 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 attorney can assist you make a personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit against the companies accountable for your exposure. A mesothelioma lawsuit allows you to receive financial compensation for medical costs as well as lost wages as well as pain and discomfort emotional distress, and more.

The statutes of limitations in each state differ for personal injury and wrongful deaths lawsuits. You need an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to ensure that you don't exceed the deadline to file claims.

Your attorney will conduct an investigation and gather evidence on your behalf after the legal process has started. They will interview you and any former landowners, employers, or any other persons that were involved in your exposure asbestos. They will also research the specifics of your case to determine how, where and when you could be exposed.

Most asbestos cases are handled on a contingency basis. This means that your attorney will get a portion of any amount you are paid. Your attorney will also be responsible for the costs of your case, and if you win an award or settlement they will receive their fees from the winning party.

If you and your asbestos attorney can't agree on the amount of a contingency fee then you can choose to work with a different firm. However, the attorneys in the second firm must agree to a contract for sharing the costs and work.

In the majority of instances, compensation is paid to mesothelioma patients and their families when a jury comes that they are in their favor. However many asbestos lawsuits settle outside of court. On average asbestos lawsuits that achieve an agreement that is successful pay between $1 million and $1.4 million to the victims.

Going to Trial

Asbestos attorneys can help their clients get compensation through either winning or settling a case. Compensation depends on several factors, including the amount of time and the type of asbestos exposure, as well as the severity of symptoms. Asbestos lawsuit damages could include damages for suffering and pain, lost income and future earnings as in addition to medical expenses, childcare, transportation, and housekeeping.

Compensation for claims of wrongful death can also be obtained through an asbestos lawsuit, which provides money to pay funeral costs and other expenses associated with the death of loved ones. In addition family members could be entitled to compensation for the emotional stress and grief caused by the death of loved ones.

Attorneys with expertise in asbestos litigation can aid victims of mesothelioma lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases seek compensation from responsible asbestos manufacturers. Moreover, mesothelioma lawyers can help with filing claims with trust funds set up by asbestos companies that have gone bankrupt.

The time interval between the time of exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease can make it difficult to determine who are responsible for an asbestos-related illness. Evidence may also disappear or be lost with time, and asbestos-related companies could cease to be in business. This can make the case more difficult.

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

Belluck and Fox's asbestos lawyers have been holding negligent asbestos producers accountable for the hardworking employees exposed to the hazardous material. Through the years they have managed to secure more than one billion dollars in compensation for their clients. The firm has secured notable verdicts, including a $22million award for an Navy veteran diagnosed with mesothelioma when repairing boilers on ships. They also won an $8 million verdict for a construction worker who died after being exposed to asbestos in joint sealing compounds at a Manhattan skyscraper.