An Asbestos Attorney Can Help Victims of Asbestos-Related Diseases

A knowledgeable asbestos lawyer can help victims of asbestos-related ailments. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Many firms offer a complimentary case review for mesothelioma patients. This allows you to find out about how a firm handles these claims and then decide if they are the right choice for you.

A lawsuit against a company that manufactures asbestos can result in compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other costs. The cost of litigation is high.

The history of asbestos-related lawsuits

Asbestos is a hazard naturally occurring mineral used for fireproofing and insulation. It was used for decades in New York, as well as in other areas of the country in manufacturing, industrial and commercial environments. Workers working in many of these places, like shipyards, power stations and textile mills, were often exposed to asbestos. Some of these workers developed mesothelioma as well as other lung diseases directly connected to their exposure to asbestos. A New York mesothelioma lawyer can help those affected receive the benefits they are entitled to.

Researchers proved what a lot of people suspected, that asbestos exposure can cause lung damage and cause lung diseases. This knowledge sparked a wave claims that caused a multitude of asbestos producers to declare bankruptcy. In bankruptcy proceedings, these companies established asbestos trust funds for the families of victims. The amount of money that was deposited to these trusts is currently in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

While Congress has tried to pass legislation in order to settle the asbestos litigation process these bills have been unable to pass due to numerous reasons. They did not address the issues of how to treat patients with mesothelioma that have recurrences or are deceased.

The asbestos defense industry is also a major obstacle in its effort to discredit the scientific consensus that asbestos, even when it is at a low level can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. These campaigns include funding and publishing research that are meant to support the asbestos industry's arguments in the courtroom.

Individual cases can be combined into multidistrict litigation to expedite the process. In 1991, for example one judge consolidated 885 asbestos lawsuits against power plants to allow for faster resolution of these cases. The defendants can appeal a verdict between 30 and 180 days. This could delay any financial award. A defendant could be required to pay a an amount of bond for any award, contingent on the outcome of the appeal.

How to File a Claim

An asbestos lawyer can assist families and individuals file different types of asbestos claims. These claims may be for compensation for funeral costs, medical expenses, lost income loss of consortium and pain and suffering. They may also sue companies for exposing asbestos settlement workers. They may also assist veterans submit a claim to the Veteran's Administration for disability compensation.

A lawyer who is specialized in asbestos litigation can look over your case at no cost to determine if there are any legal options. They can provide you with information on the various legal processes and answer any questions you may have. They will travel to your office, home or hospital for a consult. They are on a contingent basis so you won't have to pay any upfront legal costs.

If a client engages an asbestos attorney, he or she must ensure that the lawsuit is filed in line with the statute of limitations in force. Most states require victims to make an asbestos lawsuit within a couple of years of being diagnosed with mesothelioma lung cancer, or any other asbestos-related disease. It can be hard to determine if a person has been exposed to asbestos because the symptoms usually don't show until a long time afterward. An asbestos lawyer can assist clients navigate the laws of their state and ensure that the lawsuits are filed at the right time.

After filing the complaint, mesothelioma lawyers gather evidence to support your claim. This includes company records as well as interviews with family members. They can also request documents from asbestos companies to demonstrate negligence.

An experienced asbestos lawyer will also assist you in filing a wrongful death lawsuit if a loved one has died from mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related diseases. In a lawsuit for grieving families, the survivors can seek compensation for emotional distress, funeral costs and loss companionship. They may also demand punitive damages from the asbestos company.

A good asbestos lawyer has the capability to quickly gain access to documents from different states or asbestos firms and can offer you more legal options than local law firms. A national asbestos law firm's resources can give victims a better chances of winning a substantial settlement.

Prepare for trial

Asbestos is a toxic mineral that was extensively used in the workplace. Workers exposed to asbestos in shipbuilding, construction automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, and other industries typically suffer from severe illnesses like mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or the pleural effusion (inflammation of the lung's lining). If you've been identified as suffering from a disease that is linked to asbestos exposure, you're entitled to compensation. An experienced New York asbestos lawyer can help you recover damages.

A mesothelioma lawyer can assist you to file a lawsuit for personal injury or wrongful deaths against the companies responsible for your exposure. A mesothelioma case allows you to seek financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages.

State statutes of limitation differ for personal injury and wrongful deaths lawsuits. It is crucial to have a seasoned mesothelioma attorney on your side to ensure that you don't overrun the deadline for filing a claim.

Once the legal process begins the attorney will work on your behalf to investigate and gather evidence. They will conduct interviews with you and your former landowner, employer or other party who could have been involved in your asbestos exposure. They will also study the details of your situation to determine the location, the method, and when you may be exposed.

The majority of asbestos cases are dealt with using a contingency-fee basis. This means that the attorney will get a portion of any compensation you receive. Your attorney will also cover the costs of your case, and if you win an award or settlement they will receive their fees from the winner.

If you and your asbestos lawyer cannot come to an agreement on a contingent payment, you can hire an alternative firm. The attorneys of the second firm must agree to a contract for sharing the cost of work and fees.

Typically, mesothelioma victims and their family members receive compensation when they win an appeals court verdict in favor of the plaintiff. However, many asbestos lawsuits settle outside of court. On average asbestos lawsuits that have an agreement that is successful pay between $1 million and $1.4 million to the victims.

Going to Trial

Asbestos lawyers are able to help their clients obtain compensation through either a settlement or successful trial decision. Compensation is contingent on many factors, including the length of time and the type of asbestos exposure and the severity of the symptoms. Asbestos lawsuits may award damages for physical pain and suffering loss of income, future earnings, medical expenses as well as household expenses, such as childcare, transportation and housekeeping.

Compensation for claims of wrongful death can also be obtained through an asbestos lawsuit, that includes funds to cover funeral costs and other expenses that come with the death of loved ones. Families may also be entitled to compensation because of the emotional stress caused by the loss of an individual they love.

Attorneys with experience in asbestos litigation can aid victims of mesothelioma lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases seek compensation from responsible asbestos producers. In addition, mesothelioma lawyers could provide assistance in filing claims with trust funds established by asbestos companies that have gone bankrupt.

The passage of decades between the time of exposure to asbestos and the beginning of illness can make it difficult to determine who were responsible for the asbestos-related illness. Additionally, evidence can disappear or be lost in time, and asbestos companies can go out of business, which complicates the case further.

In the event of you file an asbestos lawsuit the plaintiff's mesothelioma lawyer should determine the asbestos-related asbestos product and asbestos manufacturer involved in the claim. An experienced attorney will conduct an exhaustive investigation of each asbestos product and asbestos manufacturer to ensure the case contains all the facts.

For decades, mesothelioma attorneys at Belluck & Fox have held negligent asbestos manufacturers accountable for the countless people who were exposed to this harmful substance. Over the years they have been able to secure more than a billion dollars in compensation for their clients. The firm has won significant verdicts like a $22 million settlement for an Navy veteran who contracted mesothelioma while repairing boilers aboard ships and another $8 million verdict for a construction worker who died from asbestos exposure joint sealing compounds at the top of a Manhattan high-rise.