A Journey Back In Time What People Talked About Exposure To Asbestos Lawsuit 20 Years Ago
How an Asbestos Lawyer Can Help You Understand Your Claim Options A New York asbestos lawyer who is experienced can help victims to know their options. A lawyer can determine where and when someone was exposed to asbestos and the companies that could be responsible. A victim may make a personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful-deaths lawsuit or an asbestos trust fund claim. Each option has different requirements and results in different award. Personal Injury Cases Someone who is injured by asbestos exposure can bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation. Depending on the nature of injury, a person may seek damages for medical bills and lost wages as well as pain and suffering. The family members of the victim could also file a wrongful death lawsuit to receive financial assistance to cover funeral expenses and gain a sense of closure following the loss of a beloved one to mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. An employer or manufacturer can be held accountable for an asbestos lawsuit if it violated its legal duty to protect workers from injury. The duty of an employer is breached when they fail in hiring, training, maintenance and supervision. A defective product that can cause injuries may also be sold or supplied. It is important to consult an attorney as soon after exposure to asbestos as is possible. State laws impose time limits (known as statutes or limitations) on how long plaintiffs have to make a claim. In mesothelioma-related cases, the statute of limitations begins to run when the victim is diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related disease. Evansville asbestos attorneys of lawsuits that an individual can file will depend on the manner and location they were exposed. A victim may have a premises liability lawsuit in the event that they were exposed asbestos while at work. For instance, a construction worker may be injured by asbestos at a power plant or on a Navy ship. A person who was exposed to asbestos through secondhand methods such as washing a loved one's clothes could also file a personal injury lawsuit. Asbestos exposure was the root reason for many mesothelioma cases. Some of these cases have resulted in significant settlements and jury awards. Class action lawsuits have also been filed against companies concerning the way they handled asbestos or stored it on their property. The amount of compensation you may receive in a mesothelioma-related case depends on several factors, including the age at the time you were diagnosed and your prognosis, life expectation, your injuries and the extent of your suffering and pain. You and your lawyer should examine the details of your case to determine the fair value of your mesothelioma lawsuit. Product Liability Cases The law governing product liability allows asbestos-related victims to sue distributors, manufacturers and retailers who sold dangerous products which caused their exposure. These defendants may also be held liable for negligence. It's not unusual for more than one business, due to the variety of exposure sources, to be held liable in the event of asbestos. Mesothelioma victims are exposed to asbestos during work in workplaces such as shipbuilding and construction. Many cases of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases, are the result of non-occupational exposure, for example, working or living in homes built with asbestos materials or handling products that contain asbestos from third parties. Mesothelioma cases rely on the legal concepts of strict liability and breach of warranty. Strict liability is a type of negligence. It means that a defendant is responsible for injury if they fail to adhere to the standard of care that any other person in their position would have exercised in similar circumstances. A breach of warranty is when a manufacturer or seller makes a claim regarding their product which leads to injury. If, for instance, an advertiser or seller claims that an asbestos product will be safe for use, but it turns out to be unreasonably dangerous the seller could be held accountable for injuries. Asbestos litigation can be complicated due to the fact that a lot of asbestos-exposed businesses have gone under or were acquired by other companies. This is called apportionment, and state laws establish the rules that govern how a jury or judge determines the liability of each defendant in a case. For instance, in the case of Mary Wild v. Owens-Illinois, 705 A.2d 58 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. App. The court declared that Bethlehem Steel did not owe Mrs. Wild a duty to warn her about the potential dangers of asbestos exposure on the clothes and body of her husband. Due to the lengthy mesothelioma's latency, it is essential to keep track of all asbestos exposure, regardless of whether it is known or suspected. A mesothelioma lawyer will help individuals determine the best way to proceed. Firefighter Cases Firefighters are more likely than the general population to contract asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. Their work often involves extinguishing fires in older buildings constructed with asbestos-containing materials. Even after a fire has been extinguished, they may need to examine the area for safety hazards and possible asbestos residue. This is particularly applicable to firefighters who conduct extensive building inspections for commercial and industrial facilities. When the World Trade Center towers collapsed on September 11, a large number of firefighters were exposed to asbestos dust. The dust was large metallic particles, burning plastic and tons of asbestos fibers. This is the reason why people who worked in the ground zero area are at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma or other cancers. Asbestos particles can get into a firefighter's inner tissues and become lodged there for years. This can cause irritation, inflammation and scar tissue that leads to the formation of a tumor. This type of tumor is known as mesothelioma and is one of the four types of cancers that are linked to asbestos. The most common form of mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs, referred to as the pleura. In addition to mesothelioma, firefighters are at risk of lung cancer as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. An attorney with experience in asbestos-related illnesses can help those who have been diagnosed. They may be entitled to workers compensation benefits, or may be able to sue the companies that caused their exposure to asbestos. Levy Konigsberg is experienced in representing firefighters who have mesothelioma and other related illnesses. Our firm has also been involved in litigation against insurance companies for the total amount of damages our clients deserve. A number of states have passed presumptive insurance laws for firefighters. These laws relieve the burden of firefighters suffering from cancer and presume that their condition is the result of their occupational asbestos exposure. This makes it easier for firefighters to receive financial compensation and to pay medical expenses. We encourage anyone with an asbestos-related condition to contact a Mesothelioma Attorney to discuss their case. Contact us for a confidential, no-cost consultation. Commercial Cases If, for instance someone who worked in an asbestos-containing structure is diagnosed with mesothelioma they can sue the owner. In these instances, it is important to prove the asbestos exposure wasn't just caused by occupational exposure, but also from other factors. This could be due to exposure from someone with the disease, or through contamination of consumer products like talcum powder. Workers can also file lawsuits based on product liability laws against asbestos manufacturers. These claims are usually backed by evidence that asbestos manufacturer's product was dangerous and defective. In addition to remuneration for asbestos victims, these lawsuits seek to slap companies who ignored warnings and continued making unsafe products available on the market. Asbestos lawsuits can result in huge payouts to plaintiffs and their family members. People who have suffered injuries may receive compensation for past and upcoming medical expenses, loss of normal life, lost earning potential, and emotional stress. Survivor spouses of victims of mesothelioma may also sue for loss in consortium. Certain states have laws that are more favorable to mesothelioma plaintiffs than other states' laws. For instance the state of Illinois has a law that allows residents to sue asbestos companies for negligence and wrongful death. Its lawyers have obtained several multimillion-dollar verdicts and asbestos victims from other states have been compensated as well. Many asbestos producers declared bankruptcy in the face of thousands of lawsuits. The bankruptcy process made it easier for plaintiffs to receive compensation, as the companies would not have to defend themselves in public trials. Nonetheless, asbestos litigation is complex. The process of litigation includes the filing of a complaint, gathering evidence such as medical records and interviewing former coworkers or family members, as well as doctors. It is essential to choose a seasoned mesothelioma lawyer that has handled complex cases. A mesothelioma lawyer will conduct a free case evaluation to determine the time, place, and how you were exposed asbestos in order to file a claim. A mesothelioma lawyer who is knowledgeable will also assist you in filing for a trust fund or insurance settlement.