How an Asbestos Lawyer Can Help You Understand Your Claim Options
A New York asbestos lawyer who is knowledgeable can assist victims to understand their options. A lawyer can identify the time and place when someone was exposed to asbestos and which companies could be responsible.
A victim may make a personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful deaths lawsuit, or an asbestos trust fund claim. Each has its own rules and the amount of money awarded.
Personal Injury Cases
Anyone who has been injured by asbestos exposure can sue for compensation. The plaintiff may be eligible to claim damages for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering, depending on the type and severity of their injury. The victim's family members may also file a wrongful-death lawsuit to receive financial assistance to cover funeral costs and gain a sense of closure following the loss of a beloved person to mesothelioma or an asbestos-related illness.
A manufacturer or employer can be held liable in an asbestos lawsuit if it violated its legal obligation to protect workers from injury. An employer's duty can be breached by negligent hiring training, maintenance, and supervision. It can also be breached by selling or the supply of a defective product which results in injury.
It is crucial to consult an attorney as soon following exposure to asbestos as possible. State laws have time limits (known as statutes or limitations) on the length of time plaintiffs are required to bring a lawsuit. In mesothelioma cases, the statute of limitations starts to run when the patient is diagnosed as having mesothelioma.
The kind of lawsuit an individual can file will depend on the circumstances and the place they were exposed. A victim may have a premises liability lawsuit in the event that they were exposed asbestos at work. For example, a construction worker might be injured by asbestos at an energy plant or on an Navy ship. Someone who was exposed through second-hand exposure to asbestos, for instance, while washing the clothes of a beloved one, can also file a lawsuit for personal injury.
Many mesothelioma lawsuits have been brought against large corporations due to the fact that they caused the exposure of the victim to asbestos. Some of these cases have resulted in significant settlements and jury awards. Companies have also been accused of being sued in class action lawsuits for how they stored or handled asbestos on their premises.
The amount you could receive from a mesothelioma case is contingent on a variety of factors such as your age at the time you were diagnosed, the prognosis and life expectancy of your disease as well as the severity of your injuries and the amount of pain and suffering. You and your lawyer should review your case details to determine the fair value of your mesothelioma suit.
Product Liability Cases
The product liability law allows asbestos-related victims to sue manufacturers, distributors and retailers who sold hazardous products that led to their exposure. These defendants may also be held accountable for negligence. In the case of asbestos, it's not uncommon for more than one company to be held accountable due to the wide range of potential exposure sources.
Mesothelioma is a result of asbestos exposure in the workplace, for example in construction and shipbuilding. However many cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases result from non-occupational exposures too, like living in homes constructed with asbestos-containing materials, visiting or working on sites containing asbestos or handling asbestos-containing products offered by third party sellers.
The legal concepts of strict liability and breach of warranty are crucial to mesothelioma lawsuits. Strict liability is a type of negligence, which implies that a defendant is accountable for injury if they fail to uphold the standard level of care that every other person in their position would exercise under similar circumstances.
A breach of warranty occurs when a producer or seller makes a claim about their product that causes injuries. For example the case where an individual or company declares that the asbestos product is safe to use, and it is found to be unreasonable dangerous, the supplier may be held accountable for the results of injuries.
Asbestos litigation can be complicated due to the fact that a lot of the companies that are responsible for asbestos exposure have gone bankrupt or have been bought by other companies. This is referred to as apportionment and state laws define the rules for how a judge or jury assigns liability to each defendant in a particular case.
For instance in the case of Mary Wild v. Owens-Illinois 705 A.2d 58 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. App. The court decided that Bethlehem Steel did not owe Mrs. Wild a duty to warn her about the potential dangers of asbestos exposure to her husband's clothing and body.
Due to the lengthy mesothelioma's latency, it is crucial to keep a record of all asbestos exposure, regardless of whether it is known or suspected. A mesothelioma lawyer can help people determine the best method to proceed.
Firefighter Cases
Firefighters are more prone to develop asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma than the general public. They typically have to put out fires in buildings constructed using asbestos-containing materials. Even after a blaze has been put out, firefighters might still be required to check for asbestos-related residues and safety hazards. This is particularly true for firefighters who conduct thorough inspections of commercial and industrial buildings.
When the World Trade Center towers collapsed on September 11, a large number of firefighters were exposed to asbestos dust. This dust was contaminated with massive metal particles, burning plastic and many tons of asbestos fibers. This is why those who worked in the ground zero area have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma and other cancers.
Asbestos particles can be breathed into the inner tissues of firefighters and become lodged there for years. This can cause irritation, inflammation and scar tissue, which can lead to the development of a tumor. The tumor is known as mesothelioma and is one of four types of asbestos-related cancers. The most prevalent form of mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs, referred to as the pleura.
Firefighters also face the risk of developing lung cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses. Those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition should consult an experienced lawyer regarding their situation. They could be qualified to receive workers' compensation benefits or an asbestos lawsuit against the company responsible for their exposure.
Levy Konigsberg is experienced in representing firefighters who have mesothelioma or 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 on firefighters with cancer and presume that their illness is due to their occupational asbestos exposure. This makes it easier for firefighters to receive financial compensation and pay medical expenses. We recommend anyone suffering from an asbestos-related disease to contact an attorney for Mesothelioma to discuss their case. Contact us for a confidential, no-cost consultation.
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If, for instance, someone who worked in an asbestos-containing building is diagnosed with mesothelioma they could sue the property owner. In these cases, it is important to prove the asbestos exposure wasn't just caused by occupational exposure, but also from other factors. This could include exposure by someone with the disease, or through the use of contaminated consumer products, such as talcum powder.
Workers also might make claims against asbestos manufacturers according to the law of product liability. These claims are usually backed by evidence proving that the asbestos manufacturer's products were dangerous and defective. These lawsuits aren't only focused on the compensation of asbestos victims, but also companies who ignored warnings and continued to place unsafe products on the market.
Asbestos lawsuits can result in large payouts to plaintiffs and their family members. People who have suffered injuries may receive compensation for their past and future medical expenses, loss of normal life, loss of earning potential, and emotional distress. Survivor spouses of victims of mesothelioma can also claim compensation for loss of consortium.
Some states have laws that are more favorable to mesothelioma plaintiffs than other states' laws. For instance, the state of Illinois has a statute that allows residents to sue asbestos companies for negligence and wrongful deaths. Its lawyers have won many multi-million dollar settlements, and asbestos victims from other states have also been compensated.
Thousands of asbestos lawsuits led to bankruptcy for many asbestos producers. 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 like medical records and interviews with former colleagues as well as family members and doctors. It is crucial to choose a seasoned mesothelioma lawyer who has dealt with complicated cases. A mesothelioma lawyer will perform an evaluation of your case for free to determine the time, place, and the manner in which you were exposed to asbestos in order to file an insurance claim. A mesothelioma lawyer can help you apply for a trust or insurance settlement.
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