How an Asbestos Lawyer Can Help You Understand Your Claim Options
A knowledgeable New York asbestos lawyer can help victims understand their options for claiming. A lawyer can help determine what happened to the person who was exposed to the asbestos and which companies may be responsible.
A victim can bring a personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful-deaths lawsuit, or an asbestos trust fund claim. Each option has different requirements and result in different payouts.
Personal Injury Cases
Someone who is injured by asbestos exposure may bring a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation. The plaintiff may be eligible to claim damages for medical expenses, lost wages as well as pain and suffering according to the nature and severity of their injury. The victim's family members may also file a wrongful-death lawsuit seeking financial compensation to cover funeral costs and to gain a sense of closure following the loss of a loved one to mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness.
A manufacturer or employer can be held liable for an asbestos lawsuit if it breached its legal obligation to safeguard workers from injuries. The duty of an employer could be violated by negligent hiring training, maintenance, and supervision. A defective product that leads to injuries may be sold or provided.
It is important to speak with an attorney as soon as you can after exposure to asbestos as the laws of each state set time limitations, also known as statutes of limitation, on how long a plaintiff must bring an action. In mesothelioma cases, the statute of limitation begins to run once the victim is diagnosed as having mesothelioma.
The kinds of lawsuits an individual may file will depend on where and how they were exposed to asbestos. A victim may be the subject of a premises liability claim if they were exposed to asbestos while at work. For instance construction workers may be injured by asbestos in a power plant or on a Navy ship. Anyone who has been exposed to second-hand asbestos, such as when washing the clothes of a loved one, can also sue for personal injury.
Asbestos exposure was the root reason for many mesothelioma cases. Certain of these cases have resulted into significant jury awards and settlements. Class action lawsuits have been filed against businesses concerning how they handled asbestos or stored on their property.
The amount you could receive from a mesothelioma case is contingent on a number of factors, including your age when diagnosed, the prognosis and life duration of your condition and the severity of your injuries as well as the amount of pain and suffering. You and your attorney should examine the specifics of your case to determine the fair amount for your mesothelioma lawsuit.
Product Liability Cases
The product liability law allows asbestos-related victims to sue manufacturers, distributors, and retailers who sold asbestos-related products that caused their exposure. They can also be held accountable for negligence. It is not common for more than one business due to the wide variety of exposure sources and exposure sources, to be held accountable in the event of asbestos.
Mesothelioma can be caused by asbestos exposure in the workplace, for example in construction and shipbuilding. However, many cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses stem from non-occupational exposure as well, such as living in homes built with asbestos materials, visiting or working on sites containing asbestos or handling asbestos-containing items offered by third party sellers.
The legal concepts of strict liability and breach of warranty are essential to mesothelioma lawsuits. Strict liability is one type of negligence, which implies that a defendant is liable for a recurrence if they fail to meet the standard level of care that any other person in their position would have exercised under similar circumstances.
A breach of warranty occurs when a manufacturer or seller makes a claim about their product that results in injury. If, for example, the seller or manufacturer declares an asbestos product to be safe to use and it turns out to be unreasonably dangerous the seller may be held accountable for injuries.
Asbestos litigation can be complicated due to the fact that many of the companies that are responsible for asbestos exposure have either gone bankrupt or been acquired by other businesses. This is called apportionment, and state laws establish the rules that govern how a jury or judge assigns liability to 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. Fall River asbestos lawyers decided that Bethlehem Steel did not owe Mrs. Wild a duty to warn her about the risks of asbestos exposure to the clothes and body of her husband.
Due to the long-lasting latency associated with mesothelioma it is crucial to keep track of every asbestos exposure, whether known or suspected. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will advise individuals about how best to approach this issue.
Firefighter Cases
Firefighters are more likely to suffer from asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma, than the general population. They are often required to deal with fires in buildings constructed using asbestos-containing materials. Even after a fire has been put out, they will need to check the area for potential safety hazards and asbestos-related residues that could be present. This is especially applicable to firefighters who conduct thorough inspections of buildings for commercial and industrial facilities.
When the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11 many firefighters were exposed to toxic asbestos dust. This dust was contaminated with large metal particles, burning plastic, and countless tons of asbestos fibers. This is the reason that those who worked in the ground zero area have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma and other cancers.
Asbestos can be inhaled into the tissues of the firefighter, and remains there for many years. This can cause inflammation, irritation and scar tissue, which can lead to the development of the formation of a tumor. The tumor is referred to as mesothelioma and is one of the four kinds of asbestos-related cancer. The most common form of mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs, called the pleura.
Firefighters also face the risk of developing lung cancer and other asbestos related illnesses. An attorney with experience in asbestos-related illnesses can help those who have been diagnosed. They may be qualified for benefits from workers' compensation or an asbestos lawsuit against the company accountable for their exposure.
Levy Konigsberg has experience representing firefighters suffering from mesothelioma and other related illnesses. Our firm has also been involved in lawsuits against insurance companies for the full amount of damages our clients are entitled to.
A lot of states have passed presumptive cancer coverage laws for firefighters. These laws take the burden of proof from the firefighters who have cancer and assume that their illness was a result of their occupational exposure to asbestos. This can make it easier to receive financial compensation and aid in the payment of medical expenses. We encourage those with an asbestos-related illness to contact mesothelioma lawyers to discuss their case. Contact us to schedule an initial, free, confidential consultation.
Commercial Cases
If, for instance someone who worked in an asbestos-containing building is diagnosed with mesothelioma they may sue the owner. In these kinds of cases, it's important to demonstrate that the asbestos exposure wasn't just caused by occupational exposure, but as well by other causes. This could include exposure by someone with the disease, or through contamination of consumer products like talcum powder.
Workers may also make claims in accordance with the laws on product liability against asbestos producers. These claims are usually backed by evidence that shows the asbestos manufacturer's products were dangerous and faulty. These lawsuits aren't just targeted at the compensation of asbestos victims, but also companies who ignored warnings and continued to put unsafe products on the market.
Asbestos lawsuits often result in substantial settlements for plaintiffs and their families. For instance, people who have been injured are entitled to compensation for future and past medical expenses as well as loss of normal living, lost earning capacity, and emotional anxiety. Spouses of victims of mesothelioma can also be able to sue for loss of consortium.
Some state laws are more favorable for mesothelioma sufferers than other. For instance, the state of Illinois has a statute which permits residents to sue asbestos companies for negligence and wrongful deaths. Its lawyers have secured a number multi-million dollar verdicts, and asbestos victims from other states have also been compensated.
Thousands of asbestos-related 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 starts with the filing of a lawsuit, collecting evidence such as medical records, and obtaining interviews with former colleagues, family members, and doctors. It is essential to choose a mesothelioma attorney who has the experience of handling cases that are complex. A mesothelioma lawyer will perform an assessment of your case at no cost to determine when, where and how you were exposed. This will help you submit a claim. A mesothelioma lawyer can assist you in applying for a trust or insurance settlement.
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