Home >> Legal Help

 

Finding an Asbestos Lawyer

If you or a loved one has developed asbestos mesothelioma, asbestosis, or any other disease related to asbestos exposure, a qualified attorney who specializes in asbestos lawsuits can help you in numerous ways—from answering your legal questions, to helping you file a VA claim, to helping you recover monetary compensation for your losses and suffering. We can help you find an attorney who specializes in mesothelioma lawsuits and other asbestos lawsuits.

When you are speaking with an attorney, ask them about their experience in providing mesothelioma legal help. Because this area of the law is complex and the stakes so high—after all, you have likely suffered significant losses for which you deserve compensation—it is important to seek qualified and experienced asbestos legal help from a reputable law firm.

Know your Legal Rights as an Asbestos Victim

Many asbestos-related diseases could have been prevented if employers, companies, and even the government took proper precautions to protect their workers and others from the dangers of asbestos. Because asbestos exposure can often be attributed to negligence on behalf of asbestos makers or users, those harmed by the health effects of asbestos may have the legal right to seek compensation for their medical expenses, other out-of pocket losses, and even compensation for their intangible damages, such as emotional suffering and loss of companionship.

While the EPA hasn't passed a sweeping law to ban asbestos, several laws in the US are intended to protect people from asbestos exposure and its deleterious health effects. These laws require that:

• Homes built before the 1970s must be inspected before sale. If asbestos is found, the homeowner must hire asbestos removal professionals prior to selling the house.
• If asbestos is found in a person's body, a physician must call the health department to have the patient's home inspected.
• If asbestos is found in schools, it must be safely removed.
• Employers must provide employers a safe work environment, which includes taking sufficient steps to protect workers from asbestos exposure. This may include supplying special equipment if work with asbestos is unavoidable. OSHA can implement heavy fines and facility closures if a company is non-compliant.

The federal government is considering a bill called the FAIR, or Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, which would provide a fund to compensate mesothelioma and asbestos disease victims. This bill has still not passed into law; so a legal case is often the best way to seek compensation.

Join us through the following FAQ about asbestos disease and your legal rights. If your questions are not answered, please contact us and we would be happy to address your questions and help you receive the support you need.

Questions about Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Asbestos liability: Who is responsible for my (or my loved one's) asbestos exposure and subsequent disease?

While use of asbestos was not banned until the 1970s, manufacturers and companies that either made or used asbestos-containing products knew of the dangers associated with asbestos for decades. These parties sought to suppress this information rather than use it to protect their employees and their families.

Evidence suggests that asbestos product makers knew that asbestos could cause serious diseases such as cancer and asbestosis as early as the 1930s. Some even conducted secret studies to learn about these effects, only to conceal this information and falsify official reports and other documents.

Because of compelling evidence that asbestos makers and companies that used asbestos containing products knew of asbestos's serious risks and hid them from those they exposed (i.e. employees, armed service members, their families), injured individuals have the right to seek compensation from these negligent parties for their losses and suffering. While legal action cannot be taken against the government, compensation can be sought through government organizations in cases where government work resulted in asbestos exposure and subsequent disease. In cases of private employment asbestos compensation can be sought from the makers of the asbestos containing products and your employer.

Covering Medical Expenses: Help! I have developed an asbestos disease and need help covering my medical expenses. How can I seek such assistance?

Asbestos lawsuits are often the best way to seek help with your medical expenses if you have developed mesothelioma or a related asbestos disease. Through a legal suit you can seek compensation for all your past, present and projected future medical costs, including treatment, drugs, equipment, special services, and more.

Medical expenses are not the only financial assistance you can receive through a legal case. Read the next question to learn more about other types of compensation you might be eligible to receive.

Asbestos compensation: If I have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, what kinds of compensation can I seek?

If you have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, you may be able to seek compensation for your economic and non-economic losses. These include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Loss of income or earning potential
• Out of pocket expenses
• Loss of companionship (should a loved one pass)
• Diminished quality of life
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral expenses
• Travel expenses
• Legal expenses
• Any other associated costs or losses

Mesothelioma compensation can help an individual and family tremendously.

Mesothelioma Lawsuit: What is an asbestos or mesothelioma lawsuit?

A mesothelioma lawsuit is brought by an injured individual or their family to seek compensation for their losses and suffering. Mesothelioma lawsuits can be filed under wrongful endangerment claims against former employers, landlords, or another party responsible for exposing others to asbestos. Family members can also file a wrongful death asbestos lawsuit to seek compensation for their losses and suffering after a loved one's death caused by mesothelioma or a related asbestos disease. To file a mesothelioma lawsuit, you will need to provide your attorney with your employment history and health information. To be successful in a legal case, your side must show that you were previously exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma Settlement: What is a mesothelioma settlement?

In many cases, a mesothelioma lawsuit will not go all the way to trial if a settlement can be arranged between the aggrieved party and the defendant. This settlement is an agreement about the amount of compensation that will be awarded to the mesothelioma patient (or family) by the responsible party. Settlement negotiations can begin as soon as the claim is filed. Often, a defendant will opt for a settlement if they have lost similar cases in the past or if their costs of litigation are too high. They will usually offer a low settlement amount to start, so it is often wise to hold out for a better offer. Click here to read more about mesothelioma settlements.