Mesothelioma Law Firms

Thousands of people every year are diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma, which is a result of asbestos exposure. There are numerous law firms that make it their prime focus to help the people who suffer from this cancer to receive monetary compensation. The dangers of asbestos have been known since the early 1930s, but nothing was done to protect the workers and others who came in contact with it in buildings until the 1980s. Now, because of the neglect to people's health who came in contact with asbestos, the manufacturers are being sued and paying millions to mesothelioma victims and their families.

A senate bill has been proposed, but not passed yet, to stop all lawsuits related to asbestos illnesses. If the bill is passed, all those who are medically diagnosed with asbestos related diseases will be given a chosen amount of money, depending on the stages of disease they are in. However, in order to be awarded this money, all claims must be filed correctly and under strict guidelines. Even though the bill has not yet been passed, law firms which specialize in mesothelioma cases are providing guidance for filing claims properly.

Aside from the preparation for the proposed senate bill, these lawyers are still currently filing lawsuits for the victims of mesothelioma. Any time victims of any type of disease are justified to file suits against large companies that may be responsible, it is a complicated process and can be entirely overwhelming. There are a lot of emotions involved for the victims, and the lack of knowledge of how the litigation processes work can be intimidating. It is important to find law firms that have experience and a sound knowledge of what you will be up against.

mesothelioma injury

There are a number of occupations where you can contract a mesothelioma injury. It's an extremely long list so I will only list some of them: roofers, carpenters, millwrights, welders, painters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, and others. It is not entirely necessary to list every profession--if you have worked some kind of manual labor it is possible that you have had asbestos exposure.

Don't let this alarm you excessively. Just because you are a plumber does not mean that you have been exposed to asbestos and have a potential mesothelioma injury. But it is important to be wary, and to stay healthy. It may be necessary to think back on all of the plumbing jobs you had. If you had an extended job in a building built before 1960, it is possible--but not a given--that you had some kind of ACM exposure.

Of the many jobs where a mesothelioma injury is possible, there are some that are worse than others. Understandably, asbestos insulation workers are at the greatest risk. There is also a greater risk for a mesothelioma injury for workers who smoke. Smoking weakens the lungs, elevating the impact that asbestos will have on the lining of the lungs.

Conversely, asbestos exposure makes it more likely that a smoker will develop lung cancer. If you have worked with asbestos and you are a smoker, you should stop smoking right away. To not do so will increase the risk that you contract a terminal illness such as mesothelioma.

mesothelioma cancer

Compensation for mesothelioma cancer generally does not come from the place of employment. Sometimes, but not often, a claim can be filed against a workplace. In this case, a worker will receive a form of worker's compensation. However, worker's comp can conflict with a claim against an asbestos company.

An asbestos company is more liable to damages than the workplace--and so a larger claim can be awarded. For this reason, most workers suffering from mesothelioma cancer will file a claim against the asbestos company rather than the worksite. A lawsuit will not be against a former employer, but against a corporation with which a worker had no contact.

It is also easier to make a claim against an asbestos company rather than a worksite. Perhaps the foreman running the worksite didn't know about any asbestos danger. On the other hand, asbestos companies knew that their product was hazardous and used it anyway--much easier to prove.

Mesothelioma cancer patients can also file for disability insurance or social security disability with the federal government. Again, these may get in the way of the major claim you are making against the asbestos company. You should talk with your lawyer about all of the options to get adequate compensation.

mesothelioma information

I'll now turn to mesothelioma information about where the cancer might have come from. Time and again, mesothelioma is diagnosed when a patient has had exposure to asbestos. The vast majority of mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos. There are very few cases of mesothelioma being caused without exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos has been banned in the U.S. since 1975. It has been estimated that over 8 million Americans have been exposed to the material. The most commonly affected are miners, factory workers, construction workers, or those who work in ship and railyards. Asbestos may have been banned but it still remains in industrial areas.

Those in the Navy have also been shown to have asbestos exposure onboard ship. Other high-risk professions are mechanics who work on brakes and construction workers who install insulation. The latter may be the top most affected worker in the U.S. Any workers who have spent time in any of these professions should begin researching mesothelioma information about diagnosis and prevention.

Industrial sites aren't the only place to find asbestos. It's estimated to be in 110,000 schools throughout the U.S. Asbestos fibers can be very light and remain airborne so they can stick to clothing and then be breathed into the lungs. This mesothelioma information is not meant to cause alarm--you are not guaranteed to get mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos, though it is more likely.

Mesothelioma lawsuits

Mesothelioma lawsuits are most often directed at the asbestos industry. Some mesothelioma lawsuits can result in million-dollar settlements. Sometimes these lawsuits are filed by surviving members of a patient who has died. If the patient was the sole wage-earner in the family, these lawsuits are all the more necessary.

In the last few decades, asbestos has been deemed a major health hazard. Because of so many mesothelioma lawsuits, many asbestos companies have gone out of business. If you need to file a lawsuit against asbestos companies, it is important to do it quickly before the entire industry goes under.

There are two types of mesothelioma lawsuits. The first is for a patient suffering from the cancer. The second is for surviving family members--a wrongful death suit. In this case, the plaintiff is a relative, most often a husband, wife, or children.

As with cancer itself, which needs early diagnosis, it is important to start legal proceedings as quickly as possible. A lawsuit needs witnesses and documentation. The further one gets away from the time of exposure, the harder it will be to lock down important elements of the case.

An Mesothelioma Attorney

A mesothelioma attorney will most likely be working on a contingency basis. What this means is that the lawyer will only be paid once a financial settlement is made. There will be no upfront costs for families making a claim.

This is an important factor in mesothelioma litigation because many sufferers of mesothelioma are blue collar workers. As I mentioned, people who suffer from mesothelioma sure to asbestos work in fields such as the construction industry or mining. More than likely, these people will not be able to afford high-priced lawyers. When you factor in mounting medical bills, a contingency-based mesothelioma attorney is even more necessary.

People are sometimes suspicious of the contingency process. It almost sounds too good to be true. "I don't have to pay anything?" It is true. If no settlement is able to be reached, the client pays nothing to a mesothelioma attorney. This is significant because some attorneys charge hundreds of dollars an hour, or charge for processing paperwork.

The reason this process works is because more often than not a mesothelioma attorney is able to make a settlement. Claims against asbestos companies are often rewarded. These rewards can be quite high, so if a mesothelioma attorney is not able to make a claim with one client, another large settlement may cover the difference.

Mesothelioma Lawyers: A Comfort to Patients

Mesothelioma lawyers are in the business of getting justice for their clients who have been afflicted with a debilitating disease. Workers may have devoted decades of their lives to a company only to find that they were working in an unsafe environment. Now, due to asbestos exposure, they've developed a form of mesothelioma cancer.

This site is devoted to everything you need to know regarding a mesothelioma claim. A great portion of the site is devoted to facts about the cancer itself: what are the different treatments, what are the symptoms, what are the different forms of the cancer, what can a patient, or family members, expect?

Good mesothelioma lawyers should have some degree of knowledge about this form of cancer. Mesothelioma lawyers are dealing with people who are suffering with a terminal disease. Part of their job is to lead people towards adequate care, and to even comfort them during this troubling time.

Getting a significant cash settlement is the job of mesothelioma lawyers. This money can be of a comfort to families during a very difficult period. It may not be able to bring a loved one back, but it can help with medical expenses, lost pay, and improve quality of life. I'll provide some information about what to expect from mesothelioma lawyers--such as if any money needs to paid up front.

Staff Writer