Choosing an Asbestos Attorney
When you or a family member is diagnosed with mesothelioma or an asbestos-related injury, one of the first and most important things you can do is hire an asbestos attorney. What many victims don’t realize is they do not have to wait for symptoms of asbestos-related injuries to appear before retaining legal counsel.
Asbestos-related injuries are not immediately apparent. Symptoms may not appear for years, even decades after exposure. But the damage has already been done. You need to consult with an asbestos attorney as soon as you become aware that you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos. An attorney experienced in handling asbestos-related cases will advise you on how to best protect your rights.
Your initial consultation with an asbestos attorney will provide you with valuable information. Hiring the best legal counsel available is in your best interest, so be prepared to ask very pointed questions about the law firm and its attorneys. Although asbestos litigation is not a certified legal specialty, it does require experience and expertise. Your asbestos attorney should have substantial experience in taking asbestos cases to trial with favorable rulings. Furthermore, asbestos litigation should be an integral part of the practice. An experienced attorney will make every attempt to settle your case out of court and avoid the risk and cost of a trial. However, successful asbestos litigation experience is priceless should your case end up before a jury.
Additional questions you should ask are:
- How many asbestos-related injury and mesothelioma has the firm taken to trial?
- How many trial cases have they won?
- How many cases have been successfully settled out of court?
- How many experienced litigation attorneys are employed by the firm?
- How long will it take to prepare and file my case?
- Does the firm have the necessary resources (scientific and medical depositions, asbestos product identification, and exposure data) on-site to help me prove my case?
- Is the firm willing to aggressively represent me?
- Have there been any complaints against the firm?
- Will the firm take my case on a contingency basis?
- What other services, such as financial and estate planning, can the firm provide me?
Remember, your initial consultation is the time for you to ask questions. Expect candid, forthcoming answers. Choosing an experienced asbestos attorney with a proven track record will make the difficult days ahead easier and less stressful.
