Asbestos poisoning is the leading cause of mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that attacks the lungs, heart, abdomen and various other organs. Filing an asbestos lawsuit is a way to bring the asbestos manufacturers to justice and provide financial relief to family members. Asbestos lawsuits can be filed by a variety of people.
If you have an asbestos related illness or have a family member who died of an asbestos related illness, you may be eligible to file an asbestos lawsuit. Victims of an asbestos related illness can potentially seek recompense for medical expenses, lost wages and also punitive damage. The victim must have a diagnosed illness directly related to asbestos exposure. Family members of a victim may file a wrongful death claim and seek manslaughter charges.
Asbestos exposure most commonly occurs in the workplace and lawsuits are primarily filed against an employer. An asbestos lawsuit can be time consuming and the process is complicated. It to is advisable to hire a reputable lawyer who has experience with asbestos related cases. In most asbestos lawsuits, the claim is settled prior to the early stages of a trial. However, it is not uncommon for an asbestos lawsuit to go through a lengthy trial process.
Most lawyers do not charge their clients for asbestos related claims. The lawyer will generally be paid after recompense from the claim is received. The amount recovered from asbestos lawsuit can vary significantly. The amount of recovery is generally dependent on the degree of the plaintiff’s illness and whether there was a jury verdict or a settlement.
If diagnosed with an asbestos related illness, a lawsuit should be filed immediately. Each state has a statute of limitations on asbestos related illnesses, which defines the time period required to file a claim. Time is a crucial factor for asbestos lawsuits. The average life expectancy for a mesothelioma patient is less than a year.
Asbestos litigation is one of the most expensive forms of tort in the United States. Since 1929, there have been over 600,000 asbestos related claims filed and the cost has reached nearly 200 billion dollars. There have been over 6000 defendants who have had asbestos claims filed against them. Recent studies predict that the amount of asbestos related claims will increase over the next decade.
