An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral
A defense attorney for asbestos can protect those who's financial security has been affected due to exposure to the hazardous mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses funeral and burial costs, loss of quality of life, and pain and suffering.
Our lawyers are local, regional and national counsel in massive toxic tort litigation. As a result, we are familiarized with the unique issues and complex aspects of science that are associated with asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos fibers are deadly and can trigger serious medical conditions such as mesothelioma. A New York asbestos lawyer is experienced in dealing with asbestos lawsuits, which seek financial compensation for victims and their families who have been exposed to this toxic substance. These cases can be complicated and it is crucial to have a mesothelioma expert lawyer on your side.
New York has had a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents were exposed to the dangerous material. In recent years, there have been more claims against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases stem from the recognition of a link between asbestos and certain diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer and asbestosis. These companies were aware asbestos' dangers however, they failed to inform their employees and customers.
New York City is especially susceptible to diseases caused by asbestos due to its old structures and construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously hazardous area that continues to affect the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed to asbestos in their work environments. In addition, exposure to asbestos through secondhand sources can result in mesothelioma. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposed workers who wore their husband's work clothes and came into contact with asbestos dust regularly.
Litigation involving mesothelioma is expensive for defendants. This is especially true if they have been wrongly named as defendants. A study indicates that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed since 2014 in New York courts. This number could rise. Specialized asbestos law firms typically advertise on TV during the day and encourage victims to submit claims with the promise that they will receive significant settlements.
The defendants could be able to reduce some of the costs of these cases by arguing that their policy periods are overdue or that they only have to pay only a small percentage of the value of the claim. New York law does not provide a definitive rule on how to allocate the liability if the alleged exposure is part of the insurer's policies.
Asbestos-related Illnesses
A myriad of asbestos-related illnesses can be triggered due to exposure to the harmful mineral. The most serious of these is mesothelioma. Many people have died from mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related illnesses include asbestosis and lung cancer. Pleural plaques and pleural effusion are also asbestos-related.
Mesothelioma, a rare, but fatal condition, is caused by asbestos fibers that collect in the lung. They then irritate the linings of the ribcage (the pleura), chest cavity and abdominal cavity. The inhalation of these small fibers can cause scarring of the lungs known as asbestosis and, sometimes, the development of thickened patches on the pleura referred to as pleural plaques or an enlargement of fibrosis in the pleura called diffused pleural the fibrosis. Pleural plaques or diffuse fibrosis may reduce lung capacity, as measured by a breath test. They can also cause pain and difficulty in breathing, however they are not the cause of mesothelioma or cancer.
The symptoms of asbestos-related diseases typically don't manifest until decades after initial exposure. It could take up to 50 years for asbestos-related fibers to be inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned, and removed asbestos from the workplace as well as children, spouses, and others exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma.
Other asbestos-related diseases in addition to mesothelioma, include laryngeal carcinoma and lung cancer and peritoneal, ovarian and peritoneal cancer. Ovarian cancer is among the most deadly form of mesothelioma for women however it is much less prevalent than mesothelioma in general. It is usually diagnosed later than other types of mesothelioma since it is a cancer that develops in the tissues of the reproductive organs, and symptoms can be similar to symptoms of other illnesses.
A number of companies employed asbestos in the 20th century, but they knew that it was dangerous. If they didn't remove asbestos from their products, thousands of people were exposed. These people now have the right to claim financial compensation. A lot of asbestos-related manufacturers have gone bankrupt. This means that the victims are able to seek the compensation they are entitled to from trust funds established by the bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
Asbestos companies have put profits before the safety of their employees and customers for a long time creating dangerous products without warning of the dangers. These companies are now facing the consequences of their negligence. People who have suffered from life-altering issues caused by mesothelioma, cancer of the lung and other asbestos-related illnesses are seeking full and fair settlement.
Belluck & Fox is dedicated to helping families and individuals obtain the justice they deserve. Our lawyers have over 25 years experience and have helped our clients receive millions of dollars of compensation. Sunnyvale asbestos lawyer work to hold accountable large corporations accountable and to obtain the highest amount of compensation for our clients.
Many states have established asbestos courts with specialization, where claims can be filed more efficiently. In addition judges have created special procedures for evaluating and resolving asbestos cases.
New York is one such state, with its own asbestos court, known as NYCAL. The number of cases in this court has increased steadily, as increasing numbers of asbestos victims seek compensation from solvent former asbestos defendants who have become bankrupt. To ensure that the justice system isn't overloaded and overwhelmed, the New York Supreme Court has established a special judicial panel to supervise NYCAL.
A panel of six Supreme Court Judges will review each case to determine if it should be accepted or rejected. Judges will also evaluate the merits of each case to determine how much a plaintiff should be awarded.
The panel is currently looking at more than 3500 lawsuits. The panel is expected make a final decision before the end of the year.
New York asbestos lawsuits are often complex and involve multiple defendants. Belluck & Fox's lawyers have extensive experience in defending these complicated cases. They are familiar with New York's asbestos courts and their rules and regulations, as well as other jurisdictions where they have handled multi-district litigation.
The firm also has extensive experience serving as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients throughout the nation in multi-district, complex litigation. In this capacity, lawyers create strategies, coordinate and oversee local and regional counsel, and ensure cost-effective, consistent defenses for each client. They have been in close contact with trial judges, coordination judges, and litigation special masters from various jurisdictions.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will decide which strategy is best to defend the client from an injury claim that involves asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team advises manufacturers, suppliers and contractors, distributors, and property owners on issues that involve mesothelioma claims, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. The firm also works with clients to create internal programs to identify and addressing any safety and liability issues.
In addition to its national asbestos practice, Bowles Rice serves as national Coordinating Counsel in multi-state asbestos litigation. In this capacity, Bowles Rice develops strategies for litigation and supervises local and region counsel to achieve a consistent and cost-effective defence in coordination with the client's goals. Additionally it plays an important role in the management of asbestos dockets as well as negotiations with counsel for plaintiffs and leads discovery for its clients.
The firm's lawyers have a wealth of trial and appellate experience in defending clients from claims brought by injured claimants, which includes those who are claiming mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense attorneys are acquainted with the complex science that is associated with these cases, as well as the particular legal issues that arise when defending companies in federal and state courts across the United States.
Catherine has represented a variety of manufacturers in asbestos and product liability personal injury cases, acting as the lead trial counsel in consolidated trials involving multiple claimants. She has a wealth of experience arguing asbestos-related lawsuits before the state and federal courts, as well as a variety of Supreme Court and appellate courts.
While at Brobeck, Vogel worked on asbestos cases, including those of respondents of the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files included SEAR forms (Short Encapsulated Evaluative Reports) that contained confidential information about claimants, such as medical reports, work histories and an inventory of asbestos-related products that the plaintiff worked with or around. Vogel had to have an account password to access the files. Then, she could review any SEAR forms that she received from her current employer.
The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team, in addition to having extensive experience in trial and appellate work, is recognized nationally for its ability to negotiate settlements for clients. In this capacity, the company works closely with the lawyers of plaintiffs in the preparation and execution of settlement agreements. Additionally, it has a vast experience in defending companies against appeals.