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 help protect those who's financial security has been affected by exposure to the harmful mineral. Compensation may cover medical costs funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and the loss of quality of life.

Our lawyers serve as local, regional, and national counsel in mass toxic tort litigation. As as such, we are acquainted with the specific issues and the complex science that go along with asbestos cases.

New York Asbestos Lawsuits

Asbestos is a dangerous fiber that can trigger numerous serious medical conditions, including mesothelioma. A New York asbestos attorney (Speedagency link for more info) is adept at dealing with lawsuits that seek financial compensation for those who have suffered from asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be complex and therefore it is essential to have a mesothelioma lawyer on your side.

New York has a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents have been exposed to this dangerous substance. In recent years there are more lawsuits filed against asbestos producers from the past than before. These cases arise out of the realization that asbestos is associated with illnesses such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. The companies were aware of the dangers that asbestos posed however, they failed to inform the employees and the public.

The New York City area is particularly susceptible to asbestos-related illnesses due to its old structures and a myriad of construction sites. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was a notoriously toxic site that continues to impact on the community around it.

Many workers were exposed to asbestos in their work environments. However, people also get diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of an exposure secondarily to the harmful substances. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposure workers who were wearing their husband's work clothes and came into contact with asbestos dust regularly.

The mesothelioma lawsuit is costly for defendants, particularly when they are mistakenly identified as defendants. A study shows that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed since 2014 in New York courts. This number could increase. Specialized asbestos law firms often advertise on TV during the day and encourage victims to submit claims, promising they will receive significant settlements.

Defendants might be able to lower some of the expenses arising from these cases by argument that their policy terms expire or they are only responsible for a tiny portion of the value of the claim. However, New York law has not established a clear rule on how to divide liabilities when the alleged exposure is outside of the policy period of the insurer.

Asbestos-related Illnesses

A myriad of asbestos-related illnesses can develop due to exposure to the toxic mineral. The most severe condition is mesothelioma. Many have died from mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis and lung cancer. Pleural plaques and effusion are also asbestos-related.

Mesothelioma is a rare but fatal illness that is caused by asbestos fibers that collect in the lungs. They then cause irritation to the linings of the ribcage (the pleura) as well as the chest cavity and abdominal cavity. Inhaling these fibers can lead to scarring in the lungs, called asbestosis. It can also lead to thickened patches of pleura (pleural plaques) or an increase in fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrisis reduce lung capacity, as measured by breathing tests. They also cause breathing problems and pain but they don't lead to cancer or mesothelioma.

Often, symptoms of asbestos-related diseases don't manifest until decades after initial exposure. It can take up to 50 years for asbestos fibers that are inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned and removed asbestos from their workplaces as well as spouses, children, and others exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma.

Other asbestos-related illnesses, apart from mesothelioma, include laryngeal carcinoma and lung cancer as well as peritoneal, ovarian and peritoneal cancer. The most fatal form of mesothelioma is ovarian cancer, but it's much less common than the general mesothelioma. It is often diagnosed later than other kinds 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.

Many companies employed asbestos during the 20th century. They were aware that it was a risk. They exposed thousands of people to asbestos if they failed to remove it from their products. These people can now claim financial compensation. A lot of asbestos-related manufacturers have gone bankrupt. In the aftermath, 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 profit before the safety of their employees and their customers for decades, producing hazardous products without warning of the dangers. They are now confronting the consequences of their inattention. Patients who have suffered asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and complete compensation.

Belluck & Fox is dedicated to helping families and individuals obtain the justice they deserve. With more than 25 years of experience, we have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. Our New York mesothelioma attorneys work to hold large corporations accountable and obtain maximum compensation for clients.

A number of states have established special asbestos case courts where claims can be filed and resolving more efficiently. Judges have also developed specialized procedures to evaluate and resolve such cases.

New York is one such state that has its own asbestos court known as NYCAL. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have been bankrupt the number of cases that have come through this special court has steadily increased. To ensure that the justice system does not get overwhelmed the New York Supreme Court has ordered the creation of a special judicial panel to supervise NYCAL.

A panel of six Supreme Court Judges will review each case to determine if it is accepted or not. Judges will also evaluate the merits of each claim to determine the amount of the plaintiff's compensation should be.

The panel is currently examining more than 3500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to issue its final decision before the end this year.

New York asbestos lawsuits can be complex and involve multiple defendants. Belluck and Fox's lawyers have a wealth of experience in the litigation of these difficult cases. They are well-versed in the rules regulations, policies, and procedures of the asbestos courts in New York, as well as the laws of other jurisdictions where they have handled multidistrict litigation.

The firm also has vast experience serving as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients throughout the nation in multi-district, complex litigation. In this role, attorneys create strategies, coordinate and manage local and regional counsel, and ensure cost-effective, consistent defenses for every client. They have worked closely in the past with trial judges, coordinating judges, and special masters of litigation from different jurisdictions.

Representation of Plaintiffs

A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine which strategy is the best way to defend the client in an injury claim that involves asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team counsels product manufacturers, suppliers contractors, distributors, contractors, and property owners on matters involving claims of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses. The firm collaborates with clients to develop internal programs to deal with potential liability and safety issues.

Bowles Rice, in addition to its asbestos practice in the national level and multi-state asbestos litigation, is also the national Coordinating Counsel. In this role, Bowles Rice develops litigation strategies and oversees local and region counsel to ensure a consistent and cost-effective defense that is in line with the client's needs. It also plays an important part in the administration and management of asbestos dockets aswell in negotiations with plaintiffs' attorneys and leading discovery for its clients.

The attorneys of the firm have extensive trial and appellate experience defending clients against claims by injured claimants, which includes those who are claiming mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are familiar with complex scientific issues involved in these cases as in addition to specific legal issues that arise while defending businesses before federal and state courts across the United States.

Catherine has defended numerous manufacturers in asbestos and products liability personal injury cases, representing them as the lead counsel in consolidated trials involving a variety of plaintiffs. She has extensive experience litigating asbestos-related lawsuits before the federal and state courts, as well as a variety of Supreme Court and appellate bodies.

During her time at Brobeck, Vogel handled asbestos cases for respondents, including those at the Asbestos Claim Facility in Northern California. The case files included SEAR forms (Short Evaluative Reports Encapsulated), which contained confidential information about the plaintiffs. These included medical reports as well as work histories and the list of asbestos-related products that plaintiffs used or worked near. Vogel was required to have access to the files and was able to look over the SEAR forms of any case at her current employer.

In addition to its extensive trial and appellate experience, the Bowles Rice Asbestos Team is well-known throughout the country for its ability to negotiate settlements on behalf of its clients. In this capacity, the firm collaborates closely with plaintiffs' lawyers in the development and execution of settlement agreements. It also has extensive experience in defending businesses against appeals.