An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral
An asbestos defense attorney can help protect the financial security of those harmed by exposure to this harmful mineral. Compensation can cover medical costs funeral and burial expenses as well as pain and suffering and lost quality of life.
Our lawyers are local, regional and national counsel in massive toxic tort litigation. As such, we are familiar with the particular issues and complicated science associated with asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos is a dangerous fiber that can trigger various serious medical conditions, including mesothelioma. A New York asbestos lawyer is skilled in handling asbestos lawsuits that seek financial compensation for the victims and their families due to exposure to this toxic substance. These cases can be complicated and it is crucial to have an experienced mesothelioma law firm by your side.
New York has had a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents were exposed to the dangerous substance. In recent times there have been more lawsuits against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases result from the recognition of a connection between asbestos and diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. These companies were aware the dangers that asbestos posed but did not take the time to warn their employees and customers.
New York City is especially susceptible to diseases caused by asbestos because of its old structures and construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously toxic area that continues to impact the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed asbestos in their work environments. In addition, exposure to asbestos through secondhand sources can cause mesothelioma. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposed workers who had their husbands' work clothes and came in contact with asbestos dust on a regular basis.
Litigation involving mesothelioma is expensive for defendants. This is especially relevant if they've been wrongly named as defendants. A study has revealed that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed since 2014 in New York courts. This number could increase. The asbestos law firms that specialize in asbestos often advertise on television during the day and encourage victims to submit claims with the promise that they will receive significant settlements.
The defendants may be able reduce some of the expenses arising from these cases by asserting that their policy periods have expired or they're only responsible for a tiny percentage of the amount of the claim. However, New York law has not set out a clear policy regarding how to allocate liabilities when the alleged exposure is in and out of the insurer's policy periods.
Asbestos-Related Illnesses
A myriad of asbestos-related diseases can develop because of exposure to the mineral that causes cancer. The condition known as mesothelioma is the most severe. Mesothelioma is the cause of death of many people. Other asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis and lung cancer. Pleural plaques and effusion are also asbestos-related.
Mesothelioma is a rare, but fatal illness caused by exposure to asbestos fibers that collect in the lungs and cause irritation to the lining of the ribcage, chest cavity, and abdominal cavity (the the pleura). The inhalation of these tiny fibers can cause scarring to the lungs, a condition known as asbestosis and occasionally, the formation of thickened patches on the pleura referred to as plaques of pleura or a more widespread fibrosis of the pleura known as diffused fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrosis decrease lung capacity, as measured by breathing tests. They can also cause pain and discomfort in breathing, but they don't cause cancer or mesothelioma.
The majority of the time, signs of asbestos-related illnesses don't manifest until decades after initial exposure. This is because it could take between 20 to 50 years for inhalation of asbestos fibers to cause lung damage. The people at risk of developing mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related conditions include workers who handled, cleaned and removed asbestos-containing products from their workplaces, as well as spouses and children of those exposed to asbestos.
In addition to mesothelioma, other asbestos-related diseases include lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma and ovarian mesothelioma. The most deadly form of mesothelioma is ovarian cancer, but it's much less frequent than the general mesothelioma. It is typically diagnosed later than other types of mesothelioma due to the fact that it develops in the tissue of the reproductive organs and symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.
Several companies used asbestos during the 20th century. They were aware that it was hazardous. They exposed thousands of people to asbestos if they didn't remove asbestos from their products. They can now claim financial compensation. Many asbestos-related companies are insolvent. In the aftermath, victims are able to seek the compensation they deserve from the trust funds established by the bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
For decades, asbestos companies put profits above the safety of their employees as well as consumers, producing dangerous products, without warning of the risks. These companies are now paying the price for their negligence. People who have suffered from asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and full settlement.
The attorneys at Belluck & Fox are dedicated to helping individuals and families receive the justice they need. Our attorneys have more than 25 years of experience and have helped our clients receive millions of dollars in compensation. Our New York mesothelioma lawyers work to hold large corporations responsible accountable and seek maximum compensation for our clients.
Many states have created asbestos courts with specialization, where claims can be filed more efficiently. In addition judges have created specific procedures to evaluate and resolve asbestos cases.
New York, a state with its own asbestos court (known as NYCAL) is one of the states. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants that have been bankrupt and have been unable to pay, the workload of the court has steadily increased. The New York Supreme Court created an additional judicial board that will supervise NYCAL in order to keep the justice system from becoming overwhelmed.
A panel comprised of six Supreme Court Judges will review each case to determine if it is accepted or rejected. Judges will also consider the merits of every claim to determine how much the plaintiff's compensation should be.
The panel is currently studying more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to make a final decision by the end of this year.
New York asbestos lawsuits can be complicated and can involve multiple defendants. The lawyers at Belluck & Fox have extensive experience in the litigation of these complicated matters. They are familiar with New York's asbestos courts as well as their rules regulations, policies and guidelines in addition to other jurisdictions in which they have handled multi-district litigation.
The firm also has vast experience as National Coordinating Counsel, representing clients in complex, multidistrict litigation. In this capacity, attorneys develop strategies, coordinate and oversee regional and local counsel, and ensure cost-effective, consistent defenses for each client. They have collaborated closely with trial and coordination judges and litigation special masters in the various jurisdictions where they were involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine what strategy is most effective to defend the client in a personal injury claim involving asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team counsels product manufacturers, suppliers contractors, distributors, contractors, and owners of premises in matters involving claims of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses. The firm works with clients to develop internal programs to address potential safety and liability issues.
Bowles Rice In addition to its national asbestos claim practice and multi-state asbestos litigation is also the national Coordinating Counsel. In this role, the firm develops strategies for litigation, oversees regional and local counsel and ensures a consistent and cost-effective defense, in line with the client's goals. It also plays a significant role in the administration and management of asbestos dockets aswell in negotiations with plaintiffs' attorneys and leading discovery for its client.
The firm's attorneys have a wealth of trial and appellate experience, defending clients against claims by injured claimants, which includes those who claim mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are familiar with the complex science associated with these cases, and the unique legal issues that arise when defending businesses before federal and state courts across the United States.
Catherine has represented numerous manufacturers in asbestos and product liability personal injury cases, defending them as the lead counsel in consolidated trials that involved multiple plaintiffs. She has substantial experience arguing asbestos-related cases in state and federal courts, as well as before a variety of supreme and appellate courts.
During her time at Brobeck, Vogel worked on Asbestos legal cases, including those involving respondents of the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Evaluative reports that are encapsulated) that contained confidential information about the claimants. The files contained medical reports and work histories, as well as a list asbestos products that plaintiffs used or worked near. Vogel was required to have a password in order to access the files. She could then go through 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 nationally recognized for its ability to successfully negotiate settlements for clients. The firm has worked closely with plaintiffs' lawyers to develop and execute settlement agreements. The firm also has extensive experience defending businesses against appeals.
dokuwiki\Exception\FatalException: Allowed memory size of 134217728 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 20480 bytes)
An unforeseen error has occured. This is most likely a bug somewhere. It might be a problem in the authplain plugin.
More info has been written to the DokuWiki error log.