An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral
An asbestos defense lawyer can help protect the financial security of those who have been injured through exposure to this dangerous mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and lost quality of life.
Our lawyers serve as local, regional and national counsel in mass toxic tort litigation. We are knowledgeable about the specific issues and the complex scientific aspects that are associated with asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos fibers can be deadly and can cause serious medical conditions such as mesothelioma. A New York
asbestos attorney (
linked site) is skilled in handling lawsuits to seek financial compensation for victims of asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be complicated and therefore it is essential to have a mesothelioma lawyer to assist you.
New York has had a long-running history of asbestos litigation. Many residents were exposed to this hazardous substance. In recent years there have been more lawsuits against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases are a result of the recognition that asbestos is associated with diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. These companies knew of the dangers associated with this dangerous mineral, but they did not inform their employees and customers.
The New York City area is particularly susceptible to asbestos-related ailments due to its old structures and a myriad of construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously toxic area that continues to affect the community around it.
Mesothelioma can be caused by exposure to asbestos directly, and many workers were exposed in the workplace. Secondhand exposure can also result in mesothelioma. This is especially true for spouses who wear husband's clothing at work and come in contact with asbestos dust frequently.
The litigation associated with mesothelioma can be expensive for defendants, especially when they are mistakenly identified as defendants. A study has revealed that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed since 2014 in New York courts. This number could grow. This kind of litigation is usually fueled by specialized
asbestos law firms, which advertise on daytime TV and entice victims to file claims, with the promise of substantial settlements.
The defendants might 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 a small portion of the value of the claim. However, New York law has not provided a definitive rule regarding how to allocate liabilities when the alleged exposure occurs in and out of the insurer's policy periods.
Asbestos-Related Illnesses
Exposure to asbestos can lead to a wide range of illnesses. The condition known as mesothelioma is the most serious. Many people have died due to mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related illnesses include lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques, and the pleural effusion.
Mesothelioma is a rare but fatal illness is caused by asbestos fibers that collect in the lungs. They then irritate 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, known as asbestosis. It can also lead to thickened patches of pleura (pleural plaques) or an increase in fibrosis. Pleural plaques or diffuse fibrosis could 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 majority of the time, signs of asbestos-related illnesses don't appear until decades after the initial exposure. It can take as long as 50 years for
asbestos attorney fibers inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned and removed asbestos from the workplace and their children, spouses and other people who are exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma.
As well as mesothelioma, other asbestos-related illnesses include laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma, and mesothelioma of the ovary. The most fatal mesothelioma type is ovarian cancer, but it's less prevalent than mesothelioma in general. It is diagnosed later than most other mesothelioma types, because it develops in the linings of reproductive organs. The symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.
Many companies employed asbestos during the 20th century. They were aware that it was hazardous. If they didn't remove it from their products, thousands of people were exposed. These people can now seek financial compensation. A lot of asbestos-related manufacturers have gone bankrupt. This means that the victims can seek the compensation they are entitled to from trust funds established by the bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
For decades, asbestos companies have put profits ahead of the security of their employees and consumers, manufacturing hazardous products without warning of the risks. These companies are now paying the price for their carelessness. Patients who have suffered asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and full compensation.
Belluck & Fox is dedicated to helping families and individuals get the justice they deserve. Our lawyers have more than 25 years of experience and have helped clients receive millions of dollars in compensation. Our New York mesothelioma lawyers work to hold accountable large corporations accountable and to obtain the maximum amount of compensation for our clients.
Many states have established special asbestos courts where claims can be filed and resolved more efficiently. Judges have also created special procedures to review and resolve these cases.
New York, a state which has its own asbestos court (known as NYCAL) is one of the states. The number of cases filed in this court has increased steadily, as asbestos victims are becoming more and more likely to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have become bankrupt. To ensure that the justice system isn't overloaded the New York Supreme Court has established a special judicial panel to oversee NYCAL.
A panel composed 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 case to determine how much a plaintiff should receive.
The panel is currently studying more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to issue its final decision by the end of the year.
New York asbestos lawsuits can be complex and involve several defendants. Belluck & Fox's lawyers have extensive experience in litigating these complex matters. They are knowledgeable of the asbestos courts of New York, including their rules and regulations in addition to other jurisdictions where they have handled multi-district litigation.
The firm also has extensive experience as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients nationwide in multi-district litigation that is complex and complex. In this role lawyers devise strategies, oversee regional and local counsel, and ensure consistent and efficient defenses for clients. They have collaborated closely with trial and coordination judges and special masters of litigation in various jurisdictions in which they have been involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine which 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 property owners in cases involving claims for mesothelioma and lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. The firm collaborates with clients to develop internal programs to deal with potential liability and safety concerns.
Bowles Rice in addition to its asbestos practice across the country and multi-state asbestos litigation, is also the national Coordinating counsel. In this role Bowles Rice devises strategies for litigation and supervises local and region counsel to ensure a consistent and cost-effective defense in accordance with the client's goals. Additionally it plays an important role in the administration of
asbestos claim dockets and negotiations with counsel for plaintiffs and also leads discovery for its clients.
The firm's lawyers are skilled in defending clients against claims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are acquainted with complex science involved in these cases as and specific legal issues that arise while defending businesses before federal and state courts across the United States.
Catherine has defended numerous manufacturers in
asbestos compensation and product liability personal injury cases, representing them as lead trial counsel and in consolidated trials involving a variety of plaintiffs. She has substantial experience litigating asbestos-related cases before the federal and state courts as well as before various appellate and supreme court bodies.
During her time at Brobeck, Vogel worked on asbestos cases, including those involving respondents to the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Encapsulated Evaluative Reports), which contained confidential information on the plaintiffs, including medical reports, work history, and an inventory of asbestos-related products that the plaintiff worked with or around. Vogel was required to have access to the files and was able to review the SEAR forms of any case with her current employer.
In addition to its extensive trial and appellate experience, the Bowles Rice Asbestos Team is acknowledged nationally for its ability to negotiate settlements on behalf of its clients. The firm has worked closely with plaintiffs’ lawyers to draft and implement settlement agreements. It also has extensive experience in defending businesses against appeals.
