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 whose financial security has been affected due to exposure to the hazardous mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses funeral and burial costs, lost quality of life, and pain and suffering.
Our attorneys serve as national, regional and local counsel in massive toxic tort litigation. As such, we are familiar with the specific issues and the complex science that go along asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos fibers can be deadly and can cause severe medical conditions such as mesothelioma. A New York asbestos lawyer is adept at dealing with asbestos lawsuits, which seek compensation for victims and their families for exposure to this toxic substance. These cases can be complicated, and it is critical to have an experienced mesothelioma law firm by your side.
New York has a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents have been exposed to this hazardous substance. In recent times there have been more lawsuits against former asbestos manufacturers than ever before. These cases arise out of the recognition that asbestos can cause illnesses such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. These companies knew of the dangers of the hazardous mineral, but didn't inform their employees and customers.
The New York City area is particularly prone to asbestos-related diseases due to its old structures and the numerous construction sites. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was a notoriously toxic place that continues to impact on the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Exposure to asbestos from the outside can cause mesothelioma. This includes spouses who wear husband's clothing to work and come into contact with asbestos dust on a regular basis.
The mesothelioma litigation can be costly for defendants, particularly when they are incorrectly named as defendants. According to a study, more that 3,600 lawsuits have been filed in New York courts since 2014 and the number is expected to increase even more. Specialized
asbestos law firms typically advertise on television during the day and encourage victims to submit claims with the promise that they will receive substantial settlements.
Defendants might be able to mitigate some of the costs associated with these cases by argument that their policy terms expire or they are only responsible for a small portion of the value of the claim. New York law does not have a clear rule on how to divide liability when the alleged exposure is part of and outside the insurer's policies.
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 serious. Many people have died from mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related diseases include lung cancer asbestosis, pleural plaques, and pleural effusion.
Mesothelioma is a rare, but fatal illness that is caused by asbestos fibers which are found in the lung. They then irritate the linings of the ribcage (the the pleura) as well as the chest cavity and abdominal cavity. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause scarring of the lungs, known as asbestosis. It can also cause thickened patches of pleura (pleural plaques) or an increased fibrosis. Pleural plaques or diffuse fibrosis could decrease lung capacity, as measured by breathing test. They can also cause pain and difficulties in breathing, but they are not the cause of cancer or mesothelioma.
Often, symptoms of asbestos-related diseases do not appear until decades after the initial exposure. It could take up to 50 years for asbestos fibers inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned and removed asbestos from the workplace as well as spouses, children, and others exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma.
As well as mesothelioma, other asbestos-related diseases include lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma and ovarian mesothelioma. The most deadly form of mesothelioma is called ovarian cancer, but it's much less prevalent than mesothelioma in general. It is diagnosed later than other types of mesothelioma because it is found in the linings of the reproductive organs. The symptoms can be similar to other diseases.
A number of companies employed asbestos in the 20th century, however they were aware that it was hazardous. If they didn't remove asbestos from their products, thousands of people were exposed. These people can now seek financial compensation. Many of the asbestos-related manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy. The victims are now able to claim compensation from the trust funds set up by bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
For decades,
asbestos case (
Highly recommended Website)-related companies put profits above the security of their employees and consumers, manufacturing hazardous products without warning of the dangers. They are now confronting the consequences of their negligence. People whose lives have been disrupted by mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses are seeking full and fair compensation.
The lawyers at Belluck & Fox are dedicated to assisting families and individuals receive the justice they need. Our attorneys have more than 25 years experience and have assisted our clients to receive millions of dollars of compensation. Our New York mesothelioma attorneys work to hold corporations accountable and seek the highest amount of compensation for their clients.
Many states have set up special asbestos courts where claims can be filed and resolved more efficiently. Judges have also developed special procedures to review and resolve these cases.
New York, a state with its own asbestos court (known as NYCAL) is one of them. The number of cases filed in this court has been increasing steadily as asbestos victims are becoming more and more likely to seek compensation from solvent former asbestos defendants who went bankrupt. The New York Supreme Court created a special judicial board to supervise NYCAL in order to keep the justice system from becoming overwhelmed.
A panel of six Supreme Court judges will review every case filed in NYCAL to decide whether to accept or reject it. Judges will also assess the merits of every claim to determine the amount of amount of money each plaintiff should receive.
The panel is currently studying more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to make a final decision before the end of the year.
New York asbestos lawsuits can be complex and involve several defendants. Belluck and Fox's lawyers have a wealth of experience in litigating these complex cases. They are familiar with the asbestos courts of New York and their rules, regulations and policies and 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 role, attorneys create strategies, coordinate and manage local and regional counsel, and ensure consistent and cost-effective defenses for each client. They have worked closely with trial and coordination judges and litigation special masters in the various jurisdictions where they have been involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa
asbestos lawsuit lawyer will determine which strategy is best to defend the client in a personal injury lawsuit involving asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team advises manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, contractors, and premises owners on matters that involve mesothelioma claims, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses. The firm also assists clients to create internal programs to identify and addressing any safety and liability concerns.
Bowles Rice, in addition to its asbestos practice in the national level and multi-state asbestos litigation serves as national Coordinating counsel. In this capacity the firm designs strategies for litigation, oversees regional and local counsel and achieves consistent and cost-effective defense that is in sync with the client's goals. It also plays an important role in the administration and management of asbestos dockets aswell in negotiations with plaintiffs' lawyers and in coordinating discovery for its client.
The attorneys of the firm have extensive trial and appellate experience, defending clients from claims brought by injured claimants, which includes those who claim mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are acquainted with the complex scientific issues involved in these cases, as and unique legal issues that arise when defending businesses before state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Catherine has represented numerous companies in asbestos and products liability personal injury cases, acting as the lead trial counsel in consolidated trials that involved multiple plaintiffs. She has substantial experience litigating asbestos-related cases before the federal and state courts as well as before a variety of supreme and appellate court bodies.
During her time at Brobeck, Vogel worked on asbestos cases, including those involving respondents in the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Evaluative reports that are encapsulated) which contained confidential information about the claimants. These included medical reports and work histories, as well as an inventory of asbestos-related products that plaintiffs used or worked near. Vogel was required to use access to these files, and she could also look over the SEAR forms of any case with her current employer.
The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team, in addition to its extensive experience in appellate and trial work, is widely acclaimed for its ability to successfully negotiate settlements for its clients. The firm has worked closely with plaintiffs' lawyers to draft and implement settlement agreements. The firm also has extensive experience defending businesses against appeals.
