Mesothelioma Lawyer
Studies have shown that since the 1960s cases of mesothelioma have soared, with figures rising from 77 in 1968 to nearly 1500 in the year 2000. This figure has been steadily rising, and in many places around the world is nor expected to peak for another decade or two.
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that results from exposure to asbestos, and affects the cavities of the lungs, the heart or the abdomen. The malignant form of this cancer is incurable, and treatments are used to try and send it in to remission. However, because the disease dos not manifest for several decades following exposure to asbestos it is often too late for any effective treatment because the cancer is already in its advanced stages.
Because of the deadly nature of this disease, those that have contracted mesothelioma through asbestos exposure are usually entitled to financial compensation. The exposure usually occurs through unprotected working conditions or through the use of products that have insufficient warnings on them. Many asbestos manufacturers and firms that use asbestos products have been sued for billions or sent in to bankruptcy through compensation claims.
Those diagnosed with mesothelioma are entitled to compensation for a number of reasons. The first, most obvious reason is pain and suffering. The sufferer has effectively been robbed of his or her life though exposure to asbestos, and has to endure a great deal of physical and metal anguish as well as a much-reduced lifespan. Secondly, the family of the victim are also put through this mental anguish as they fact the prospect of losing a loved one. The family may also face the prospect of financial ruin once their loved one has passed away, and compensation is partly required to provide them with some sort of monetary stability. Finally, the expenses associated with medical bills for mesothelioma can be extremely high, and compensation goes some way towards funding these medical bills.
The rise in the number of mesothelioma cases has been accompanied by a rise in mesothelioma lawyers, and there are now many law firms and lawyers that specialise in mesothelioma cases. These professionals have succeeded in securing millions of dollars for mesothelioma patients, and an experienced mesothelioma lawyer can provide the support and expertise required to file a successful claim as well as provide you with details of other useful resources.
A mesothelioma lawyer will need to find out quite a lot of information about you and your background to put together a water-tight case, and because most states have statutes of limitation when in comes to filing claims it is important that you contact a lawyer as soon as possible after diagnosis. Your lawyer may have to do a good deal of research and investigating in order to collect the details required, and you should provide as much information and co-operation as possible to help speed up the process and maximise your chances of success.
Many people worry about the costs of taking legal action, but mesothelioma lawyers work a little differently than other lawyers. They work on the basis of a contingency fee, which means that you do not pay a penny unless your lawsuit or compensation claim is successful. If and when you receive your settlement money, your lawyer will automatically deduct the fee. Although the legal fees can be as high as 35% on mesothelioma cases, this is taken straight from your settlement figure, so if you don’t win there are no financial implications and if you do win you still get around 65% of what could be a seven-figure settlement.
