An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral
An asbestos defense lawyer can assist in ensuring the financial security of those who have been harmed by exposure to this harmful mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
Our lawyers are involved in mass toxic tort litigation at a national, regional and local level. As such, we are familiar with the unique issues and complicated science associated 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 is experienced in handling lawsuits seeking financial compensation for those who have suffered from asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be complex, so it’s important to have a mesothelioma lawyer to assist you.
New York has a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents have been exposed to this dangerous substance. In recent years, there have been more claims against former asbestos manufacturers than ever before. These cases are a result of the recognition that asbestos is linked to diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. These companies were aware of the dangers associated with this dangerous mineral, but they failed to warn their employees and clients.
New York City is especially vulnerable to illnesses caused by asbestos compensation due to its old structures and many construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously hazardous area that continues to impact the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed asbestos in their work environments. Exposure to asbestos from the outside can lead to mesothelioma. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposed workers who had their husbands’ work clothes and came in contact with asbestos dust regularly.
The litigation associated with mesothelioma can be costly for defendants, particularly if they are wrongfully named as a defendant. According to an investigation, more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed in New York courts since 2014 and the number is expected to rise further. Specialized asbestos law firms often advertise on daytime TV and encourage victims to submit claims with the promise that they will receive significant settlements.
Defendants may be able to reduce some of the costs arising from these cases by asserting that their policy periods have expired or they’re only accountable for a small portion of the amount of the claim. New York law does not have a specific rule for how to divide liability when the alleged exposure is within and part outside of the insurance policies.
Asbestos-Related Illnesses
Exposure to asbestos can lead to various illnesses. The mesothelioma condition is the most severe. Mesothelioma has caused the death of many people. Other asbestos-related illnesses include asbestosis and lung cancer. Pleural plaques and effusion are also asbestos-related.
Mesothelioma is a rare, but fatal disease, is caused by asbestos fibers that accumulate in the lungs. They then irritate the linings of the ribcage (the Pleura), chest cavity, and abdominal cavity. The inhalation of these tiny fibers can cause scarring to the lungs known as asbestosis and sometimes the formation of thickened patches on the pleura, known as pleural plaques or a more widespread fibrosis of the pleura known as diffused fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrisis reduce lung capacity as determined by breathing tests. They also cause discomfort and breathing difficulties but they don’t cause mesothelioma or cancer.
Most of the time, symptoms of asbestos-related diseases don’t show up until decades after the initial exposure. It could take up to 50 years for asbestos fibers inhaled to cause lung damage. People who are at risk of developing mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related conditions include workers who handled, laundered, and removed these materials from the workplace and spouses and children of those who were exposed to asbestos.
Other asbestos-related diseases, in addition to mesothelioma, include laryngeal carcinoma and lung cancer, peritoneal, ovarian, and peritoneal cancer. The most deadly form of mesothelioma is called ovarian cancer, however it is less common than the general mesothelioma. It is often diagnosed later than other kinds of mesothelioma since it develops in the tissues of the reproductive organs, and symptoms can be similar to those of other diseases.
Many companies used asbestos in the 20th century, but they were aware that it was hazardous. When they failed to remove asbestos from their products thousands of people were exposed. The affected people are now able to sue for financial compensation. A lot of asbestos-related manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy. In the aftermath, 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 lawsuit-related companies put profits above the security of their employees and consumers by producing dangerous products, without warning of the risks. They are now confronting the consequences of their negligence. People who have suffered from asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and full compensation.
Belluck & Fox is dedicated to helping families and individuals obtain the justice they deserve. Our lawyers have over 25 years experience and have helped clients receive millions of dollars of compensation. Our New York mesothelioma lawyers work to hold accountable large corporations accountable and to secure maximum compensation for our clients.
Many states have set up special asbestos courts where claims can be filed and resolving more efficiently. Judges have also created specialized procedures to evaluate and resolve such cases.
New York is one such state that has its own asbestos court, known as NYCAL. The number of cases filed in this court has grown steadily, as increasing numbers of asbestos victims seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have gone bankrupt. The New York Supreme Court created a special judicial board to oversee NYCAL to stop the justice system from becoming overwhelmed.
A panel of six Supreme Court Judges will review each case to determine whether it should be accepted or rejected. Judges will also assess the merits of each claim to decide how much money a plaintiff should receive.
At present, the panel is looking into more than 3500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to announce its final decision before the end of this year.
New York asbestos lawsuits are usually complex and involve allegations of several defendants. Belluck & Fox’s lawyers have extensive experience in defending these complicated matters. They are knowledgeable of the rules regulations, rules, and policies 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 extensive experience in serving as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients nationwide in complex, multi-district litigation. In this capacity, lawyers develop strategies, manage local and regional counsel and ensure that they are able to provide consistent and efficient defenses for clients. They have worked closely in the past with trial judges, coordination judges and special masters of litigation from different jurisdictions.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine what strategy is best to defend the client against a personal injury lawsuit involving asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team counsels product manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, contractors and property owners on matters involving claims of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases. The firm also works with clients to create internal programs for identifying and addressing potential safety and liability concerns.
In addition to its national asbestos practice, Bowles Rice serves as the national Coordinating Counsel in multi-state asbestos litigation. In this role, Bowles Rice develops litigation strategies and oversees regional and local counsel to achieve a consistent and cost-effective defense that is in line with the client’s needs. In addition, it plays a key role in the administration of asbestos dockets, negotiations with plaintiffs’ counsel and leads discovery for its clients.
The firm’s attorneys have extensive trial and appellate experience, defending clients against claims by injured claimants, which includes those claiming mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are acquainted with complex scientific issues involved in these cases as well as particular legal issues that arise when defending companies before state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Catherine has represented numerous manufacturers as the lead trial counsel in asbestos and personal injury lawsuits related to product liability and in consolidated cases that involve multiple claimants. She has extensive experience in litigating asbestos-related cases in the federal and state courts and before a variety of supreme and appellate court bodies.
During her time at Brobeck, Vogel worked on Asbestos case cases, including those for respondents to the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Evaluative reports that are encapsulated), which contained confidential information about plaintiffs. This included medical reports and work histories, as well as an inventory of asbestos-related products that plaintiffs worked with or near. Vogel had to have a password in order to access the files. She could then review any SEAR forms that she received from her current employer.
In addition to its extensive trial and appellate experience as well as its vast trial and appellate experience, the Bowles Rice Asbestos Team is acknowledged nationally for its ability to negotiate settlements on behalf of its clients. In this capacity, the company works closely with plaintiffs’ lawyers in the creation and implementation of settlement agreements, and it has extensive experience in defending businesses against appeals.