An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral

A lawyer who is a defense attorney for asbestos can help protect those whose financial security has been affected due to exposure to the hazardous mineral. Compensation can cover medical costs, funeral and burial costs, loss of quality of life, as well as pain and suffering.

Our lawyers are involved in the mass litigation of toxic torts at a national, regional and local scale. 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 attorney is skilled in dealing with lawsuits that seek financial compensation for victims of asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be extremely complex, and it is critical to have a mesothelioma expert lawyer on your side.

New York has had a long history with asbestos litigation and many residents were exposed to this hazardous material. In recent years, there have been more lawsuits against asbestos producers in the past than ever before. These cases stem from the recognition of a link between asbestos and diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. The companies were aware of the dangers that asbestos posed but did not take the time to warn the employees and the public.

New York City is especially susceptible to illnesses caused by asbestos due to its old structures and many construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously toxic area that continues to affect the community around it.

Mesothelioma is triggered by exposure to asbestos in direct contact and many workers were exposed to it in the workplace. However, some people are diagnosed with mesothelioma after experiencing an exposure secondarily to the harmful substances. This includes spouses who wear their husband's clothes at work and come in contact with asbestos dust on a regular basis.

The mesothelioma lawsuit can be costly for defendants. This is especially true if they have been wrongly identified as defendants. According to an investigation, more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed in New York courts since 2014 and the number is expected to increase even more. This type of litigation is typically fueled by specialized asbestos law firms that promote on daytime TV and entice victims to file claims with the promise of large settlements.

The defendants might be able to reduce some of the costs of these cases by arguing their policy periods are overdue or that they are only responsible for only a small percentage of the value of the claim. New York law does not have a specific rule for how to allocate responsibility when the alleged exposure is part of the insurance policies.

Asbestos-related Diseases

A wide range of asbestos-related illnesses can be triggered because of exposure to the harmful mineral. The condition known as mesothelioma is the most serious. Mesothelioma Lawyer has led to the deaths of many people. Other asbestos-related illnesses include lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques, and the pleural effusion.

Mesothelioma is a rare, but fatal illness caused by exposure to asbestos fibers which accumulate in the lungs, and can cause irritation to the lining of the chest cavity, ribcage, and abdominal cavity (the Pleura). Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause scarring in the lungs, called asbestosis. It can also cause thickened patches of pleura (pleural plaques) or a more extensive fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrosis decrease lung capacity as determined by breathing tests. They can also cause pain and difficulty in breathing, however they are not the cause of mesothelioma attorneys or cancer.

Often, symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses don't manifest until decades after initial exposure. It could take up to 50 years for asbestos fibers inhaled to cause lung damage. People at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions include workers who handled, laundered, and removed these materials from the workplace, as well as spouses and children of asbestos-related exposure.

In addition to mesothelioma, other asbestos-related diseases include laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma, and mesothelioma ovarian. The most fatal mesothelioma type is ovarian cancer, but it's much less frequent than the general mesothelioma. It is usually diagnosed later than other kinds of mesothelioma lawyers due to the fact that it develops in the lining of the reproductive organs, and the symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.

Several companies used asbestos during the 20th century. They knew it was dangerous. They exposed thousands of people to asbestos if they didn't eliminate it from their products. Now, these people have the right to sue for financial compensation. Many asbestos-related manufacturers are bankrupt. The victims can now seek compensation from the trust funds created by bankruptcy courts.

Asbestos Litigation in New York

Asbestos-related companies have put profit over the safety of their workers and consumers for decades creating dangerous products without warning of the dangers. They are now confronting the consequences of their negligence. People who have suffered from asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and complete settlement.

The lawyers at Belluck & Fox are dedicated to helping individuals and families obtain the justice they deserve. Our lawyers have over 25 years of experience and have helped our clients receive millions of dollars of compensation. Our New York mesothelioma lawyers work to hold responsible large corporations accountable and to obtain the highest amount of compensation for our clients.

Many states have created asbestos courts with specialization, where claims can be filed more efficiently. Additionally judges have developed special procedures for evaluating and resolving asbestos cases.

New York, a state which has its own asbestos court (known as NYCAL) is one of them. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have gone bankrupt and have been unable to pay, the workload of this special court has been steadily increasing. In order to ensure that the justice system is not overwhelmed, the New York Supreme Court has ordered the creation of an extra judicial panel to supervise NYCAL.

A panel composed of six Supreme Court Judges will review each case to determine if it should be accepted or not. Judges will also evaluate the merits of each case to determine the amount the plaintiff is entitled to.

At present, the panel is studying more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected issue its final decision before the end of the year.

New York asbestos lawsuits can be complicated and involve several defendants. The lawyers at Belluck & Fox have extensive experience with the litigation of these difficult cases. They are knowledgeable of the asbestos courts of New York as well as their rules and regulations in addition to other jurisdictions in which they have handled multi-district litigation.

The firm also has vast experience as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients throughout the nation in complex, multi-district litigation. In this role lawyers devise strategies, oversee local and regional counsel and ensure consistent and effective defenses for clients. They have collaborated closely with trial and coordination judges and special masters of litigation in various jurisdictions in which they were involved in asbestos litigation.

Representation of Plaintiffs

A knowledgeable Tulsa asbestos defense lawyer will determine the best strategy to defend a client from an asbestos personal injury claim. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team counsels suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, contractors and premises owners in 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 risks to safety and liability.

Bowles Rice in addition to its asbestos practice across the country and multi-state asbestos litigation is also the national Coordinating Counsel. In this capacity the firm formulates litigation strategies, supervises regional and local counsel, and ensures a consistent and cost-effective defense, in line with client goals. In addition it plays an important role in the management of asbestos dockets and negotiations with counsel for plaintiffs and leads discovery for its clients.

The firm's attorneys have extensive trial and appellate experience, defending clients from claims brought by injured claimants, which includes those who claim mesothelioma attorneys and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense attorneys are acquainted with the complex science that is associated with these cases, as well as the particular legal issues that arise when defending businesses in state and federal courts across the United States.

Catherine has defended numerous manufacturers in asbestos and product liability personal injury cases, defending them as the lead trial counsel in consolidated trials that involved multiple plaintiffs. She has a wealth of experience litigating asbestos-related lawsuits before the federal and state courts, as well as various Supreme Court and appellate bodies.

During her time at Brobeck, Vogel handled asbestos cases for respondents, including those at the Asbestos Claim Facility in Northern California. The cases files included SEAR forms (Short Evaluative Reports Encapsulated) that contained confidential information about the claimants. These included medical reports and work histories, as well as an inventory of asbestos-related products that plaintiffs worked with or near. Vogel was required to have a password to access these files and could go through the SEAR forms of any case she had with her current employer.

The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team, in addition to having extensive experience in trial and appellate work, is recognized nationally for its ability to negotiate settlements for its clients. In this capacity, the firm collaborates with plaintiffs' lawyers in the creation and implementation of settlement agreements. Additionally, it has extensive experience defending companies against appeals.