An Asbestos Defense Attorney Can Help Protect the Financial Security of Those Harmed by Exposure to This Harmful Mineral
An asbestos defense attorney can protect the financial security of those who have been affected by exposure to this toxic mineral. Compensation can cover medical costs, funeral and burial costs, lost quality of life, and suffering and pain.
Our lawyers are involved in the mass litigation of toxic torts on a regional, national and local scale. This means that we are well-versed in the unique issues and complex scientific aspects of asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos is a deadly fiber that can cause a variety of severe medical conditions, including mesothelioma. A New York asbestos lawyer is adept at handling asbestos lawsuits that seek compensation for victims and their families who have been exposed to this harmful substance. These cases can be extremely complex and it is crucial to have a mesothelioma expert law firm on your side.
New York has a long history of asbestos litigation, and many residents have been exposed to the dangerous material. In recent years there have been more claims against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases are a result of the recognition that asbestos legal lawsuit (Our Web Page) can cause illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer. These companies were aware asbestos’ dangers however, they failed to inform the employees and the public.
The New York City area is particularly susceptible to asbestos-related ailments due to its old structures and the numerous construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously toxic area that continues to affect the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed asbestos at work. Exposure to asbestos from the outside can cause mesothelioma. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposure workers who were wearing their husband’s work clothes and came into contact with asbestos dust regularly.
The mesothelioma litigation can be expensive for defendants, particularly when they are mistakenly identified as a defendant. A study indicates that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed since 2014 in New York courts. This number could rise. Specialized asbestos law firms often advertise on television during the day and encourage victims to file claims, promising they will receive substantial settlements.
The defendants could be able to reduce the cost of these cases by arguing that their policy periods are expired or that they are only responsible for only a small percentage of the value of the claim. New York law does not provide a definitive rule on how to allocate responsibility when the alleged risk is of and outside the insurer’s policies.
Asbestos-related diseases
A myriad of asbestos-related diseases can develop due to exposure to the mineral that causes cancer. The most serious of these is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma has caused the death of many people. Other asbestos legal-related diseases include lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques, and pleural effusion.
Mesothelioma, a rare, but fatal condition that is caused by asbestos fibers which are found in the lung. They then cause irritation to the linings of the ribcage (the pleura), chest cavity, and abdominal cavity. Inhaling these fibers can lead to scarring of the lungs, called asbestosis. It can also result in thickened patches of pleura (pleural plaques) or an increased fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrosis reduce lung capacity, as measured 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 illnesses don’t appear until decades after the initial exposure. It could take up to 50 years for asbestos-related fibers to be inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned, and removed asbestos attorney from their workplaces and their spouses, children, and others 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 dangerous form of mesothelioma is called ovarian cancer, but it’s less common than the general mesothelioma. It is often diagnosed later than other kinds of mesothelioma because it develops in the tissue of the reproductive organs, and symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.
A number of companies used asbestos in the 20th century, but they knew that it was a risk. If they didn’t remove asbestos from their products, thousands of people were exposed. Now, those exposed have the right to sue for financial compensation. Many asbestos-related companies are insolvent. The victims can now seek compensation from the trust funds set up by bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
Asbestos-related companies have put profit over the safety of their employees and their customers for decades making dangerous products, without warning about the risks. They are now paying the price for their carelessness. Victims of 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. With more than 25 years of experience in the field, we have secured a million of dollars in compensation for our clients. Our New York mesothelioma lawyers work to hold large corporations responsible accountable and seek the maximum amount of compensation for our clients.
Many states have created special asbestos courts, where claims can be filed more efficiently. Judges have also established specific procedures to assess and resolve these cases.
New York, a state which has its own asbestos court (known as NYCAL) is one of the states. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants that have gone bankrupt the number of cases that have come through this special court has been steadily increasing. The New York Supreme Court created an additional judicial board that will oversee NYCAL to stop the justice system from becoming overwhelmed.
A panel of six Supreme Court judges will review each case in NYCAL to determine whether or not to accept it. Judges will also consider the merits of every claim to determine how much the plaintiff’s compensation should be.
At present, the panel is studying more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected issue its final ruling by the end of this year.
New York asbestos lawsuits are usually complex and involve allegations of several defendants. The lawyers at Belluck & Fox have extensive experience in the litigation of these complicated matters. They are well-versed in the rules regulations, rules, and policies of the asbestos courts in New York, as well as the laws of other jurisdictions in which they have handled multidistrict litigation.
The firm also has vast experience in serving as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients across the country in complex, multi-district litigation. In this capacity, attorneys create strategies, coordinate and manage regional and local 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 various jurisdictions in which they have been involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine which strategy is best to defend the client from an injury claim that involves asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team counsels product manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, contractors and property owners in matters involving claims of mesothelioma and lung cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses. The firm also assists clients to create internal programs for identifying and addressing safety and liability concerns.
Bowles Rice, in addition to its asbestos practice across the country and multi-state asbestos litigation serves as national Coordinating counsel. In this role Bowles Rice devises litigation strategies and oversees local and region counsel to ensure a uniform and cost-effective defence in coordination with the client’s objectives. Additionally, it plays a key part in the administration of asbestos dockets and negotiations with plaintiffs’ counsel and also leads discovery for its clients.
The firm’s lawyers have experience in defending clients against mesothelioma-related claims and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are familiar with the complex science that is associated with these cases, and the unique 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 lead trial counsel and in consolidated trials involving multiple plaintiffs. She has substantial experience litigating asbestos-related cases before state and federal courts, as well as before a variety of appellate and supreme court bodies.
During her time at Brobeck, Vogel worked on asbestos cases, including those of respondents to the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Encapsulated Evaluative Reports) which contained confidential information about claimants, such as medical reports, a history of work, and the list of asbestos-related products that the plaintiff worked with or around. Vogel was required to have an account password to access the files. Then, she could look over any SEAR forms provided by her current employer.
In addition to its extensive trial and appellate experience in addition to its extensive trial and appellate experience, the Bowles Rice Asbestos Team is well-known throughout the country for its ability to negotiate settlements on behalf of its clients. In this capacity, the firm works closely with lawyers representing plaintiffs in the preparation and execution of settlement agreements. It also has extensive experience in defending businesses against appeals.