New York Asbestos Litigation

New York City ranked second in mesothelioma-specific case filings nationwide in 2019. Mesothelioma is a very serious asbestos-related cancer with a long latency period is the second most prevalent mesothelioma case nationwide in the year 2019.

Recent NYCAL decisions will have a profound impact on the defense of asbestos suits. These decisions could result in a significant number of summary judgment motions based upon the test results of the defendant's fiber/cc and expert reports that place any exposure that is deemed to be respirable under an exposure threshold for ambient conditions.

Expert Testimony

New York asbestos attorneys rely heavily on the testimony of expert witnesses to back up their client's claims. Expert witness fees can be a a large percentage of the total costs in asbestos litigation. Both sides can spend hundreds hours preparing to question an expert. Experts can charge thousands of dollar per day. This is why it is essential for litigants to carefully research and vet potential experts prior to hiring them. In the absence of doing so, it could result in a failed Daubert challenge or losing cases.

New York has had a long history of industrialization. Many workers were exposed to asbestos. Many of these workers have developed asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma and cancer of the lung. These workers can seek compensation from the companies who exposed them to asbestos.

Asbestos suits are quite common in New York and the judges are familiarized with the issues. For example, the courts speed up trials for terminally patients, and often combine cases to cut down on costs for trial. The courts also regularly examine their discovery procedures to ensure that it is effective and up-to date.

In a case that is notable, Brown v. Weitz & Luxenberg the First Department held conclusory cumulative-exposure statements made by plaintiffs' experts were not sufficient to establish the causality. The case was appealed by defendants, and a ruling is expected in the near future.

The court's ruling is expected to impact asbestos litigation in New York. The mesothelioma lawyers are bombarding daytime television with commercials which urge victims to file asbestos lawsuit suits, promising huge settlements. The specialized litigation has been particularly lucrative for plaintiffs' lawyers, who have paid millions of dollars in referral fees to former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who was recently found guilty of federal corruption charges related to the millions of dollars he earned from directing asbestos lawsuit cases to his firm.

In addition to these legal developments, New Yorkers need to remain vigilant about possible asbestos exposure in their workplaces and communities. Asbestos lawsuits are on the rise and New York is among the top jurisdictions for mesothelioma cases.

Summary Judgment

A New York asbestos attorney (hikvisiondb.Webcam) can assist you in obtaining the compensation that you deserve.

Asbestos exposure could lead to serious illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer. These illnesses are extremely serious and have a long time of latency, meaning that victims may only have begun experiencing symptoms as recently as 20 or 25 years after the initial exposure. There are ways for workers to protect themselves against asbestos exposure and avoid future disease. A number of major changes have taken place in the asbestos litigation scene in recent years. In 2015 the political establishment of New York was shook to its foundation by the conviction of Sheldon S. Silver for federal corruption charges. Silver's convictions for corruption stemmed from his secretly working for the law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg, which he used to earn millions of dollars in referral fees for the firm.

The courtroom politics on the NYCAL docket have also shaken the new Albany landscape. The longtime manager of the NYCAL docket, Justice Sherry Klein Heitler, was replaced in 2021 following reports that she provided the "red-carpet treatment" to asbestos lawyers cases filed by Weitz & Luxenberg. Justice Peter Moulton took over NYCAL in the aftermath of the shake-up. His rulings have put a huge burden on defendants, making it virtually impossible for them to get summary judgment.

In Juni the year 2003, the Court of Appeals dealt NYCAL with a savage dose of truth, rejecting the cumulative exposure theory that was popular in the litigation, and requiring plaintiffs to prove specific causation through sufficient scientific expression by their experts. This ruling provides New York asbestos attorneys a powerful tool to defend against allegations that claims are fraud or speculative.

In Reid v Abex, the Court of Appeals also gave asbestos defense lawyers support for their efforts to require plaintiffs to establish the existence of a specific causal connection between their asbestos-related disease and the particular products that they were exposed to. The decision imposes on plaintiffs the obligation to prove that their condition was caused by specific friction materials and linings that were supplied by the defendant, not general exposure to asbestos in the workplace.

Causation

The defendants must prove that asbestos caused the disease. It is generally accepted that exposure to asbestos-containing substances can cause mesothelioma and various other diseases, however, the law requires plaintiffs to establish specific exposure to products manufactured by particular defendants to be successful in their claims.

This is a challenging standard to achieve, particularly in NYCAL where a single judge manages the entire NYC asbestos litigation. In the 16 years that have passed since Parker, New York courts have struggled to apply the principles of the case. In 2016 the First Department in Matter of NYC Asbestos Litigation, (Juni), ruled that an expert's evidence that plaintiff "regularly" exposed himself to friction products containing asbestos was not sufficient to prove the requirements of causality specific to Nemeth.

Juni has put a huge burden on defendants in NYCAL and may oblige them to settle their claims at a lower amount than they are entitled to. A mesothelioma attorney in NYC can explain the advantages of filing a suit and the options to receive financial compensation if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

New York state was the second most popular state for mesothelioma lawsuits in 2019 and is responsible for 6% of national asbestos litigation. It is estimated that around 13,000 people have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the state. The majority of those affected have been workers or contractors who were exposed to asbestos when it was employed in industrial applications.

Symptoms of mesothelioma are not typically apparent until between 25 and 50 years after the first exposure. Many asbestos patients are fighting for the compensation they require for medical expenses loss of wages, companionship loss, among other damages.

It is important to file your mesothelioma claim in a timely fashion, but it is also vital to work with a mesothelioma lawyer who can assist you in obtaining the most monetary restitution. Contact a mesothelioma attorney from NYC to set up a no-cost appointment, no-obligation. Your lawyer can assist you determine if you're qualified for financial compensation from an asbestos trust.

Damages

If you're suffering from mesothelioma, or another asbestos-related disease A successful lawsuit can pay your family members for their losses. Compensation could cover your medical expenses, lost income from being unable, home care expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of quality of life and funeral and burial expenses. An experienced New York asbestos lawyer will examine the parties responsible to collect evidence and support your claim. Your lawyer will then file a civil lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires in your state.

The courts have dockets specialized for asbestos cases to streamline the process. They speed up trials for terminally ill plaintiffs, and also group similar cases. Judges who handle these cases are trained to ensure justice and are aware of the increasing risk of asbestos exposure.

According to a study conducted recently, New York City is the nation's hub for asbestos litigation. Asbestos victims have received billions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. Mesothelioma is a cancer that can be fatal that is caused by exposure to hazardous asbestos fibers. It is a rare, incurable type of cancer. However lawsuits brought against companies that exposed workers to asbestos fibers have led to compensation for victims.

In addition to remunerating the victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses, these lawsuits are aimed at punishing corporate wrongdoers. These lawsuits seek punitive damages awards that are in addition to compensatory damages. They are intended to deter the defendant's conduct in the future and discourage others from participating in a similar course of action.

However the NYCAL decision offers defendants the chance to have a shot of hope in their fight to stay out of punitive damages. They had the possibility of huge judgments in the past with the theory that their conduct had been so indecent that they would have to pay damages for punitive harm to deter other people from committing the same offense.

With the decision in favor of plaintiffs, companies named as defendants in NYCAL cases can expect to be dismissed in a significant percentage of their cases. Even if they were to be dismissed but they'd still have to pay legal fees to defend a case that they did not deserve to be involved in.