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 through exposure to this dangerous mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and the loss of quality of life.
Our lawyers are involved in the mass litigation of toxic torts on a national, regional 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 fibers can be deadly and can cause serious medical conditions such as mesothelioma. A New York asbestos attorney is adept at handling lawsuits seeking financial compensation for victims of asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be extremely complex and it is crucial to have an experienced mesothelioma law firm on your side.
New York has a long history of asbestos litigation and many residents have been exposed to this dangerous material. In recent years, there have been more lawsuits against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases arise out of the recognition that asbestos is associated with illnesses such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. These companies were aware of asbestos's dangers, but failed to warn the employees and the public.
The New York City area is particularly susceptible to asbestos-related illnesses due to its old structures and numerous construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously hazardous area that continues to impact the surrounding community.
mesothelioma lawyers is caused by direct exposure to asbestos, and many workers were exposed to it in the workplace. Secondhand exposure can also lead to mesothelioma. This includes spouses of asbestos-exposure workers who were wearing their husband's work clothes and came in contact with asbestos dust regularly.
The mesothelioma lawsuit can be costly for defendants. This is especially the case if they were wrongly named as defendants. According to an investigation, more than 3,600 claims have been filed in New York courts since 2014 and the number could rise further. The asbestos law firms that specialize in asbestos often advertise on television during the day and encourage victims to submit claims, promising they will receive substantial 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 claim value. New York law does not have a clear rule on how to allocate liability when the alleged exposure is part of and outside the insurance policies.
Asbestos-Related Diseases
A variety of asbestos-related illnesses can develop due to exposure to the mineral that causes cancer. The most severe condition is mesothelioma. Many people have died due to mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related diseases include lung cancer and asbestosis. Pleural plaques and effusion are also asbestos-related.
Mesothelioma is a rare, but fatal illness caused by exposure to asbestos fibers that collect in the lungs and irritate the lining of the ribcage, chest cavity, and abdominal cavity (the pleura). Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause scarring in the lungs. This is known as asbestosis. It can also cause thickened pleura patches (pleural plaques) or an increased fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrosis reduce lung capacity as determined by breathing tests. They can also cause pain and difficulty in breathing, however they do not lead mesothelioma lawyer or cancer.
The majority of the time, signs of asbestos-related diseases do not show up until decades after the initial exposure. It can take up to 50 years for asbestos fibers inhaled to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned, and removed asbestos from the workplace and their children, spouses, and others exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma.
Other asbestos-related diseases, in addition to mesothelioma lawyer include laryngeal carcinoma and lung cancer as well as peritoneal, ovarian and peritoneal cancer. The most fatal form of mesothelioma is ovarian cancer, but it's less prevalent than mesothelioma in general. It is often diagnosed later than other types of mesothelioma since it is a cancer that develops in the tissues 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 a risk. They exposed thousands of people to asbestos when they didn't eliminate asbestos from their products. These people can now claim financial compensation. A lot of asbestos-related manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy. The victims can now seek compensation from the trust funds created by bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
For decades, asbestos-related companies have placed profits over the safety of their employees and consumers by producing dangerous products without warning of the risks. These companies are now paying the price for their negligence. People who have suffered from life-altering issues caused by mesothelioma, cancer of the lung, and other asbestos-related illnesses are seeking full and fair compensation.
Belluck & Fox is dedicated to helping families and individuals receive the justice they deserve. With more than 25 years of experience and accomplishments, we have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. Our New York Mesothelioma lawyer lawyers work to hold responsible large corporations accountable and to obtain the highest amount of compensation for our clients.
Many states have set up special asbestos courts in which claims can be filed and resolving more efficiently. Judges have also established specific procedures to assess and resolve these cases.
New York is one such state, with its own asbestos court, known as NYCAL. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have been bankrupt, the caseload of this special court has been steadily increasing. To ensure that the justice system is not overloaded and overwhelmed, the New York Supreme Court has created an extra judicial panel to oversee NYCAL.
A panel comprised of six Supreme Court judges will review every case in NYCAL to determine whether or not to accept it. Judges will also assess the merits of each claim to decide how much money a plaintiff should receive.
At present, the panel is reviewing more than 3,500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to issue its final ruling at the end of this year.
New York asbestos lawsuits can be complicated and involve several defendants. The lawyers at Belluck & Fox have extensive experience in the litigation of these difficult 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 in which they have handled multidistrict litigation.
The firm also has extensive experience serving as National Coordinating Counsel in asbestos litigation, representing clients throughout the nation in multi-district, complex litigation. In this role lawyers devise strategies, oversee local and regional counsel, and ensure consistent and efficient defenses for clients. They have collaborated closely with coordinating and trial judges and litigation special masters in various jurisdictions in which they were involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will decide which strategy is best to defend the client from a personal injury lawsuit involving asbestos. The Bowles Rice Asbestos Team advises product manufacturers, suppliers and contractors, distributors, and owners of premises on matters involving mesothelioma claims, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses. The firm collaborates with clients in the development of internal programs to determine and address potential safety and liability issues.
Bowles Rice In addition to its asbestos practice in the national level and multi-state asbestos litigation, is also the national Coordinating counsel. In this capacity the firm formulates strategies for litigation, oversees local and regional counsel, and ensures a consistent and cost-effective defense in coordination with client goals. In addition it plays an important role in the administration of asbestos dockets and negotiations with counsel for plaintiffs and leads discovery for its clients.
The firm's lawyers have a wealth of trial and appellate experience in defending clients against claims made by injured claimants, including those claiming mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos defense lawyers are familiar with complex science involved in these cases as well as specific legal issues that arise while defending businesses before federal and state courts across the United States.
Catherine has represented a variety of manufacturers in asbestos and product liability personal injury cases, representing them as lead trial counsel and in consolidated trials involving a variety of claimants. She has a wealth of experience arguing asbestos-related cases in federal and state courts, as well as before various appellate and supreme court bodies.
While at Brobeck, Vogel worked on asbestos cases, including those involving respondents to the Asbestos Claims Facility in Northern California. The case files contained SEAR forms (Short Encapsulated Evaluative Reports), which contained confidential information about plaintiffs, such as medical reports, a history of work, and a list of asbestos products that the plaintiff worked with or around. Vogel required access to a password to access the files. Then, she could look over any SEAR forms from 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 reach settlements on behalf of its clients. In this capacity, the firm works closely with lawyers representing plaintiffs in the creation and implementation of settlement agreements. Additionally, it has extensive experience defending companies against appeals.