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 affected through exposure to this dangerous mineral. Compensation can cover medical expenses funeral and burial costs, loss of quality of life, as well as suffering and pain.
Our lawyers are local, regional and national counsel in mass toxic tort litigation. As such, we are familiar with the specific issues and the complex science that go along asbestos cases.
New York Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos fibers are dangerous and can cause severe medical conditions like mesothelioma. A New York
asbestos attorney is experienced in handling lawsuits seeking financial compensation for victims of asbestos exposure and their families. These cases can be complicated, so it's important to have a mesothelioma lawyer on your side.
New York has had a long history of asbestos litigation and many residents were exposed to the dangerous material. In recent times, there have been more lawsuits against former asbestos producers than ever before. These cases are a result of the recognition of a connection between asbestos and certain diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer and asbestosis. The companies were aware of the dangers associated with this dangerous mineral, but they did not warn their employees and clients.
The New York City area is particularly prone to asbestos-related diseases due to its old structures and a myriad of construction sites. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a notoriously toxic area that continues impact the surrounding community.
Many workers were exposed to asbestos at work. However, many people are diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of secondhand exposure to the harmful substances. This includes spouses who wear husband's clothes to work and come into contact with asbestos dust frequently.
Litigation involving mesothelioma is expensive for defendants. This is particularly true if they have been 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. Specialized asbestos law firms often advertise on TV during the day and encourage victims to submit claims with the promise that they will receive significant settlements.
The defendants could be able to reduce some of the costs of these cases by arguing their policies are in a lapse or that they are only responsible for only for a small proportion of the amount claimed. However, New York law has not established a clear rule on how to allocate liability when the alleged exposure occurs partly outside of the insurance company's policy.
Asbestos-Related Diseases
Exposure to asbestos can cause many different illnesses. The condition known as mesothelioma is the most serious. Many people have died from mesothelioma. Other asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis and lung cancer. Pleural plaques and pleural effusion are also asbestos-related.
Mesothelioma, a rare, but fatal illness that is caused by asbestos fibers which collect in the lung. They then cause irritation to the linings of the ribcage (the the pleura), chest cavity and abdominal cavity. The inhalation of these small fibers can result in scarring of the lungs known as asbestosis and sometimes the development of thickened patches on the pleura referred to as plaques of pleura or an enlargement of fibrosis in the pleura called diffused pleural the fibrosis. Pleural plaques and diffused fibrisis reduce lung capacity as determined by breathing tests. They can also cause pain and difficulty in breathing, however they are not the cause of cancer or mesothelioma.
Most of the time, symptoms of asbestos-related diseases do not appear until decades after the initial exposure. This is because it could take between 20 to 50 years for the inhalation of asbestos fibers to cause lung damage. Workers who handled, cleaned and removed asbestos from the workplace as well as spouses, children, and others exposed to asbestos are at risk for developing mesothelioma.
Other asbestos-related diseases, in addition to mesothelioma, include laryngeal carcinoma and lung cancer as well as peritoneal, ovarian and peritoneal cancer. The most fatal mesothelioma type is ovarian cancer, but it's less frequent than the general mesothelioma. It is typically diagnosed later than other types of mesothelioma because it develops in the tissue of the reproductive organs, and the symptoms may be similar to those of other illnesses.
Several companies used
asbestos claim during the 20th century. They were aware that it was dangerous. If they didn't remove asbestos from their products, thousands of people were exposed. These people now have the right to seek financial compensation. Many
asbestos-related companies are bankrupt. The victims can now seek compensation from trust funds established by bankruptcy courts.
Asbestos Litigation in New York
For decades, asbestos companies have put profits ahead of the safety of their employees as well as consumers, manufacturing hazardous products, without warning of the risks. These companies are now facing the consequences of their inattention. People who have suffered from asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer are seeking fair and full settlement.
The attorneys at Belluck & Fox are dedicated to helping families and individuals get the justice they deserve. Our attorneys have more than 25 years of experience and have assisted our clients to receive millions of dollars of compensation. Our New York mesothelioma attorneys work to hold corporations accountable and obtain the maximum amount of compensation for our clients.
A number of states have established special asbestos courts in which claims can be filed and resolved more efficiently. Additionally judges have created specialized procedures to evaluate and resolve asbestos cases.
New York is one such state that has its own asbestos court, known as NYCAL. As asbestos victims continue to seek compensation from solvent asbestos defendants who have gone bankrupt and have been unable to pay, the workload of the court has been steadily increasing. In order to ensure that the justice system is not overwhelmed the New York Supreme Court has established a special judicial panel to oversee NYCAL.
A panel comprised of six Supreme Court judges will review every case filed in NYCAL to determine whether or not to accept it. Judges will also assess the merits of every claim to determine the amount of money each plaintiff should receive.
The panel is currently reviewing more than 3500 lawsuits. The panel is expected to issue its final decision by the end this year.
New York asbestos lawsuits can be complicated and involve multiple defendants. The lawyers at Belluck & Fox have extensive experience in the litigation of these difficult cases. They are knowledgeable of the asbestos courts in New York and their rules, regulations and policies and other jurisdictions where they have handled multi-district litigation.
The firm also has extensive experience as National Coordinating Counsel, representing clients in complex, multidistrict litigation. In this capacity, lawyers create strategies, coordinate and manage local and regional counsel, and ensure cost-effective, consistent defenses for every client. They have worked closely with trial and coordination judges and litigation special masters in the various jurisdictions where they were involved in asbestos litigation.
Representation of Plaintiffs
A Tulsa asbestos lawyer will determine what strategy is best to defend the client from an injury claim that involves asbestos.