Mesothelioma Legal Help

What Legal Options Do Mesothelioma Victims Have?

Mesothelioma cancer victims have two main legal options to obtain compensation.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Patients may be able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit to pursue compensation from the makers of asbestos-containing products. These manufacturers knew that asbestos was dangerous but used it anyway to keep making money. Mesothelioma lawsuits often award millions of dollars.

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Some asbestos companies filed for bankruptcy to avoid getting sued. However, many were forced to set aside money in trust funds to pay people who were harmed. Asbestos trust funds contain over $30 billion in total as of today.

Learn about getting mesothelioma legal help now by requesting a free consultation with our partner law firm Simmons Hanly Conroy.

Quick Facts on Mesothelioma Legal Help

• An asbestos lawyer can help mesothelioma patients file claims against multiple asbestos companies or trust funds.
• According to Mealey’s® Litigation Reports, mesothelioma lawsuits settle for an average of $1 million to $1.4 million. Mesothelioma trial verdicts typically award $5 million to $11.4 million on average.
• Veterans can file for VA benefits with mesothelioma legal help if their cancer was caused by military asbestos exposure.

Benefits of Mesothelioma Legal Help

Mesothelioma legal help allows families to pursue much-deserved compensation. This money can be used for medical bills, treatment-related travel costs, lost wages, and other expenses.

Learn about the ways that mesothelioma legal help may benefit you and your loved ones below.

Pursue Compensation for Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma treatments can be hard to afford for the thousands of families who are affected by this aggressive cancer each year.

On average, it can cost someone with mesothelioma patients over $500,000 to get treated.

Mesothelioma legal help allows you and your loved ones to seek compensation from negligent asbestos product manufacturers that you can apply toward your medical bills.

Provide Financial Security for Loved Ones

Beyond affording treatment, mesothelioma legal help can secure money to keep your family financially stable. This, in turn, can give you peace of mind — if anything should happen to you, your loved ones will be taken care of.

After his mesothelioma diagnosis, retired auto mechanic Arthur “Art” Putt sought legal help to cover his treatment and make sure his family would be taken care of. His lawyer filed a claim against Ford Motor Company for exposing him to asbestos products that made him sick. The case went to court, where a jury ruled in Art’s favor, resulting in a $34 million compensatory verdict.

Hold Negligent Asbestos Companies Accountable

You can hold manufacturers of asbestos-containing products accountable with mesothelioma legal help. Virtually the entire asbestos industry knew the deadly risks for decades but did nothing to protect workers and their families.

About 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually, and most die within five years. Filing a legal claim sends a clear message: Asbestos manufacturers cannot get away with the harm they caused.

Asbestos Trust Fund Compensation

Families affected by mesothelioma can use mesothelioma legal help to seek asbestos trust fund compensation. Many companies set up asbestos trust funds as part of bankruptcy deals after they faced mounting lawsuits.

Here’s how the asbestos trust funds process works:

1. Mesothelioma patients work with a lawyer to file a trust fund claim. This claim outlines how, when, and where the patient was exposed to asbestos and how this caused them to develop mesothelioma.
2. The victim’s lawyer sends the claim to the board of trustees (those operating the trust fund).
3. The board of trustees reviews the claim and awards compensation.

As of today, more than 60 companies have established asbestos trust funds. Many mesothelioma victims qualify to file claims with multiple trusts.

Lawsuits for Mesothelioma

Lawsuits are another common form of mesothelioma legal help. Learn more about the different mesothelioma lawsuit options below.

Mesothelioma Personal Injury Lawsuits

Personal injury lawsuits are filed directly against the companies that exposed a mesothelioma victim to asbestos.

Mesothelioma attorneys help families with personal injury lawsuits by:

1. Gathering evidence to find out how the victim developed mesothelioma
2. Determining which asbestos companies may be responsible
3. Filing asbestos lawsuits against these companies
4. Strengthening the case with additional evidence
5. Meeting with the opposing legal team to negotiate a settlement
6. Taking the mesothelioma case to trial, if needed

Your asbestos attorney can walk you through all the steps of the legal process. Ideally, a successful mesothelioma lawsuit will award enough money to cover the victim’s medical expenses and protect their family’s future.

Mesothelioma Wrongful Death Lawsuits

If an asbestos exposure victim dies from mesothelioma, their family or estate representative may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Wrongful death lawsuits must show how asbestos-containing products made by manufacturers caused or contributed to the person’s death. From there, a mesothelioma attorney can demand compensation from the asbestos companies responsible.

Request a free legal consultation to learn if your family may be able to pursue compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death mesothelioma lawsuit.

Mesothelioma Class-Action Lawsuits

In the 1990s, one of the most popular mesothelioma legal help options was a class-action lawsuit.

These lawsuits allowed groups of victims to file one collective lawsuit against a company. In return, each victim received the same amount of money. However, victims of asbestos exposure often did not receive a fair amount of money back from class-action lawsuits.

For this reason, mesothelioma class-action lawsuits are rarely filed today. Personal injury lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits, and asbestos trust fund claims are much better options for those affected by mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Case Values

Each lawsuit has a case value, which is how much money the victim can expect to receive. The average mesothelioma case value depends on whether or not the case is settled out of court or goes to trial.

Mesothelioma Settlements

The average mesothelioma settlement awards victims between $1 million and 1.4 million. How much money you could obtain depends on several factors, including how many companies are sued.

Notable mesothelioma settlements include:

• $12 million to a former laborer with pleural mesothelioma
• $10.5 million to a former pipefitter and maintenance worker
• $6.5 million to a man who worked as a boilermaker and in other high-risk asbestos jobs
• $4.1 million to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former carpenter

You may qualify for settlements from dozens of manufacturers, depending on which asbestos-based products you were exposed to.

Mesothelioma Verdicts

Only about 1% of the mesothelioma lawsuits our partner law firm handles go to trial. If a mesothelioma case goes to trial, a judge or jury ultimately decides how much money (if any) will be awarded. Both legal teams present their cases, and the judge or jury issues a mesothelioma verdict.

Notable mesothelioma verdicts include:

• $250 million to a former steelworker from Indiana
• $40 million to a veteran exposed to asbestos on Navy ships
• $30 million to a former construction supervisor from California
• $7 million to a welder from Pennsylvania

Trials do come with more risk than mesothelioma settlements, though. If the judge or jury sides with the asbestos company, you could get no money. Further, even if the verdict is in your favor, the asbestos company could try to overturn it.

All of these risks make trials more expensive and time-consuming than settlements, which is why lawyers will almost always try to settle the case if possible.

How Long Does a Mesothelioma Lawsuit Last?

Verdict and settlement timelines for mesothelioma lawsuits vary with each case. That said, many clients who have worked with our partner law firm Simmons Hanly Conroy have started to get the first payouts from their lawsuits in 90 days or less.

Working With a Mesothelioma Lawyer

A reputable asbestos attorney is best equipped to provide mesothelioma legal advice and effectively manage your case. Qualified mesothelioma lawyers have decades of experience filing these types of claims and know how to build strong cases on behalf of their clients.

The best mesothelioma lawyers:

• Determine when, where, and how the victim’s asbestos exposure happened
• Have a proven track record of successfully handling asbestos cases
• Understand each state’s time limits on filing a case
• Fight to maximize lawsuit settlement payouts for their clients

General personal injury lawyers may not understand how to get the most value from a mesothelioma claim. Mesothelioma attorneys specifically focus on these types of lawsuits, which means their clients are in the best hands possible.

Get a free legal consultation today to find the right mesothelioma lawyer for your case.

Finding Legal Help From a Mesothelioma Law Firm

Top asbestos lawyers work at renowned mesothelioma law firms that have helped thousands of families affected by asbestos exposure pursue compensation.

The best mesothelioma law firms have: 

• Experience: It is key to work with a law firm that has handled other cases successfully. Ask your firm about settlements and verdicts it’s secured for past clients.
• National reach: Large mesothelioma law firms are licensed to file asbestos claims in any state. These law firms can also send lawyers to meet with you to discuss the case at no cost to you.
• Resources: Top law firms have archives of information about the asbestos industry and previous claims they’ve handled to support your case.

Local or general law firms may not have the resources available to help mesothelioma victims recover the maximum compensation.

Get Mesothelioma Legal Advice Today

Mesothelioma legal help is crucial for people diagnosed with this cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.

Without it, victims and their family members may have to spend half a million dollars — or more — to afford the high treatment costs. However, the amount of time to take legal action is limited.

To get personalized mesothelioma legal advice, get a free case review today. Our team can determine what legal options may be available to you.