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Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can overwhelm you and your family with medical and financial concerns. You may also be trying to understand how you were exposed to asbestos decades ago. A Scranton mesothelioma lawyer can help you determine where you may have been exposed at work.
Mesothelioma cases in Scranton may go through the Lackawanna County Courthouse located at 200 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Some mesothelioma cases may be heard at the state or federal level if your attorney deems it appropriate to take on complex asbestos litigation.
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Kelley Ferraro, LLC, has been assisting asbestos exposure victims, catastrophic injury victims, and surviving families for nearly three decades. The firm has worked on nearly 55,000 asbestos cases nationwide and recovered over $1 billion for our asbestos and mesothelioma clients. However, past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.
Our cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not owe us attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Mesothelioma can take years to diagnose after exposure. That means your Scranton mesothelioma attorney has to handle fact-finding to determine where you were exposed. Many workers were exposed to asbestos while working in industries that used it for insulation, floor tiles, industrial pipes, machinery, equipment, and buildings.
Your lawyer should review your medical records, work history, military history, and known locations of exposure. Many mesothelioma cases involve exposure to asbestos at multiple jobs. Your attorney can file a claim in court and determine if you are eligible to file a claim with an asbestos trust. Asbestos trusts were created by companies that went bankrupt from compensating victims through claims.
After safety standards were not enforced by the federal government, regulations were put into place by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. The federal government issued asbestos regulations, but unfortunately, many workers were exposed before these regulations existed.
The parties that may be responsible for your exposure can vary from case to case. When pursuing an asbestos claim, numerous entities could be held accountable for your illness. Given asbestos’s widespread use in countless products, numerous companies could be held responsible. Some parties that may be responsible for your mesothelioma diagnosis include:
Some common work sites in Scranton that exposed workers to asbestos include railroad companies, coal companies, shipbuilding, industrial maintenance, manufacturing, and construction companies that used asbestos in buildings. Family members can even be exposed to secondary exposure by bringing asbestos home on their clothes or equipment.
There are countless companies that have gone out of business and others that have filed for bankruptcy, but that does not mean that you cannot recover compensation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,669 cases of mesothelioma were reported in the United States in 2022. The average age upon diagnosis is 72, and the condition usually manifests after the fifth decade of life.
Every mesothelioma victim’s situation is different, and compensation is determined on a case-by-case basis. Some factors that can impact your compensation include how much you were exposed to, how far your illness has progressed, medical bills, and lost wages.
Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis opens avenues for filing a claim, submitting a claim to an asbestos trust, obtaining a settlement, or, for those who have passed, a wrongful death claim can be brought by their surviving family. Some types of compensation you may be entitled to include:
The rarity of mesothelioma, coupled with its significant treatment expenses, creates a difficult situation. Families can have a lot of money in medical bills and lose income if they are no longer able to work. Traveling to and from treatments can also be factored into your compensation since many patients have to travel to see mesothelioma professionals.
A Scranton mesothelioma lawyer can work with victims and families to understand their legal rights and may be able to determine where an exposure may have occurred related to industrial sites around Northeastern Pennsylvania. Countless workers were exposed to asbestos and never informed about the hazards of asbestos exposure, while some companies knew about the potential danger. When you hire a mesothelioma lawyer, they can help you seek compensation.
Most mesothelioma claims are filed as individual claims today, as opposed to class actions. Due to the unique nature of each individual’s exposure to asbestos, disease diagnosis, and economic damages, mesothelioma cases are usually treated on an individual basis by the courts.
In the history of asbestos litigation, however, some claims have been managed as multi-district litigation or otherwise coordinated proceedings with large groups of plaintiffs with common claims against asbestos producers and other companies.
Most mesothelioma attorneys take cases on a contingency fee basis. Clients usually do not owe any attorney fees up front. Legal fees are typically taken as a portion of the settlement or verdict obtained in your case. This allows victims and their families to file an asbestos claim without incurring any out-of-pocket expenses for legal help.
Asbestos exposure victims diagnosed with mesothelioma may be able to file a claim against the responsible companies. Many of these claims target asbestos manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, or employers who failed to warn workers of asbestos hazards. In some cases, surviving family members can file a wrongful death claim after their loved one passes away from mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma settlements can range from a few thousand dollars to multi-million dollar verdicts. The settlement amount hinges on numerous elements like medical bills, the seriousness of the illness, how much asbestos exposure occurred, who the defendants are, and the resources within asbestos trusts. Some cases settle, and some go to trial.
Categories of compensation include payment for treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Every case is different, so it’s hard to predict an average settlement for mesothelioma.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Kelley Ferraro, LLC, can help you. We understand mesothelioma laws and can help build you a strong case. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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