Missouri Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma is a terminal form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Over the past several decades, thousands of people in Missouri and throughout the US have been diagnosed with mesothelioma because of asbestos exposure in various places. In Missouri, shipyards, mining operations, factories, and construction sites have historically been high-risk locations for exposure. If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a Missouri mesothelioma lawyer can help.

Representing Mesothelioma Cases in Missouri

The team at Kelley Ferraro, LLC has almost 30 years of experience representing clients nationwide in mesothelioma cases. We have handled more than 55,000 cases and have recovered more than $1 billion in compensation for our clients, and we are confident we can provide unmatched representation for your mesothelioma case in Missouri. We accept cases that many other attorneys won’t because of the volume of work they require.

When you hire a mesothelioma lawyer at Kelley Ferraro, LLC to represent you, you can rest assured that our firm will help you thoroughly explore all of your legal options in response to your diagnosis with mesothelioma. In every case we accept, our goal is to help our client prove the source of the asbestos exposure that caused their mesothelioma and pursue as much compensation as possible for all related damages.

Time is a crucial concern for any mesothelioma case in Missouri. It can be very difficult to trace the source of the asbestos exposure that caused your illness, and this is a terminal form of cancer with a relatively short life expectancy for most diagnoses. Our team is ready to leverage our skills and experience to help you build a cohesive case, and you can trust us to provide unwavering support throughout the difficult proceedings ahead.

Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma in Missouri

Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma. For many years throughout the US, asbestos was widely used in many applications, primarily for its fireproofing and insulating capabilities. Thousands of buildings throughout Missouri contained asbestos, and many people worked in industries that posed consistent risks of asbestos exposure. Over time, the health risks became apparent, and asbestos use declined dramatically across the country.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma has a very long latency period. About 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the US each year, despite the fact that the health risks of this substance are now widely understood. Many cases today result from exposure that occurred decades ago, making it very difficult for some individuals to accurately trace the source of the exposure that caused their mesothelioma.

Asbestos fibers are very small, and they are light enough to remain suspended in still air for long periods of time. When any asbestos-containing material is disturbed or damaged, it can release these fibers into the air, where they could be inhaled or attach to skin or clothing. Once these fibers enter the body, they can become embedded in tissues and gradually form mesothelioma.

Pleural mesothelioma forms in the lungs when asbestos particles are inhaled; it is the most common form of this disease. Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the abdomen after asbestos is accidentally ingested or otherwise absorbed into the abdominal organs. One of the most difficult aspects of this disease is the very long latency period between exposure and the first appearance of symptoms. It often takes decades for mesothelioma symptoms to appear.

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are often mistaken for other, less serious illnesses, and this can further delay treatment. Once someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the average five-year survival rate depends on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. For localized mesothelioma that has not spread, the average five-year survival rate is about 23%. Once it has spread to distant parts of the body, this rate drops to just 11%.

Building Your Mesothelioma Case in Missouri

Over the past several decades, many Missouri industries have posed asbestos exposure risks to workers, including factory work, construction, mining, and shipbuilding. If you used to work in any industry that poses an asbestos exposure risk, it’s vital to hire a mesothelioma lawyer who can help you trace the most likely source. This will determine your legal options.

Many companies in Missouri and throughout the US have been required to create mesothelioma injury trusts. Each year, these trusts pay out billions in compensation to those adversely affected by these companies’ products and operations. Your Missouri mesothelioma attorney can determine whether you are eligible to file a claim to one of these trusts and, if so, guide you through the filing process.

If you believe you were exposed to asbestos at your current job, you may have grounds to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. Many private employers in Missouri are required to have this insurance, and many regular workers are covered. You should notify your employer as soon as possible of your diagnosis, and your Missouri mesothelioma lawyer at Kelley Ferraro, LLC can help you file your claim for workers’ compensation benefits.

A claim to a mesothelioma injury trust or a workers’ compensation claim may provide some compensation, but these options are unlikely to fully compensate all of the damages you are eligible to claim for your mesothelioma diagnosis. While they are absolutely still worth exploring when available to you, it’s vital to consult your attorney to determine whether you have grounds to file a personal injury case for toxic exposure.

If a specific party is directly responsible for the asbestos exposure that caused your condition, this can form the basis for a mesothelioma injury claim, and you may be able to recover substantial compensation from the defendant responsible for your exposure. Success with any personal injury case in Missouri requires proof that the defendant is directly responsible for causing your claimed economic and non-economic damages.

Recovering Compensation for Mesothelioma in Missouri

When you are eligible to file a personal injury case for asbestos exposure, a skilled attorney can help you prove the full scope of the damages you are eligible to claim. In most of these cases, plaintiffs are eligible to seek compensation for medical expenses and lost income. You have the right to seek repayment for the full cost of the medical treatment you require, including future palliative care.

Most mesothelioma cases are diagnosed later in life, often after retirement. However, if you were forced to stop working sooner than expected because of your diagnosis, then you may be eligible to claim compensation for the income you are no longer able to earn. Your attorney can help you calculate these losses and add them to your claim.

In addition to your economic damages, you also have the right to seek pain and suffering compensation with your personal injury case. Mesothelioma causes painful symptoms, and cancer treatment often entails debilitating side effects. The psychological shock of receiving a terminal diagnosis is also difficult to accept, so you need to hire a mesothelioma lawyer you can trust to help you seek as much compensation as possible for your pain and suffering.

In some mesothelioma personal injury cases, defendants are compelled to pay punitive damages in addition to the other damages owed to plaintiffs. This is typically done in response to egregious negligence, illegal misconduct, or failure to comply with asbestos regulations. If this could be a factor in your case, your attorney can explain what to expect.

How Your Missouri Mesothelioma Lawyer Can Help

The team at Kelley Ferraro, LLC can provide compassionate, results-driven legal counsel when you need it most for a mesothelioma case in Missouri. Our firm has resolved many challenging cases on behalf of clients statewide, and we know the challenges you might face and how to overcome them. Once you hire a mesothelioma lawyer at our firm, we will immediately investigate your case.

We can review decades’ worth of records to assist you in determining the most likely source of the asbestos exposure that caused your mesothelioma. We can assist you with filing a claim to a mesothelioma injury trust, pursuing workers’ compensation benefits through your employer, or building a personal injury case on your behalf. We can also provide wrongful death counsel if a family member has died from mesothelioma in Missouri.

Our firm can provide comprehensive support for all of your recovery efforts. When you have grounds to file a personal injury case for mesothelioma, we will prepare your case for trial, even if we think we can settle. This approach prepares us in case litigation is unavoidable and strengthens your negotiating position during settlement attempts.

We accept most of these cases on a contingency fee basis, so there is no upfront cost to hire our firm. When we secure compensation for you, the contingency fee is a percentage of the total recovery. However, there is no cost to you if we are unable to obtain compensation in your case for any reason. The first steps you take following a mesothelioma diagnosis in Missouri are crucial. You need to find legal counsel you can trust right away, as you have limited time to pursue accountability and compensation. The team at Kelley Ferraro, LLC is confident we can provide unmatched representation for your case, so contact us today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced Missouri mesothelioma lawyer. We look forward to representing you.