Call Us :216-575-0777
Call Us :216-575-0777
Getting a diagnosis of mesothelioma can impact almost every aspect of your life. Suddenly, you are faced with medical bills, financial stress, and wondering where you were exposed to asbestos decades ago while working in Ohio. An Ohio mesothelioma lawyer can help you and your family investigate potential exposure and file an asbestos claim or asbestos trust fund claim to seek compensation.
Workers in Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Youngstown, Cincinnati, and throughout Ohio were routinely exposed to asbestos in factories, steel mills, power plants, shipyards, and construction sites before the risks were known.
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For almost three decades, Kelley Ferraro, LLC, has worked with victims of asbestos exposure, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death. Our law firm has handled nearly 55,000 asbestos cases nationwide and recovered over $1 billion for our asbestos clients and mesothelioma victims. Keep in mind that past results are not a guarantee of a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.
The firm handles mesothelioma cases throughout Ohio, but also works with attorneys nationwide on complex asbestos litigation and has appeared in dozens of state and federal courts across the United States.
The firm has an extensive asbestos litigation practice with a focus on the preparation and trial of these complex cases involving corporate negligence and occupational asbestos exposure.
We also have significant experience in class action and multi-district litigation involving dangerous products, harmful drugs, and other large-scale injury cases. Asbestos cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, which means that clients do not owe attorney fees unless we recover compensation on their behalf.
Mesothelioma is a cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers can easily be inhaled or swallowed and then become lodged in the lining of your lungs, abdomen, or heart. Over many years, these fibers can cause inflammation and damage that leads to mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type and affects the lining around the lungs. However, there are two other types. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen, and pericardial mesothelioma affects the tissue that surrounds the heart. It may take 20 to 50 years before you develop symptoms of mesothelioma.
For retired workers, this can make determining where you were exposed very difficult. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, fatigue, abdominal swelling, and unexplained weight loss. Unfortunately, these symptoms are also common in many other illnesses, and as a result, mesothelioma can be diagnosed at a late stage.
Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10 places a statute of limitations on how long you have to file an asbestos claim. Due to the complicated history of exposure that most mesothelioma patients have, this can be extremely important.
Ohio has a long history of industrial jobs that exposed workers to asbestos. Many of these workers came in direct contact with the material or worked with products that could release asbestos fibers into the air.
Cities like Cleveland and Youngstown were home to many steel production facilities and industrial manufacturers where asbestos insulation was used around furnaces, pipes, boilers, and heavy machinery.
Akron was also home to a rubber and tire production industry that used many heat-resistant industrial products containing asbestos. Toledo was home to many automotive factories and parts manufacturers that used asbestos in brakes, clutches, gaskets, and insulation products.
Asbestos was also found in commercial buildings and power plants all over Ohio. Offices, buildings, schools, factories, and industrial workplaces in Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati installed asbestos insulation, floor tiles, ceiling materials, and fireproofing supplies. Many of these materials can still be found in older buildings today. Renovation and demolition crews can also be at risk. Industries that commonly used asbestos include:
In some cases, asbestos exposure can even affect family members. If someone worked with the materials during the day, family members were exposed to the asbestos fibers they brought home on their clothing. Washing their work uniforms or growing up in a home where asbestos was on the clothing could lead to family members developing an asbestos-related illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,669 cases of mesothelioma were reported in the United States in 2022. This equaled a rate of 0.6 per 100,000 people. This rate was higher for men, with the rate being 1.0 as opposed to 0.4 for women.
Jobs that required years of work in factories, construction, and maintenance fields were historically at risk for asbestos exposure. Many workers used these products every day without realizing the damage that they could cause. Workers most affected by mesothelioma include:
Since mesothelioma takes years to develop, many of the people who are diagnosed today were exposed to asbestos at the start of their careers. Mesothelioma typically affects retired workers, causing financial strain when they need to pay for extensive medical treatments.
Mesothelioma patients and their families have options to help recover compensation to cover the cost of a diagnosis. Since there are many companies that have manufactured asbestos or supplied it to other businesses, there could be more than one party responsible for your exposure. When you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you can file a personal injury claim to recover damages. Families can also file wrongful death claims if their loved one dies from mesothelioma.
Another option that may be available is to file a claim with an asbestos trust fund. Asbestos trust funds are set up by asbestos companies that have gone bankrupt due to the large amount of asbestos claims they faced.
It is not uncommon for an asbestos claim to involve more than one state. Many law firms that handle nationwide asbestos cases work with multiple jurisdictions throughout the country and can help you file a claim even if your exposure happened in another state.
It is important to hire a mesothelioma lawyer for a variety of reasons. Not only do you have limited time to file a claim, but you also need someone to help you investigate where you were exposed.
Finding out where you were exposed to asbestos can include looking through old employment records, union records, military records, and old job sites. You need to consider every job you have had to determine where the exposure may have occurred. Our asbestos lawyers have access to databases and records that can help identify where you may have been exposed.
An Ohio mesothelioma attorney can help you navigate the legal process and identify possible exposure locations. They can also identify whether you can file a claim against an asbestos trust fund or if you should file a claim.
A: Damages may be available from a number of sources depending on the circumstances of the asbestos exposure. Defendants usually include asbestos product manufacturers, contractors, suppliers, or companies that purchased products containing asbestos.
In addition, many companies that have filed bankruptcy due to asbestos claims have set up trust funds to provide compensation for future claimants. Multiple companies can be liable if a worker was exposed to asbestos at different job sites or by multiple employers during their career.
A: The statute of limitations on asbestos claims in Ohio is typically two years. Ohio law typically places a statute of limitations on asbestos claims that starts ticking when a person learns or should have learned of their asbestos-related disease. Ohio courts have jurisdiction over many asbestos personal injury claims. Laws for wrongful death claims may have different filing requirements. Your family should be aware of how time may impact your legal rights.
A: Mesothelioma claims usually need to establish that a plaintiff was exposed to asbestos and subsequently developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of that exposure. Your case could be strengthened by presenting medical records, pathology findings, work history, military service documentation, and proof of asbestos product exposure. Many cases also require showing that manufacturers or employers did not properly warn workers of known asbestos hazards.
A: Mesothelioma settlements range dramatically due to illness severity, medical bills, exposure levels, number of liable companies, insurance amounts, and asbestos trust fund dollars. Some awards can reach high figures as mesothelioma is a devastating disease with high mortality. Everyone’s situation is unique, and you deserve compensation based on the facts of your case.
Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can leave families with questions. They may wonder what types of medical treatment are available. They may worry about how they can pay bills or if they can receive any type of financial compensation. They may even wonder how their loved one was exposed to asbestos many years ago.
At Kelley Ferraro, LLC, we have represented thousands of individuals and families affected by asbestos-related illnesses for almost three decades in Ohio and nationwide. We understand mesothelioma laws and can help you with your case. Contact us today for more information.
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