You’ve heard about asbestos. Perhaps you’ve seen it in old buildings or heard about its dangers. But did you realize that exposure to this toxic substance can result in life-altering ailments such as mesothelioma?
What’s worse, many companies deliberately exposed their employees to asbestos for decades. Now, victims are pushing back — and winning. In fact, lawsuits against these companies have yielded judgments of up to $42.6 million (yes, you read that right). Fortunately, if you or a family member has received a mesothelioma diagnosis, there is hope. Legal options through lawsuits and asbestos trust funds may be available for you and the process may not be as complicated as you imagined.
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about mesothelioma lawsuits, from how they work to where to start to what kind of compensation you could be eligible for. So pour yourself a cup of coffee, get comfortable and let’s dig in.
How Much Money Do You Get From A Mesothelioma Lawsuit?
Let’s face it: money talks. After all, the medical bills are piling up quickly when you’ve got something as serious as mesothelioma to manage. Fortunately, the settlements and judgments in these cases can be large. The average asbestos settlement is between $100,000 and $1 million+ from asbestos trust funds or a lawsuit. Some of those cases yield awards topping $10 million, as in the jaw-dropping $42.6 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson.
But here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind: These are outlier numbers; not every case is going to reach those astronomically high figures. How much you can get depends on a variety of factors, such as:
- How you were exposed: Were you exposed to asbestos on the job or at home — or both?
- Your diagnosis: Is mesothelioma, lung cancer or another asbestos disease?
- Your medical costs: What have you spent on treatments, surgeries and drugs?
- The quality of your evidence: Do you have strong evidence connecting your illness to asbestos exposure?
It is worth noting that large verdicts almost always get appealed, and final payouts were often reduced. Still, even small settlements can go a long way in relieving financial strain.
Where Do You File Your Claim?
There are resources and people available to help. One possibility is to contact companies such as Legal Claim Assistant that focus on pairing victims with trained lawyers. Another option would be to call trustworthy law firms such as Showard Law Firm (who specializes in mesothelioma cases).
These are very experienced with asbestos lawsuits and they will be able to help you through the whole thing. And not to mention, the majority of them will give you free consultations so you can consider your options without having to pay a penny upfront.
What to Do and How to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit
Now for the process itself. Something that intimidates a lot people, I think, is filing a lawsuit but it turns out to be easier than you would expect. Here’s how it works:
Request a Free Case Review
Simple: contact a lawyer or a legal services agency. Many provide free case evaluations online or by telephone. During this first consultation, you will explain your circumstances and learn if you have a case.
Gather Evidence
To make a strong case, you’ll need to offer proof of two main things:
- Exposure to asbestos: Examples could be your employment history, descriptions of your workplace or paperwork indicating that you were exposed to asbestos.
- Mesothelioma diagnosis : Medical documentation to prove your illness is critical. This serves to place a direct connection between the exposure and your present condition.
File Your Claim
After your attorney collects all the relevant information, they will determine if you should file a lawsuit on your own or if you should join a mass tort claim. There are good and bad points with each of these methods, but it is up to your attorney to decide which one is best set to your own case.
Understand Contingency Fees
Good news on that front: most mesothelioma lawyers work on a contingency fee. That means you owe nothing unless you win your case. If you win, your attorney will collect a percentage of the settlement (typically between 1/3 and 1/4). There are no upfront fees, no hidden costs; it is charged with making justice attainable.
What About Asbestos Trust Funds?
Some claims never make it to court. Lawsuits have bankrupted many of the companies that used asbestos. But before closing shop, those companies had to establish asbestos trust funds to pay out future victims. Right now, these programs are sitting on billions of dollars set aside for people just like you.
Making a claim from an asbestos trust fund is basically like suing someone. You’ll still need to establish your exposure and diagnosis, but the process tends to happen more quickly because you’re not going to trial. Your lawyer can help you figure out if going after a trust fund claim is something that fits for you.
