Asbestos Settlement Amounts
Many victims require a large settlement to cover medical expenses, travel expenses and other financial losses. A skilled mesothelioma attorney can help determine possible compensation amounts for clients.
While going to trial can increase mesothelioma compensations, the majority of cases result in a settlement. Settlements are reached by negotiations with asbestos companies.
Thomas Brown's $300 Million Verdict
Thomas Brown used to work on oil drilling rigs in Mississippi as a "roughneck", the term used by locals for those who do tough manual labor. His job involved pouring bags of additives into mud in the oil field to accelerate drilling. The bags, which he did not know about mixed in the workplace included asbestos. He was diagnosed with asbestosis at 48 and needed oxygen 24 hours a day. The jury awarded him $300 million in punitive damages. This was the biggest asbestos verdict ever given to one plaintiff.
Union Carbide Corp. was severely impacted by the award, since they manufacture the asbestos-containing product Brown used. The company asked Circuit Judge Eddie Bowen to toss the verdict not long after the record award was handed down. They also requested that he quit, claiming he was biased and prejudiced against them, as evidenced by his rulings, comments made in front of the jurors, and coaching Brown's lawyers when questioning witnesses.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff claimed that defendants were aware of the risks associated the product but failed to warn him or other workers. The jury concluded that the defendants were negligent in causing the plaintiff's illness. In addition, the jury determined that he would have suffered less severe consequences if he had been provided with warning labels on the contaminated soil.
Asbestos lawyers are adept at advocating for the rights of their clients in court. They are skilled both at the appellate and trial levels, combining expert advice with aggressive advocacy to achieve their client's legal objectives. They have handled many complex cases in multiple jurisdictions and are highly regarded for their accomplishments.
The Canadian community is still unable to figure out how their friend died. KENS 5 previously reported that the district attorney's office had not presented the case before a grand jury since it was suicide. The attorney general released 249 pages of papers the night before the town hall stating that there was no evidence that proves Thomas committed suicide.
Roby Whittington's $250 million verdict
Simmons Hanly Conroy is a national firm that is a specialist in asbestos and mesothelioma law.
Asbestos attorneys from the firm secured the verdict of $250 million for Roby Whittington, a former steel mill worker. This is the largest mesothelioma case verdict in Madison County, Illinois. The mesothelioma lawyers of the firm have handled a variety of asbestos cases. A significant portion of them involved exposure to industrial substances.
The case centered on Whittington's job at the U.S. Steel Gary Works plant in Indiana. He worked there from 1950 until 1981. In his lawsuit, he claimed that the company failed to warn him about the dangers of working in an environment which was highly contaminated with asbestos.
A jury awarded the retired steel worker $50 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages. The retired steel worker also received lifetime medical expenses. Simmons lawyers Hanly Conroy were successful in obtaining this huge award due to their experience handling large mesothelioma cases. Attorneys like Randall Bono and Perry Browder spend hours building asbestos cases for their clients making sure that the firm's use their resources effectively to achieve the best results.
In the Whittington asbestos case, the
asbestos attorneys were able to use preemptive challenges against John Crane Inc. when juror selection was taking place. This allowed them to strike prospective jurors that seemed favorable to the defense. In a mesothelioma case against Daimler-Chrysler in a similar situation, Matushek used the same method to strike prospective jurors that appeared favorable to the defense.
Steel mill workers are at a high risk of developing mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. This is due to the fact that they are often exposed asbestos-based toxic substances while working with boilers and other machinery. They can also be exposed to asbestos while cleaning up and fixing the machinery.
Those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma are urged to contact a qualified lawyer immediately. The mesothelioma attorneys at Simmons Hanly Conroy have experience bringing corporations to account for exposure to asbestos. They have secured multi-million dollar verdicts in
asbestos lawsuits against companies like U.S. Steel and Georgia Pacific and companies that did not manufacture asbestos but used the product in their factories.
Nancy Lopez's $10 million verdict
Nancy Lopez, who died of mesothelioma in 2010 was a litigator that took decades to reach its final resolution. Like many other plaintiffs who were diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestosis-related illnesses, she fought for compensation from the companies who exposed them to this harmful substance.
In her case she was awarded $10 million after determining that her mesothelioma was caused due to her exposure to asbestos while working on the Jackson County Courthouse renovation project between 1983 and 1984. Her heirs filed a lawsuit against the county and US Engineering Company (the firm who carried out the renovations in 1983 and 1984) to seek compensation.
The verdict also set an important precedent in law. Missouri's Supreme Court decided that workers who breathed in harmful substances and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma should be paid for medical expenses. The asbestos fibers that cause these diseases don't break down and remain in the lungs for years before symptoms show.
Although the award will not bring Lopez back, it does send a powerful message that the courts are on the side of those who have suffered from asbestosis. The lawsuit also opened the door for others to seek financial compensation from companies responsible for their exposure.
If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, your attorney will immediately start to gather information about your exposure to asbestos as well as the companies at fault. Once your attorney has the evidence needed, they can file the claim with the defendants. Both sides can then begin sharing information during the discovery phase and seek the settlement.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos trusts are the only way for asbestos victims to receive compensation from companies that deceived or concealed the dangers of asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. As asbestos-related lawsuits flooded the courts in the 1970s, a lot of these companies declared bankruptcy and established trusts to pay those who were owed. Lawsuits against these companies are typically shortened or dismissed in favor of an asbestos trust payout.
The trusts are administered by a bankruptcy trustee, not a judge or jury. Mesothelioma attorneys will collaborate with trust administrators to ensure that your claim meets all of the requirements. These include documentation of your exposure, a confirmation of your diagnosis and a determination that your disease was caused by the company you worked for. Your lawyer will also assist you to resolve any disagreements with the amount you are entitled to depending on your specific life circumstances and unique mesothelioma symptoms.
Each asbestos bankruptcy trust has its own guidelines for compensating asbestos-related victims. The Trust Distribution Procedure (TDP) is a method, referred to as Trust Distribution Procedure, is used to determine the amount of money that a victim receives according to their type and severity. These guidelines are based on the severity of the disease and are used to ensure everyone is treated fairly. The disease level for mesothelioma will always differ, but other asbestos-related diseases might have different levels of disease.
Your asbestos lawyers will submit an appeal on your behalf if you are eligible for an expedited review. The process can be completed in about 90 days, and you will be awarded a fixed amount in accordance with the
asbestos attorneys bankruptcy trust's established guidelines for your diagnosed disease. The simplified process can be beneficial for those who have a limited time to submit a legal claim before the time limit expires.
The asbestos bankruptcy trust will evaluate your case on an individual basis in the event that you are not eligible for the speedy review. This will take longer, but the trustees will carefully examine your evidence of exposure to asbestos and your medical history to determine how much you should receive in accordance with your diagnosis.