Asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits allow the victims of asbestos disease and their loved ones to receive compensation for the life-changing consequences caused by asbestos exposure.
Unfortunately, holding liable corporations accountable for the afflicted individual’s exposure to asbestos cannot undo the physical and emotional damage already done; financial compensation will not turn back the clock. However, compensation can aid the victim and their loved ones as they cope with the reality of living with the diseases of asbestos exposure.
In this first part of a two-part series, we will discuss why individuals have a right to file a lawsuit against the companies responsible for their wrongful asbestos exposure.
Asbestos & Mesothelioma Lawsuits (Part 2 of 2): Who Is Liable?
If you are the victim of asbestos disease, you will benefit from filing an asbestos lawsuit. Read on to learn why and who may be liable to pay you the fair and just compensation you deserve.
Reasons to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit
For many decades, asbestos product manufacturers and related companies wrongfully exposed their customers, their employees, and other innocent groups, including:
- Military Personnel,
- Laborers, and
- The Families of These Groups.
Manufacturers and companies knew of the dangers of asbestos beginning in the early 20th century. From then on, as the evidence of the mineral’s harmful effects only continued to mount, the asbestos industry increased its efforts to hide the knowledge of these dangers from the public to maximize profits.
Even short-term asbestos exposure can cause Mesothelioma, the most deadly and well-known of the asbestos diseases. Long-term exposure can also drastically increase an individual’s risk of developing other severe illnesses, including:
- Asbestosis,
- Colorectal Cancer,
- Esophageal Cancer,
- Laryngeal Cancer and
- Lung Cancer.
Who Is Eligible for Asbestos Compensation?
Individuals entitled to mesothelioma compensation, of course, include the patient themself. However, the patient is often not the only person affected. Spouses, children, siblings, and parents of the sick often experience severe personal and human losses when a loved one is diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer or health condition.
These losses can include:
- Financial Instability,
- Terrible Pain and Suffering, which erodes the very quality of life and
- Loss of human companionship when an important loved one is taken away through injury or death.
Eligibility of the Patient & Family Members
If the asbestos disease patient lives, they have the right to file a lawsuit for the damages suffered. A spouse may also have a claim for loss of consortium, which is designed to allow that spouse to recover for the impact the asbestos disease has on the marital relationship (e.g., loss of care, love, and affection).
In the event of death, family members may continue with a lawsuit previously filed by the asbestos patient or file a separate lawsuit if the asbestos disease victim had not filed one while alive. In either case, this is known as an action for Wrongful Death.
State statutes govern Wrongful Death suits and can differ materially from state to state. For example, Missouri has a hierarchy of possible proper plaintiffs in a Wrongful Death action. Spouses, children (or their issue, if the children predeceased the victim), and parents of the deceased take priority. If the decedent left no such relatives, siblings (or their descendants) may bring a claim.
O’Brien Law attorneys are happy to discuss these issues at the outset of a Wrongful Death case so that all interested parties understand the provisions of these laws.
Call Qualified Attorneys and Receive Your Asbestos Compensation
You are entitled to compensation if asbestos exposure has left you and your loved ones suffering from life-altering health conditions.
At The O’Brien Law Firm, we provide comprehensive legal services. Your asbestos lawsuit receives intensive attention to the details from our experienced attorneys, who commit themselves to helping you obtain the compensation you are entitled to and deserve.
Call us when you are ready to file an asbestos lawsuit, and we’ll see that you receive the fair and just compensation you deserve.
To inquire about The O’Brien Law Firm’s services, please complete our online contact form. You may also call our office at (314) 588-0558!