5 Asbestos Litigation Group Projects For Every Budget

Asbestos Litigation Group

Whether you're working on asbestos litigation or another toxic tort, you'll need a firm that can offer complete assistance. That includes providing electronic discovery management, high-tech deposition services; as well as an extensive solution for managing large amounts of case information.

This group is open to Regular, Life, Sustaining and President's Club AAJ members. It meets at the AAJ Annual and Winter conventions.

Asbestos Litigation History

Anna Pirskowski filed the first asbestos lawsuit in 1929 at Newark federal court in 1929. The case was dismissed, but it triggered an entire decade of effort by asbestos firms to compensate victims for their exposure.

In the 1960s health researchers began to discover a link between asbestos and certain diseases such as mesothelioma. The asbestos industry attempted to keep these findings quiet however, news articles about the research began to circulate. Workers' unions and other organizations began to demand that asbestos manufacturers be forced to inform people about the dangers of this dangerous mineral.

During this time, numerous asbestos manufacturers were found to be negligent and ordered to compensate victims. This was made possible by laws that require anyone creating dangerous products to inform consumers so they can protect themselves.

In the 1980s, asbestos attorneys litigation began to evolve. Instead of focusing on miners and asbestos manufacturers, lawyers represented those exposed to asbestos in various other workplaces. These included shipyards, refineries railways, power plants, and power stations. These claims typically became large class actions.

One of the biggest problems with this pattern of litigation was that many plaintiffs' lawyers took on too many tasks. They were specialized in contacting and coordinating clients to file lawsuits in large quantities. They wanted to take over the judiciary and defendants with these massive filings.

Many firms representing plaintiffs were more focused on making profits than looking after their injured clients. Some firms screened their clients with mobile vans that emit radiographs, and refused compensation if serious illnesses like mesothelioma developed.

The lawyers at Kazan Law specialize in representing individuals diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases which include mesothelioma. They have been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as "Best Lawyers in asbestos Litigation." They are involved in regular meetings of the national Asbestos Trial Attorneys Association (AJA) list server for plaintiffs only and attend the AAJ's Annual and Winter Conventions. This extensive involvement in asbestos litigation provides our firm with a distinct advantage. We can offer our clients the most effective representation in these complicated cases.

Asbestos Class Actions

Mesothelioma class actions are lawsuits filed on behalf of a large group of people who have similar asbestos injuries. These kinds of asbestos lawsuits permit victims to receive compensation without the need to bring individual claims against several defendants which can be costly and time-consuming.

Asbestos class action lawsuits are an efficient method to obtain the compensation that victims need. In the case of a class action, a single plaintiff is chosen to represent the entire group. The plaintiff and their mesothelioma attorneys can concentrate on constructing strong cases to get the best outcome for the victim and their family.

Class actions are common in a variety of areas across the country that have a high concentration of asbestos exposure. In New York, the Brooklyn Navy Yard trials and Con Edison powerhouse cases combined hundreds of mesothelioma claims into a single instance, so that each claim could be dealt with efficiently, rather than having to go through several individual trials.

It's important to remember that class actions might not be in the best interest of victims. The main problem with mesothelioma class action settlements is that they tend not to provide victims with as much compensation as they would if they had filed their own individual lawsuit against the companies accountable for their asbestos exposure.

Levy Konigsberg LLP has a team of mesothelioma attorneys who are skilled in representing asbestos victims in class actions and other forms of litigation. Since over 20 years, we've been devoted to providing complete legal assistance to patients and their families. Our attorneys know how to file mesothelioma lawsuits in both federal and state courts.

While the majority of our clients reside in and around New York, we regularly represent victims across the United States. Whether you live in California or Florida we can help you get the compensation you deserve from a mesothelioma lawsuit against negligent asbestos manufacturers. Call us now for a no-cost consultation. We're happy to discuss your case and provide options to you.

Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts

During the bankruptcy process of asbestos companies set aside money to compensate victims suffering from mesothelioma or other asbestos lawsuits-related diseases. In lieu of suing a business, victims can file a trust fund claim. The trusts are created to ensure that there is enough money to cover all legitimate claims.

To file a claim with an asbestos trust, you must meet the eligibility requirements. You must have worked for the company that established the trust and be diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease to be eligible. You should also be able to prove that you were exposed to asbestos, for example employment records, affidavits from employees who worked with you and, in some instances, pathology reports or radiographs. If you are filing on behalf of a deceased individual you must submit a death certificate.

Each asbestos attorneys trust has its own set of rules to determine the best way to assess the merits of a claim. Some have a two-step process known as expedited review, and others have an individual review system. Lawyers who specialize on asbestos litigation can help in determining the best way to handle claims.

Asbestos trusts are required to equitably compensate claimants who have similar diseases. To determine this, they must have established disease levels that vary from mesothelioma through pleural disease without significantly restricted pulmonary function.

People frequently file lawsuits and trust funds against multiple asbestos companies that are accountable for their exposure. Under the law of the state, companies could be required to provide information regarding trust claims during the litigation discovery phase.

While certain states have passed laws that prohibit the sharing of this information, a lot of courts have allowed this to happen. However, the U.S. Department of Justice has been urging for greater accountability in asbestos trusts because they lack safeguards to prevent fraud and sloppy management.

The American Association for Justice offers resources and support to asbestos lawyers. Members can connect with each other through a list server for plaintiffs only and also attend meetings during the AAJ's winter and annual conventions. The Asbestos Litigation Group welcomes Regular, Life, Sustaining, and President's club AAJ members. The attorneys of the group concentrate on cases involving an asbestos-related diagnosis and mesothelioma.

Asbestos Settlements

A successful asbestos lawsuit can allow victims to recover compensation for their losses. These include medical expenses, loss of income, home care expenses emotional suffering, distress, and lost quality of life. Asbestos-related victims can also seek punitive damages from negligent companies that put profits ahead of worker safety.

The amount of an award or settlement is contingent on the victim's unique losses. It is vital that each case is assessed by a skilled New York mesothelioma lawyer who will ensure that the victims get the most compensation.

It's not easy to identify and treat mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. It is crucial that the victims have a skilled legal team who can determine the sources of exposure to asbestos and anticipate the defenses from the responsible parties.

In the mesothelioma lawsuit process, a lawyer representing the victim will spend time gathering evidence and investigating their exposure to asbestos in order to demonstrate that the asbestos-related disease was the result of defendants actions. They may interview current and former employees who worked at the job locations where their client was exposed. They can also look over financial documents and factory records that reveal that the defendants were aware about the dangers of asbestos and did not take precautions to protect their workers.

Although there aren't any public statistics that provide information regarding asbestos cases or verdicts in Connecticut however, data from across the country shows that most asbestos cases settle before trial. The majority of asbestos cases that go to trial end with a victory for the plaintiff. However, there have been several asbestos attorney jury award cases that were reduced to account for the medical insurance benefits that the victim or loved family members received.

There are a variety of asbestos litigation dockets in the United States, each with their specific rules and procedures. In the upstate region of New York, the 5th Judicial District (which comprises Onondaga, Oswego, Herkimer, and Jefferson) has an asbestos-specific docket that is overseen by Justice Charles C. Merrell, while the 4th District has a dedicated asbestos judge --- Justice Richard T. Aulisi and operates under an asbestos-specific case management order.