If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
Mesothelioma is cancer affecting the thin layer of tissue covering most internal organs. This thin covering is also known as the mesothelium. It is a highly aggressive type of cancer with several available treatments. However, some mesothelioma patients can never get cured. The mesothelioma victims or related conditions and diseases usually have the right to financial compensation for themselves and their loved ones.
On average, mesothelioma victims receive $1 million as compensation claims. In most cases, the money from legal claims helps these victims cover their treatment costs, emotional damage, or loss of income. Mesothelioma compensation is usually available in three forms; asbestos trust funds, jury verdicts, or settlements.
However, the payout amount usually varies depending on the type of claim one may have, and sometimes it can go beyond $1 million. This article is for you if you need more information on mesothelioma compensation.
Between the 1930s and 1980s, many companies made and sold products made of asbestos content and knowingly exposed millions of workers to the deadly substance. Unfortunately, those companies and even newer companies know the risks and do not protect their employees. Despite scientists proving that mineral exposure causes mesothelioma and other related diseases, many companies do not take the proper precautions.
Thus came the mesothelioma compensation fund, paying victims with exposure-related diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. The compensation usually comes from its manufacturers or the company owners who exposed their workers to the substance without warning or providing the necessary protection.
Like any other compensation, there are mesothelioma lawyers with the experience that can help you file a claim against the companies’ negligence and help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. In addition, these compensation funds can help alleviate the burdens that might have come with the disease, like medical costs.
The most crucial part of filing for compensation is finding an experienced attorney. It is best to select a mesothelioma lawsuit attorney. They will provide you with the right services and experience to get you the best compensation. They will also help you understand your options, and they will never promise you an amount for compensation if they believe you won’t get it. Below are the steps to follow to get compensation for mesothelioma.
You can determine the kind of compensation you are eligible for by consulting with an experienced mesothelioma lawsuit lawyer. They will help you determine the best possible outcome for you and your family.
The discovery period is where you have to work hand in hand with your attorney to help them discover the facts related to your exposure. The process focuses mainly on the company you were working for and the kinds of products you handled when exposed.
Now you have a lawyer and all the facts needed for the compensation case. Next, you need to consider all the possible options for the compensation your attorney will present to you. These may include lawsuits and trust funds.
Whether you accept or reject the compensation offer is all up to you. You can decide to go for a lawsuit which may end with an offer for a settlement from the defendants. However, your lawyer will give you the necessary guidance and counseling on whether you should settle the claim or continue to a court trial.
Before you accept compensation, it is best to exhaust all the possible options you may have to ensure you only get the best. Also, track your mesothelioma treatment expenses as this will be vital in determining the best compensation option. Finally, consider how the sickness has affected your lifestyle, family members, and budget to sort out lung cancer treatment and any related therapies.
It is also best to consider the transportation you use to and from your medical appointments. They are additional charges to your total medical expenses and health insurance coverage. You may also need to hire a home health aide to assist you around the house with some chores and your general maintenance.
Finally, track all the complementary therapies essential in relieving some mesothelioma symptoms. Remember, your health insurance coverage may not cover these, so it is crucial to include them in the compensation details.
Mesothelioma settlements and lawsuits are legal ways to get financial compensation. There are other legal actions that you can take that will allow you to receive higher compensation compared to a settlement. These additional ways include:
In this kind of compensation, your case goes to trial should your lawyer and the manufacturer’s lawyers fail to reach a settlement amount. The judge and the jury will listen to the case on both sides and then determine the winner. While a successful verdict may award the victim more compensation than in a settlement, most lawyers usually don’t vouch for them so much. Trials are bound to add lots of time to the process, especially if there is an appeal by the defendant. In some cases, trials are expensive compared to settlements outside of court.
The Trusts Funds were established and introduced to the compensation list to help asbestos manufacturers avoid large lawsuits after asbestos discovered exposure. Instead, the court gave the manufacturers ultimatums to file for bankruptcy and put large sums of money in trust funds. All the trust funds have set rules that allow mesothelioma victims to access their compensations. The victims that feel the need for this kind of compensation have criteria that they must meet to become eligible to receive the trust fund payout. It's been shown that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma.
The most common trades where asbestos exposure happened are:
Us Veterans are some of the people affected by mesothelioma. The US military used asbestos up until the 1980s. Today, over 30% of mesothelioma victims in the US are veterans. Due to this, the Department of Veteran Affairs(VA) establishes a program that helps compensate all veterans with mesothelioma. The mesothelioma VA benefits include the following:
Veterans can receive low-cost or free treatment from renowned mesothelioma specialists who treat them through the VA programs.
Veterans with mesothelioma can get the VA pension provided they meet certain income limits.
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma are qualified to receive tax-free disability payments in this benefit.
Other benefits: Apart from the mentioned benefits above, veterans with mesothelioma may qualify for burial compensation, Aid & Attendance(A&A), and any other relevant care services they may need. As a veteran, you must arm yourself with a VA-accredited mesothelioma attorney or a claims agent while seeking these benefits.
Mesothelioma compensation is for people diagnosed with mesothelioma or any related diseases. The patients usually do not need to know how they got exposed to the mineral substance to get compensated. The financial help comes in two ways:
As compensation from your employer or your loved one’s employer, this could be a former or current employer held responsible and linked to your exposure.
The financial help can also come from benefits paid by the Department for Work and Pensions. If you have mesothelioma, you can qualify or be entitled to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. These financial benefits are essential for a mesothelioma patient; therefore, ensure you try to get both of them.
Family members can also get mesothelioma compensation in some cases. For example, the children, estate executors, or spouses can file for compensation if their loved one dies due to mesothelioma. It is always best to first find out if you can pursue compensation, and you can speak to a mesothelioma lawyer to help.
If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
These are the standard resolutions for lawsuits that involve asbestos-related diseases. The mesothelioma victim can get a settlement by filing a lawsuit for their injuries. However, in the case of death, the mesothelioma victim’s family members are awarded settlements to compensate their families after their loved one dies.
In the mesothelioma settlement, the company responsible for the exposure agrees to pay the affected individuals a certain amount. The amount usually goes through a series of negotiations between both the party's lawyers.
Averagely, mesothelioma settlements are around $1 million. However, mesothelioma lawyers have the experience and expertise to help you build a strong case. Therefore, it is essential to always work with a specialized lawyer to help you get a settlement to help cover all the expenses of the disease.
The mesothelioma settlement amount varies depending on a victim’s details, exposure, type of diagnosis, cost of medical expense, and any other factors that may have led to the exposure. The victim will request a specific amount of money through their lawyer based on the specifics of their case. Most times, the companies pay a satisfactory settlement to cover all the expenses and the future of the victim and their family members.
On average, the settlement amount is $1 million, which is the total amount companies in the lawsuit must pay. In some cases, the amount may be less or more than the average amount; the specificity of the case matters.
The mesothelioma settlements have many benefits; the main one is to help the victim cater for treatment. Your lawyer often advises you to go for a settlement rather than a court trial. More of the benefits include:
The mesothelioma court trial is always long and tedious. In most cases, the judge and jury may find the company not guilty of the mineral exposure and thus acquaint themselves with their immunity. In turn, the victim may not receive any compensation from the company.
Treating mesothelioma is expensive and sometimes goes up to $400,000 in just the initial year. Getting an average settlement is a great way to help with treatment expenses and loss of employment or emotional distress.
The manufacturers and the companies using these substances are aware of their toxic effects but still orchestrate a way to continue using them. Finally, these companies and manufacturers agree to own up and pay for the harm caused through settlements.
Mesothelioma settlement is faster than a court trial or compensation. In under a year, the mesothelioma victims can receive their settlements, start paying for their medical expenses and keep their families secure financially.
If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
When filing for a settlement, your lawyer will find, prove and present to the court all facts about your exposure and how the companies were responsible. Afterward, they will work on other factors to help determine the amount of money to request as a settlement and even try to negotiate the most significant settlement amount for your case. Certain factors affect this settlement process, and they include the following:
Mesothelioma is common in people aged 65 and above. However, in some cases, young adults and teenagers can get affected depending on the length of exposure. The settlement amount varies with age. For younger victims, the amount may be higher as they may not be able to work again. The settlement may be lower for senior victims because they are retired, and their survival rate is lower.
As your lawyer presents the court with facts about your exposure, they also need to show the degree of damage caused. Mesothelioma takes 20 to 25 years to develop.
This substance exposure can be through many different products, meaning many manufacturers may be involved in a mesothelioma lawsuit. The more the manufacturers involved, the better your chances of getting compensation.
When you get diagnosed with mesothelioma, your chances of working again are slim, or paying the basic living expenses can be challenging. Even supporting your family members can be challenging with the high medical costs. Your lawyer will use these issues to ensure you get a befitting settlement.
When you get diagnosed with mesothelioma, it puts emotional stress on you and the entire family. This is eligible for compensation. The manufacturers in question need to compensate you financially for your pain and suffering.
Mesothelioma treatments are not cheap as they aim to improve the victim’s life expectancy. However, paying out of pocket can drain you dry in weeks. Therefore, your lawyer must demand a settlement covering all your medical bills and expenses.
Most mesothelioma lawsuits for settlements get paid within a year. However, the payout period depends on how fast the victim and the manufacturers agree through your attorney. If the lawsuit involves more manufacturers, you may get the money sooner than when there are several.
If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
Mesothelioma settlement follows a strict step-by-step process that takes the cooperation of the victim’s lawyer and the manufacturer’s lawyers.
Like any other lawsuit, mesothelioma settlements work hand in hand with the evidence. A victim’s lawyer works closely with them to build the case based on all the evidence that they must gather from the victim about the substance exposure. It must include work history, the products the victim was handling, medical records, and other relevant information.
With all the evidence on deck, it is time to file a lawsuit and ask for a specific settlement amount for the victim. All the manufacturers involved in the case must respond to the demand within 30 days.
Suppose the manufacturers involved refuse to pay the requested amount in settlement. In that case, the victim’s and manufacturer’s lawyers can collect more evidence and present it to the court, like witness testimonies to support each side’s arguments.
If both sides decide on a settlement, the lawyers will resolve the issue by negotiating a reasonable settlement amount. The case can be trialed if the settlement offer is unfavorable for both parties.
Experienced mesothelioma lawsuit lawyers will always give you an accurate estimate of the settlement timeline on how long your case will take. They are also the right help if you need to file your settlement claim on time within the stipulated limitations of your state. This law limits you on a specific timeline you have to file a mesothelioma settlement claim. If you file past the deadline, you risk losing the right to sue the manufacturers.
Some settlement cases may move faster than others, provided the evidence is ready and accurate. For instance, if a victim worked with the mineral products for more than a decade, gathering the evidence will be easier.
Please note that your mesothelioma attorney may not charge for their wages upfront. But, they will undoubtedly collect a certain percentage for their legal costs from the settlement amount awarded to you. This can be between 35-and 40% if your case is successful.
If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
While this article may cover most concerns related to mesothelioma compensation and settlements, some questions still need answering. Here are a few.
Most of the time, the settlement amount received for mesothelioma cases is considered taxable income. However, the settlement includes compensation for punitive damages and personal injury; in most cases, the personal injury fund is non-taxable.
The timeline for mesothelioma settlement can vary depending on how soon the defendant agrees to the settlement, the state you live in, and the number of manufacturers involved. However, the average timeframe is usually one year.
Victims of asbestos exposure can apply for compensation by submitting a claim to the trust fund or filing a lawsuit. The process includes consultations, research, and documentation. Your mesothelioma lawyer can help guide you through the entire process.
Asbestos is a valuable material in manufacturing lots of different products, but it is harmful just as it is essential. Therefore, companies manufacturing or using products made from this substance should ensure they provide the necessary protective measures to their employees and let them know what substances they are dealing with.
While compensation or a settlement may not guarantee a full recovery or clean health afterward, it is only natural that these manufacturers take full responsibility and ensure a comfortable life for these victims.
If you have experienced asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation for mesothelioma. Contact our office today to learn about the mesothelioma claim process and get started.
