Best Lawyers For Asbestos Cases

First What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was once valued for its resistance to heat, electrical and chemical damage, and was used by dozens of trades. With millions of microscopic fibers, asbestos can easily break apart and become airborne and possibly inhaled. Should asbestos fibers be inhaled, they may become lodged in your lungs, potentially leading to lung cancer, mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Additionally, because asbestos fibers travel so easily through the air, not only the person working with asbestos-containing products but also bystanders run the risk of inhaling these fibers and developing an asbestos-related disease even decades after exposure.

From the early 1900s through the 1980s, asbestos was used in thousands of different industrial products, including pipe and furnace insulation materials, roofing shingles, floor tiles, millboard, textured paints and other coating materials.

In 1989, the United States banned asbestos in specific products. This ban, however, did not ban the use of asbestos altogether. Additionally, other countries continue to mine asbestos. As a result, asbestos can still be found in a number of consumer products, including building materials, friction products and heat-resistant fabrics.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Diseases

Asbestos exposure is strongly associated with several potentially fatal illnesses, the most serious of which is malignant mesothelioma. This aggressive cancer affects the lining of the lungs, heart, abdomen and other organs, and, as with all asbestos-related diseases, it often doesn’t manifest for years or even decades after the initial exposure. Because mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and other related diseases can almost always be attributed to asbestos exposure, you should tell your doctor about any past exposure, including your work or family history. Learn more about our cases involving mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases.

West Virginia Asbestos

Along with our offices located around the country, we’re proud to have asbestos-focused attorneys working from Morgantown, West Virginia. For more than 30 years, our attorneys have worked closely with West Virginians who have been exposed to asbestos through their employment at one of the many industrial plants located throughout the state.

Asbestos Exposure

Companies and manufacturers dealing with asbestos have known for almost a century that the inhalation of asbestos fibers is associated with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and several other debilitating and often fatal asbestos-related diseases. Thousands of unsuspecting workers were exposed daily to this dangerous carcinogen as they worked in factories, mills, railroads and other industrial occupations, often bringing asbestos fibers home and unknowingly exposing their family through household asbestos exposure.

For decades, asbestos manufacturers chose profit over people’s health by continuing to manufacture, distribute and supply asbestos-containing products. Until this harmful carcinogen is banned once and for all, asbestos exposure, asbestos-related diseases and mesothelioma will continue to be major national and international health concerns.

Our Work as Canadian Asbestos Counsel

Our attorneys have also served as U.S. legal counsel for Canadian provincial workers’ compensation boards since 1987, helping Canadians seek U.S. legal recoveries from non-employer third parties who may be responsible for a Canadian employee’s workplace-related injury.

Asbestos Exposure, World Trade Center Dust and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund

On Oct. 3, 2011, the United States government reopened the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund for people physically injured or exposed to toxins such as asbestos and other harmful dust at the World Trade Center crash site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The new 9/11 VCF enables more people, including 9/11 workers and volunteers who were hurt, got sick or died as a result of the attacks and the aftermath, to obtain compensation from the program. Learn more about this fund and how we can help.

A mesothelioma diagnosis can be a devastating experience for you and your family. Learning to cope with the challenges ahead means not only dealing with the disease, but also preparing for the possibility that the disease resulted from exposure to asbestos. Litigation has been happening across the country regarding mesothelioma, so first, know this: You’re not alone.

Thousands of people have filed and won mesothelioma lawsuits. Some of the have been settled before trial. Others have gone to trial. While results and award amounts can never be predicted, your odds of victory rise substantially if you are represented by a highly experienced and skilled mesothelioma lawyer.

How to Choose a Top Mesothelioma Attorney

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important that you work with an attorney who not only understands the laws but also has access to the resources you need, such as quality medical care and help with financial obligations that you cannot pay.

This is a monumentally important moment in your life and you need to have the best possible attorney in your corner. That is why we recommend that you ignore TV commercials, fancy offices, expensive advertising and sales pressure to sign on the dotted line. A great deal of research is required for you to hire the best mesothelioma attorney.

How to do it? You should first and foremost seek an attorney in mesothelioma who has an impressive track record of success. You want a lawyer who is really experienced in conducting research and cross examination of companies about how they used or sold products containing asbestos.

Also, your attorney should have a proven record of uncovering incriminating legal documents that many companies possess. These documents often may be memos that were sent internally that show the company knew about asbestos dangers and chose to ignore them.

Studying to determine the best mesothelioma attorney for your case requires a lot of time, effort and patience. It may be too much for you, given your medical situation. A trusted loved one may be the best choice to interview potential attorneys. You may not have the strength or endurance to do so, but in most cases, family members can step in and do a great job.