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23.05.2014

Mesothelioma Litigation and Its History


Mesothelioma Litigation and Its History

Mesothelioma Litigation and Its History
By Tony Ulrich

In 2000, a retired Navy seaman was awarded with compensation for significant injuries he suffered from, but not only was the defendant found guilty on charges of negligence, but also fraudulent conduct. The defendant was an Illinois based manufacturer of asbestos products.

The established evidence convinced the jury to conclude the defendant's involvement in a conspiracy with other asbestos corporations. It turned out that they had willingly concealed facts with regard to the harmful and hazardous nature of asbestos and furthermore misrepresented the potential danger of the material to their workers. In addition to that "committed malice and oppression in its conduct" was determined by the jury in charge.

An 82 year old former machinist from Los Angeles was awarded damages he suffered as a result of exposure to asbestos during his course of employment. The defendant, a local asbestos manufacturer was found guilty on the charges of malice, fraud and oppression.

If it can be proven that an employer has willing fully and purposefully injured a worker, the employee may have the legal grounds for mesothelioma litigation. The two aforementioned cases are typical examples of mesothelioma litigations, which are constituted by a victim seeking monetary compensation for his expenses, the loss of income as well as pain and suffering. Further to that and dependent on the state and jurisdiction, punitive damages may apply.

Punitive damages are ordered payments that go beyond the victim's compensation and therefore, in essence, designed to punish corporate misconduct. They are seen as a message to other corporations that such negligence and unlawful actions won't be tolerated.

Let's have a look at the history of mesothelioma litigation. The first asbestos product lawsuit was litigated by a lawyer from Texas. The case was filed back in 1966. The plaintiff was a retired asbestos worker from Louisiana. On the defendant's side, there were eleven corporations. The official diagnosis the plaintiff had received read "pulmonary dust disease", which resembled all the symptoms of asbestosis. The plaintiff alleged that the defendants did know of the danger of asbestos, or at least had an obligation to be aware of the hazard, but failed to warn him. Charges were dropped on six of the original defendants; the other five eventually agreed on a compensation settlement that was put together outside of the court. But the story doesn't end here, because in 1969, another lawsuit was filed against some of the same defendants by a former co-worker of the previous plaintiff. He was actually diagnosed with mesothelioma, which was back then even rarer than it is nowadays. He died only eight months after he testified in his own case. A 'before court settlement' was achieved with four of the defendants, before the actual trial eventually went into court in 1970.

As the trial evolved, a designated accident prevention hired by one of the defendants, testified that the corporation could not be held responsible, since he had never heard of toxicity caused by asbestos prior to 1964. Ironically, his wife died later due to malignant mesothelioma.

In 1977 a significant discovery revealed a major corporate conspiracy. In the process of litigating a case of former employees of a Manhattan (NYC) based asbestos manufacturer and product supplier, the lawyer in charge went through the company's annual statement and found an astounding statement. The company had obviously hired an insurance company to conduct a survey of their manufacturing sites with focus employee safety and health. Apparently, the findings of the survey indicated an increased potential hazard and risk to the workers caused by their exposure to asbestos. These documents went into the books as the so called 'Sumner Simpson Papers'. Consequently, a flood of mesothelioma and asbestos lawsuits emerged and continues to keep jurisdictions all across the nation busy with compensation settlement claims.

The author Tony Ulrich was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2009. In his research on what his cancer could have been caused by, he came across with data that suggests a strong link to environmental toxics, such as asbestos. Please visit his Kidney Cancer and Mesothelioma Litigation website for more details.

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Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers - What Questions Will The Lawyer Ask During The First Meeting


Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers - What Questions Will The Lawyer Ask During The First Meeting

Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers - What Questions Will The Lawyer Ask During The First Meeting
By Mark W. Stevens

When a client goes to see a lawyer, there are some specific things that the lawyer will want to know and will subject the client in a line of questioning; the first interview is usually the crucial interview. This is because this is the meeting that will determine if the lawyer will represent the client or not. So the lawyer will want to know why the client needs the services of a lawyer. The reason why the want to know why the client needs their services, is to enable them evaluate the matter and see if they are going to represent them or not. In cases where the client cannot be represented by a particular lawyer, they are forwarded to a more appropriate lawyer who will be able to handle his or her legal matters.

Another common question that lawyers ask clients at a first meeting is if the client has seen other lawyers before. If other lawyers have been hired to represent the client the lawyer will want to know why their services to the client were terminated. They will also want to know if there were other lawyers so that the lawyer can be able to work with other lawyers. The other lawyers that have worked with the client could have unraveled matter about the case that could help the current lawyer who has been assigned to the case.

Another common question that a lawyer asks at a first meeting with a client is the financial stand of the client. Lawyers rarely give free services even at a first meeting. They do not charge that meeting and they will want to get the best out of it. So they will want to know if that client is in a position to pay the lawyer fees. If the client finds the rate to be very high, then other lawyer who has lower rates can be recommended.

An initial client lawyer meeting will include questions of the criminal record of the client. This prepares the lawyer and also gives him the opportunity to understand the legal stand of the client. The lawyer will want to know if there are people who will be able to act as witnesses or even act as proof of good conduct. They will want the list of the witnesses so that the lawyer can be able to compare the facts of their client and the other people so that they see if the client is saying the truth or not.

Smart lawyers will ask about the legal problems of the client and will not interrupt them as they narrate. While the client is talking the lawyer will be noting important points. As much as they would want the meeting to be brief so that they can save a lot of time and money. Many lawyers have come to realize that they get a lot of information from their clients when they are talking without being interrupted. After the narration they will then ask specific questions to get the some things clear and they stand a better chance of winning a case.

At the conclusion of the interview the lawyer will give you specific recommendations. They may tell you they can't take the case. These lawsuits have built-in time frames so it is imperative that you file as soon as possible to make sure you haven't missed any deadlines. Please go to Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers [http://www.mesotheliomalitigationlawyers.com] for more information.

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Wrongful Death Settlements in Mesothelioma Cases


Wrongful Death Settlements in Mesothelioma Cases

Wrongful Death Settlements in Mesothelioma Cases
By Tony Ulrich

Nothing can replace the memories of your loved ones after their death. However, there are times when the death could have been avoided but occurred because of the negligence of someone else. We find typical examples in situations where a diagnosis of an asbestos induced cancer, such as mesothelioma or cancer of the lung, could have been avoided, if an employer had been taken care of his responsibilities. In cases such as these a wrongful death settlement may be awarded by a civil court. If you receive a settlement offer there are a few things to keep in mind when making your decision.

If you are offered a settlement for the wrongful death of your loved one you will need to choose whether or not to accept a lump sum or a structured settlement. Generally, you will be offered a smaller amount in a lump sum. A structured settlement will be paid out in even payments over a designated period of time. This may be monthly or yearly depending on what the defendants may be offering. Your attorney will help you decide which option is in your best interest and may be able to negotiate larger sums and better terms for your wrongful death lawsuit settlement.

Wrongful death settlements are not considered taxable by the IRS. In many states punitive damages in a claim are taxable; however, they are exempt in cases of wrongful death. Although a large wrongful death settlement may push the deceased's estate over the tax exempt limits of the inheritance laws. Always consult a good tax attorney and a CPA so there is no doubt about any taxes that may be due. Spending a small sum up front may save tens of thousands of dollars later on.

There are a number of reasons the need may arise to convert your structured payments into a lump sum of cash. Perhaps a wonderful business opportunity has presented itself; however, without the cash of the settlement a deal cannot be closed. Or, unfortunately some people will be diagnosed with terminal diseases and wish to use the money to enjoy the last few years of their lives. In cases such as these there are companies that specialize in paying you a lump sum in exchange for yours structured payments. These companies profit by offering you a lower amount than the total of the payments still do. In this case these lending institutions are guaranteeing themselves a certain percentage profit on their investment. Most settlement payments are coming from very strong insurance companies, so their investment is deemed very safe. You will give up a good portion of your settlement by utilizing one of these companies; however, if the money can be enjoyed today instead of being left to other heirs, the high price may be worth it.

Receiving money because of the death of a family member or close person through a Wrongful death settlement is never a satisfying victory. However, a settlement such as this can be put to good use taking care of dependants and doing good in the name of your lost love one.

The author Tony Ulrich was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2009. In his research on what his cancer could have been caused by, he came across with data that suggests a strong link to environmental toxics, such as asbestos. Please visit his Kidney Cancer and Mesothelioma Cancer website for more details.

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