Asbestos Exposure & Mesothelioma Lawsuit
Immediate attention is needed regarding the asbestos lawsuit involves claims that individuals were exposed to asbestos, leading to serious health conditions such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. These lawsuits are typically filed against companies that manufactured, sold, or used asbestos-containing products and failed to warn about the associated health risks.
Key Issues:
Health Risks and Conditions: Asbestos exposure is linked to several severe diseases, primarily mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer, is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits often include workers in construction, shipbuilding, automotive, and other industries where asbestos was commonly used.
Legal Framework and Process:
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Claims: Individuals diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases can file personal injury lawsuits. If a patient dies, their family can file wrongful death claims to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and funeral costs.
Product Liability: Asbestos lawsuits are also considered product liability claims, holding manufacturers accountable for negligence and failure to warn consumers and employees about the dangers of asbestos.
Multidistrict Litigation (MDL): Given the large number of claims, many asbestos lawsuits are handled through MDL, which consolidates similar cases to streamline pretrial proceedings and facilitate settlements.
Settlement and Verdict Amounts:
Average Settlements: Mesothelioma settlements typically range from $1 million to $2 million. These settlements cover medical expenses, lost income, and other related costs. Notable cases have resulted in significantly higher amounts, especially where there is strong evidence of negligence.
Jury Verdicts: Jury verdicts in asbestos lawsuits can be substantial, often exceeding settlement amounts. For example, a New York jury awarded $25 million to a former brake specialist who developed mesothelioma, and another case resulted in a $250 million verdict against U.S. Steel.
Notable Cases:
Goodyear Lawsuits: Goodyear faces approximately 62,000 pending lawsuits related to asbestos exposure from their products, with claims that the company failed to protect its workers.
High-Profile Verdicts: Significant awards include $29.14 million to a woman who developed mesothelioma from asbestos in talc-containing cosmetics and $40.75 million to the family of a pump man in Illinois.
