How to Find the Best Mesothelioma Lawyer
Important Information for Patients
Selecting the best mesothelioma lawyer for your situation is not easy because lawyers have different levels of experience in different areas, are licensed to practice in different jurisdictions, and charge different levels of contingency fees. Many firms claim they handle mesothelioma cases, but often these cases are one of many types of cases they handle. Often mesothelioma cases are secondary to claims for medical device and drug recalls, medical malpractice, worker’s compensation and automobile accidents. The attorney’s focus and of the staff might be split over a number of different types of claims. When choosing a mesothelioma attorney, handling only mesothelioma claims, having a substantial number of years of experience, and having the size to take on a larger corporation are all things to consider.
Request Information on Mesothelioma Lawyers
Deciding to pursue legal recourse and selecting an attorney to represent you in a mesothelioma or asbestos lawsuit are important decisions that should be made carefully. The facts of your situation and the law firm you select have a dramatic impact in the outcome of your case. You should request information about the law firm’s size, whether they only take mesothelioma cases, the number of years that have done this litigation, and whether they can handle the case from start to finish without referring your case to someone else. Learn more by filling out this form:
The Facts of Your Situation
Some mesothelioma patients know they worked around asbestos, but many do not know how they were exposed or how often. In fact, many people are not sure if they were ever near this carcinogen. Unfortunately, there have been thousands of products that contained asbestos – cigarette filters, hair dryers, brakes, basement and roof materials, pipes, boilers, insulation, and many other products found throughout the home and at work. If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma it is more than likely that you were exposed to asbestos multiple times in your life and that this happened decades before your diagnosis.
In general, the value of your case depends on how many asbestos containing products you were exposed to, the number of identifiable defendants that still exist (many have declared bankruptcy), your age and earning capacity. And the speed of your case can depend on a number of variables including the state where you worked and lived when you were exposed to asbestos.
The Law Firm You Choose
When you have been given the news about this terrible disease, you may not feel that you have the time to deal with the legal questions – Should I talk to a lawyer? Should I file a claim? However, you should not wait too long to learn about your legal rights for at least three reasons:
- Statutes of Limitations – There are statutes of limitations which means you only have a limited time to file your case after diagnosis. The statute of limitations time period is set by individual states and varies. The clock usually starts ticking on the day of diagnosis.
- Financial Pressure – A mesothelioma diagnosis can bring financial stress, less income, more expenses, and treatments that are not covered by insurance. Knowing that money may be on the way from filing a claim can bring financial relief.
- Lawyers Can be Excellent Resources – The more experienced mesothelioma lawyers and law firms can often be excellent sources of information about various doctors and treatment options available for this disease.
But, picking a lawyer is serious business and you should not use TV ads as the reason to hire an attorney. Actual credentials are what counts. For example, what type of accomplishments has the law firm achieved? How committed are they to mesothelioma/asbestos cases? Are these cases a substantial part of their practice or just a small piece? How many other cases like yours have they handled?
Also, make sure you understand the fees being charges. Contingency is the term that means that the lawyer gets paid only after they collect money for you. The amount of the contingency fee that your lawyer can charge varies and is usually between 33% and 40%. It is important to discuss fees openly, ask what services they cover, how they are calculated, and whether there will be any extra charges.
Finally, for something as important as a mesothelioma lawsuit, your attorney should not only be experienced, skilled, and dedicated, but also a trusted partner who understands that your health needs always take precedence. The best lawyers are those that are not only expert at what they do, but are also caring, supportive, thoughtful and compassionate.
Get Help Finding a Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you would like information on mesothelioma and seeking legal help, please fill-in the form below: