Asbestos exposure in any form can lead to the development of devastating lung cancer, mesothelioma, and related diseases. We know how much suffering these diagnoses can cause you and your family. The laws that govern compensation for asbestos exposure are complex and often require legal advice and representation. A
Bolingbrook asbestos lawyer can help you learn more about your legal rights to compensation following a medical diagnosis stemming from asbestos exposure.
While no amount of compensation can eliminate your medical concerns, it can help ensure that you receive the medical treatment that you need. You can worry less about the mounting costs of your medical bills and concentrate on your health. Together, we can work to hold companies accountable for the asbestos exposure that has caused your medical condition. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 217-6099 and take the first step to file your asbestos claim today.
Asbestos Exposure
Although state and federal laws have regulated asbestos use and exposure since 1971, asbestos still exists in many residential and commercial buildings and structures. When construction, renovation, or demolition stirs up materials containing asbestos, workers risk the health hazards of asbestos exposure. Asbestos production in the U.S. stopped in 2002, but the substance is still imported for inclusion in certain products. As a result, asbestos exposure continues to occur, even among younger workers.
Despite oversight by federal agencies such as the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, deaths from malignant mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure, continue to occur.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 45,000 people died of mesothelioma between 1999 and 2015. Mesothelioma historically occurred in older workers after years of exposure, but younger workers are contracting this disease, as well as other cancers and lung diseases, as well. This data suggests that, despite the regulation of asbestos use and exposure, asbestos still presents a significant health hazard to many workers.
Furthermore, these figures do not account for the other people who contracted other forms of lung cancers, asbestosis, or other medical conditions resulting from asbestos exposure, many of which are fatal. The American Cancer Society reports that asbestos exposure causes an increased risk of lung cancer, and lung cancer is far more common than mesothelioma. Lung cancer also can be a fatal disease, and asbestos exposure is one of the leading causes of lung cancer.
Compensation in Asbestos Claims
If you or a loved one has developed lung cancer, mesothelioma, or another disease arising from asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation. You may be able to get compensation either through special bankruptcy trust funds set up for victims of asbestos exposure or through more traditional personal injury claims.
Regardless of the source, you can recover compensation or damages that are related to the injuries that you have suffered as a result of asbestos exposure. Some common types of compensation in asbestos claims include the following:
- Past, current, and future medical bills
- Loss of wages and future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and physical impairment
- Costs of assistive medical devices, alterations to home and vehicles to accommodate disabilities, and home health assistance
If asbestos exposure caused the death of your loved one, surviving immediate family members might have a wrongful death action. Many items of compensation are similar to those in asbestos injury claims, but surviving family members also can seek funeral and burial expenses, end-of-life expenses, and loss of parental care and guidance.
A Bolingbrook asbestos lawyer can help assess your situation and determine the compensation to which you are entitled.
For a free legal consultation with a Asbestos Lawyer serving Brook, call (800) 794-0444
Statutes of Limitations in Asbestos Claims
A statute of limitations is a deadline for filing a lawsuit. These deadlines vary according to state law and the type of lawsuit involved. Under 735 ILCS §5/13-202, victims of asbestos exposure generally have two years from the date of their diagnosis to file their claim in court.
Illinois law follows the “discovery rule” when it comes to the accrual of a legal claim. As a result, the statute of limitations does not begin to run for an asbestos claim until the victims knew or should have known that they developed an asbestos-related disease caused by asbestos exposure or products.
Even if the victim of a disease arising from asbestos exposure passes away, the two-year statute of limitations exists. In this situation, the surviving family members have two years from the date of death from asbestos-related disease to file a wrongful death claim. Failure to file within the appropriate statute of limitations can leave you without legal recourse for the asbestos exposure that caused your injuries.
Due to the relatively short time frame for filing an asbestos-related claim, getting an attorney to evaluate your situation and determine whether you have a legal claim can be helpful. Otherwise, if the statute of limitations expires, you risk being unable to recover any compensation for your losses and injuries resulting from asbestos exposure.
Brook Asbestos Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Get Legal Help with Your Claim Today
We are here to guide you through every step of the claim process. Whether you choose to file a claim through an asbestos trust fund or a traditional lawsuit, we can help ensure that you obtain sufficient compensation for your losses. We also can help you hold those companies responsible for failing to adequately warn and protect individuals from the hazards of asbestos exposure. A Bolingbrook asbestos lawyer can give you more information about filing a claim for compensation as a result of your medical diagnosis.
With so many financial concerns on your mind right now, you may worry whether you can afford the costs of legal representation. Engaging the services of Pintas & Mullins Law Firm poses no financial risk to you and your family. You pay nothing up front to obtain legal representation from our firm. We only collect a legal fee if and when you receive a settlement of your claim. Call (800) 217-6099 and get started on your claim today.
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