A lung cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming as you try to determine how challenging treatment will be, whether you will be able to continue to work, and how you will pay for your medical bills. You might have a family that counts on your income and support. When you are in this situation, a Maryland lung cancer lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help.
We can look at your situation, explain your options, and help you determine your legal course of action. Together, we can develop an effective strategy for your claim. Call (800) 217-6099 to get more information about our services and the legal claims that may be available to you.
Get Legal Assistance with Your Claim
No matter how simple your case might seem, the legal system involves complex procedures and laws that can be challenging to navigate on your own.
A lawyer can investigate the facts surrounding your asbestos exposure and determine any potentially liable parties. This process also involves determining the best means of pursuing compensation for you and your family. Asbestos injury victims can generally seek compensation through two different avenues: asbestos settlement funds or civil lawsuits. Both these options involve taking legal action based on your injuries, although the process for doing so varies considerably.
Once we have filed your claim, your case will proceed according to your chosen form of legal relief. An attorney can negotiate on your behalf to reach a settlement, although it may take some time. However, if your case must proceed to trial, we will gather the necessary evidence and prepare a case for compensation based on the facts of your case.
Valuing Your Claim for Compensation
Placing a dollar value on your injuries and other losses stemming from your lung cancer diagnosis can be difficult. Some costs are fairly specific, such as the costs of medical treatment. However, lung cancer often requires extensive treatment courses, which may even change over time as your body reacts to the different forms of treatment. You may need surgery, radiation treatments, chemotherapy, or a combination of treatments, and these costs can add up. According to the American Cancer Society, American cancer patients had to pay almost $4 billion out-of-pocket for treatment in 2014. Medical expenses often are a large component of compensation awards in lung cancer cases.
Another relatively specific loss is your income or future earning capacity. You will likely be unable to work for some time, and you may be unable to work at all in the future. Valuing these losses can be straightforward based on your current salary or wages. In calculating your loss of future earning capacity, we can consider your education, skills and experience, job history, and the average number of additional years that you expected to continue working.
Other losses can be much more challenging to value, although they are just as, if not more, important as concrete financial losses. The emotional toll of this disease on you and your family can be devastating. Injury victims also may be eligible to recover compensation for physical pain and suffering, mental trauma, and the loss of companionship for your spouse. Although gathering documentation of these intangible losses is not always easy, we strive to provide as much evidence as possible to support all aspects of your claim.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 217-6099
Statutes of Limitations for Lung Cancer Compensation Claims
Individuals who have developed lung cancer after asbestos exposures in their workplaces should get legal advice from a Maryland lung cancer lawyer about their situations as quickly as possible following their diagnosis. Otherwise, they risk overstepping the time limit and rendering themselves unable to pursue their claims for compensation against former employers or government entities who failed to adequately protect or warn them of asbestos exposure. Losing your right to seek compensation from these parties can make it far more challenging for you to pay your medical bills and get treatment. You also will be unable to bring the negligent parties responsible for your asbestos exposure to justice.
Under Maryland (Md) Code §5-101, injury victims have three years to pursue their personal injury claims. For lung cancer victims of asbestos exposure, this period runs from the date of their diagnosis to three years after the date of diagnosis. As it can take time to gather evidence and prepare a strong compensation claim, delays in getting legal advice may be harmful to your case. Therefore, enlisting the help of legal counsel as quickly as possible following your lung cancer diagnosis may be beneficial.
Consult Us to Learn More About Your Legal Rights Today
In the aftermath of a life-altering lung cancer diagnosis, you may be uncertain about your rights to pursue legal action against those responsible for your asbestos exposure. You may want to hold them accountable for their wrongdoing and prevent them from harming others in the future. At the same time, you may want to know whether you are eligible for compensation to assist with the necessary costs of treating your condition and other related losses. A Maryland lung cancer lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help answer your many questions and formulate a plan for your immediate future.
We take these cases on contingency, which means that you pay no fees or costs upfront for us to get started working on your claim, so you do not need to worry about financing your legal claim in the middle of the many other financial concerns that your medical condition has produced. We get our fees only when you receive a compensation award for your injuries. Contact us by calling (800) 217-6099 and discover how we can help.
Call or text (800) 217-6099 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form