Throughout the last half-century, thousands upon thousands of individuals have been exposed to asbestos materials. The exposure may have happened in any number of places, from your place of employment to less obvious places, like your home.
You may have been exposed at a young age or perhaps later in life. Regardless of the circumstances, if asbestos has made you ill, you may be eligible for compensation for your suffering.
Many victims of asbestos-related diseases hesitate to contact an attorney because they just don’t know if they have a valid case. You may be one of those people.
However, just by asking yourself a few questions, you can determine whether or not to consider filing a lawsuit. When were you exposed to asbestos? Where were you exposed to asbestos? Who is responsible for your exposure? What expenses have you incurred due to your diagnosis?
Indeed, these seem like simple questions with simple answers, but when posed to you by an experienced asbestos claims attorney, the answers will help determine if a lawsuit is warranted and how much compensation should be requested.
Here’s some further explanation on each question.
1. When were you exposed to asbestos?
Before you contact an attorney, it’s a good idea to review past history and come up with hard facts about when you may have encountered asbestos. It might have been in more than one place, so list all possibilities.
If you’re uncertain as to the details, the attorney and his team may be able to help garner the specifics as long as you have some preliminary information.
2. Where were you exposed to asbestos?
Make a list of workplaces or other situations in which your exposure most likely occurred. Again, an experienced asbestos claims attorney may already be familiar with some of these locations, especially if it’s a company in his or her local region.
Don’t hesitate, however, to contact a local attorney even if your exposure occurred out-of-state. Many mesothelioma attorneys understand that even a seemingly local case may not get filed in the state where you live.
3. Who is responsible for your exposure?
This sort of ties in with question number 2, but sometimes determining just who to sue in a particular case can be difficult. For example, do you sue the manufacturer of a particular asbestos-containing product or the company that used it?
Did your employer know about the dangers of asbestos yet continue its use? A lawyer well-versed in the field can make these decisions with confidence.
4. What expenses have you incurred due to your diagnosis?
Mesothelioma is an expensive disease and chances are that your medical bills will be sky high. Your lawyer will want to know what expenses you’ve had that haven’t been covered by insurance, if you’ve had to travel for treatment, if you’ve lost wages, and if you’ve had to pay a caregiver, for example.