Have you or a loved one suffered from mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos? Are you wondering how to pay your medical bills or take care of other obligations after this devastating diagnosis?

Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly form of cancer that is generally caused by a person’s exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a toxic fiber that was often found in construction and building materials made in the 1970’s and 1980’s and before.

Although asbestos can no longer be produced in the United States, many products from foreign countries still contain asbestos fibers. Signs of asbestos mesothelioma often do not develop for 10 to 40 years after the victim is exposed to asbestos.

Once diagnosed, mesothelioma life expectancy is relatively short. After symptoms develop the disease spreads through the body very quickly and often ends in death.

Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit

Victims of asbestos mesothelioma have the opportunity to file an asbestos lawsuit against the companies that manufactured or installed asbestos-containing products.

Victims who desire to file an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit should act promptly. Each state has a specific time period, known as the statue of limitations, in which a plaintiff can file a lawsuit.

In many states, mesothelioma lawsuit statute of limitations range between 1 and 5 years after the date of diagnosis or discovery of the cancer. Because each state’s time limitations vary, potential plaintiffs should not wait before seeking the advice of a mesothelioma law firm.

Family members who lost loved ones to asbestos mesothelioma may also have the option of filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death lawsuits must generally be filed within one to three years after the date of death.

Hundreds if not thousands of asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits have been filed across the nation. Billions of dollars have been paid out to victims of this painful and fast acting cancer.

It is hard for mesothelioma attorneys to estimate the amount of compensation a victim might receive from filing an asbestos lawsuit, as compensation from these lawsuits will depend on various factors.

Some cases may settle or receive jury awards in the amounts of millions, while others might recover a much smaller sum. Awards can depend on who the defendant is in the lawsuit.

Differences in dollar amounts may also depend on the victim’s medical bills, amount of lost wages, and their degree of their pain and suffering.

The length of time the case takes to resolve can also affect the amount of compensation that a plaintiff may recover. Cases that are quick to settle may receive less than those that await trial, but attorneys fees also increase with the length of time spent on a case.

Mesothelioma attorneys are generally paid according to a written contingency fee agreement. A contingency fee means the plaintiff does not pay his or her attorney upfront. Instead, the attorney collects a portion or percentage of the jury award or settlement.

Whether or not a person should bring a potential asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit is a decision that should be made on a case-by-case basis with the advice of a legal professional.