Asbestos Defense Litigation

Asbestos cases require a thorough investigation of the injured person's work history, identifying asbestos-related materials and finding potential defendants. This can involve obtaining information from co-workers, relatives or abatement workers and studying documents and other materials.

Cetrulo LLP served as national and Regional Defense Liaison Counsel for asbestos litigation dockets. We manage these dockets, and work with local attorneys in order to create consistent, cost effective defense strategies.

Asbestos Product Identification

Asbestos is found in a wide range of building materials, including cement products, paints and floor tiles. It is also present in adhesives, artex, doors, insulation, and adhesives. It is difficult to tell whether a product contains or is not made of asbestos by its appearance. A certified environmental surveyor can conduct an inspection to determine the presence of asbestos.

When asbestos fibres are airborne, they're tiny and light, meaning they can travel for long distances, even through closed windows or doors. Once they get into the lungs, they can cause the formation of serious health issues. Asbestos can be dangerous when it is damaged and releases harmful fibres into the air. This is why it's important that building materials not be disturbed or removed unless they are properly labeled and accompanied by a professional inspection.

Due to the long latency between asbestos lawyers exposure and disease it can be very difficult to obtain meaningful evidence in an asbestos lawsuit. In addition there are a number of concerns regarding the admissibility of the plaintiffs' experts and testimony on the causal connection between asbestos exposure and disease.

In these types of situations, asbestos defense attorneys can often successfully argue for summary judgments in the lack of a solid factual basis. For instance, imagine that plaintiff Paul was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in New York City. He doesn't know the date, time the cars involved, or any other information that could support a conclusion that defendant David was liable for his injuries.

A New York mesothelioma attorney with experience in this area is recommended. They will look over the facts of the case, along with any expert reports and other documentation to determine whether or not the summary judgment is a suitable remedy. New York mesothelioma law firms such as Weitz & Luxenberg, Cooney & Conway and Simmons Hanly Conroy are able to assist their clients with this procedure. Asbestos firms who practice across the country can help their clients in filing their claims in the most advantageous jurisdiction. This could include the State of New York or a federal court in New York City.

Asbestos Disease Identification

Although asbestos attorneys is no longer mined or processed in the United States, it still is present in many buildings and products that were made prior to 1989. These products can release fibers into the air when they deteriorate. They can be breathed in. These fibers can cause several kinds of lung diseases.

Lung diseases that are a result of asbestos exposure include the pleural disease (pleural plaques, thickening, and effusions) as well as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Inhaling these fibers can cause a number of symptoms, such as chest pain, fatigue and breath shortness. These symptoms may not show up until decades after exposure to asbestos.

All forms of asbestos including chrysotile can cause cancer in humans. Exposure to asbestos causes lung cancers and larynx, as well as ovaries. It can also trigger a type of mesothelioma that is found in the linings found in body cavities, such as the stomach, heart and testes. Mesothelioma is difficult to recognize because it has a latent period of time and has symptoms with other conditions such as rheumatoid joint arthritis and sarcoidosis.

The most likely to suffer asbestos-related diseases are those who have worked directly with the substance or were exposed to a significant amount of environmental toxins. This includes construction workers, boilermakers, and shipyard workers. Also included are railroad and U.S. Navy vets and those who assisted in cleaning up after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Some of the symptoms of these people include breathing difficulty coughing, chest pain and chest pain.

A doctor can determine if a patient has an asbestos-related illness by looking over a person's medical history, work and family histories. X-rays and CT scans can confirm an asbestos-related condition. Patients suffering from asbestosis are advised to undergo a yearly lung function test. This can help assess their health. This test can help detect asbestosis ' progression and also identify other health issues that could be related to the disease. Asbestosis sufferers should receive regular vaccines to prevent other respiratory illnesses like psoriasis. The EPA has a TSCA Hotline as well as an asbestos Ombudsman who can provide more information and support.

Asbestos Database Development

Asbestos is composed of fibrous minerals. It was extensively used in the construction and industry because of its durability and fire retardant as well as corrosion resistance properties. Asbestos particles inhalation can cause a variety medical problems that include mesothelioma which is lung cancer and other organs, as well as neurological problems. These illnesses can take 30 years or longer to appear.

Many asbestos attorney cases involve multiple defendants and require complex discovery, which is often complicated by a failure to identify the correct asbestos products involved in every case. The ability to determine the exact type of asbestos in an asbestos case requires the help of forensic experts, as well as the use of a wide range of investigative tools and methods such as interviews with former colleagues and other witnesses, subpoenaing work orders, invoices, and delivery documents from employers, and taking samples from workplaces and at home. It is also essential to determine the type of asbestos, such as it's amosite or crysotile, or crocidolite.

We have a vast amount of experience defense of companies that are involved in the asbestos industry. This includes product manufacturers, distributors and suppliers as well as contractors. Our team has been the National Coordinating Counsel and Trial Counsel for a variety of asbestos litigation clients and has represented these companies in multiple jurisdictions across the country. We are also Defense liaison counsel for several asbestos dockets across these states, where we oversee the regional and local attorneys to ensure consistency and effective defense strategies and outcomes.

Our national strategy for managing asbestos defense has been proven effective and, in a number of instances, has reduced legal costs by millions of dollars compared to what companies paid when being represented by other firms. This unique and aggressive approach to managing asbestos cases has been praised by courts throughout the country.

We also have experience the defense of massive toxic tort suits brought against the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals and petroleum chemicals. These lawsuits are based on claims that exposure to these substances has caused diseases such as restrictive and obstructive lung diseases as well as occupational asthma, cancers of all kinds and other neurological disorders.

Medical Expert Witnesses

Expert medical witnesses in asbestos cases are vital, mainly because many symptoms of asbestos exposure can be confused with other conditions like emphysema and other types of lung cancer. It is crucial for lawyers to have access to experts in these fields who can assist in identifying the various types of illnesses and show how each disease is caused by different types of exposures.

Often, the best evidence for this is found in the asbestos victim's medical records. X-rays, CT scans and biopsy samples are typically available to examination. However, to get the most benefit from this information, it is important to have medical experts who can analyze the information and make a decision on probabilities, causation and other issues.

Medical experts who provide testimony in asbestos cases have a solid reputation and have been involved in dozens, perhaps hundreds, of cases. This credibility increases their credibility before jurors. These doctors have a lot of experience in preparing to testify, and therefore they know the best way to answer questions from the defendants and how to present the evidence to the court.

In addition to medical professionals It is also essential to have scientists testify about the various causes of asbestos-related illnesses. It is not enough to show that the victim suffers from mesothelioma; it must be demonstrated how asbestos exposure exposed the plaintiff to carcinogens and how smoking aggravated the risk of mesothelioma.

Expert witness fees can constitute an important portion of costs that are associated with asbestos cases. This is the reason it is essential for a defending attorney to be able to efficiently choose and employ the most suitable expert witness for a given case.

At Swartz Campbell, we counsel material manufacturers, suppliers premises owners, distributors, employers and other defendants in asbestos cases in both state and federal courts across the country. Our team of dedicated and experienced attorneys are well-versed both defensively and offensively in asbestos litigation. Contact us today to learn what we can do to help you.