LOUISVILLE MESOTHELIOMA ATTORNEY

Asbestos have been used in North America since the 1800s, a set of six fibrous minerals that are naturally occurring. People have mined them to use for commercial and industrial purposes, as asbestos is a uniquely flame retardant material.

The peak of asbestos use came after World War II, when thriving industries like shipping, building, construction, plumbing, and mining utilized it. It was used for products such as roof shingles, cement compounds, and automobile products. In the 1970s, however, asbestos became regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and it was slowly phased out over the next several decades.

The six fibers in asbestos help make it durable, but they also make it extremely hazardous to be around. It is an easily inhaled substance, and when it gets broken down during mining or construction the fragments produce a dust. When inhaled, the dust can settle inside your lungs and bind to your respiratory system, making it difficult to remove. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no specific time when mesothelioma can develop after exposure to asbestos, but it can develop slowly and take as many as 40 years.

Asbestos was used for decades in a multitude of industries and in countless products. The prevalent use of asbestos for so long exposed countless Louisville workers, and their families, to the harmful mineral. However, those who worked in some industries were more likely to be exposed to asbestos than those who worked in others. Some industries with high rates of exposure:

• Shipbuilding
• Armed Forces
• Construction
• Power plants
• Commercial product manufacturing
• Railroads

Louisville workers most at risk of being diagnosed with mesothelioma are those who:

• Were personally exposed directly to asbestos, at work or elsewhere; or
• Lived with a person that worked with asbestos and brought the fibers home on their skin, hair, or clothing.

Mesothelioma lawsuits are typically brought against a previous employer that used asbestos in the workplace, or a company that manufactured and advertised an asbestos product. In a mesothelioma case, two types of lawsuits can be filed:

Personal Injury Lawsuits: A person that developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos is able to file a personal injury claim within four years of their mesothelioma diagnosis.

Wrongful Death Claims: In adherence to the Kentucky Wrongful Death Statute (KRS 411.130), the family of a person who died from mesothelioma can file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages against those responsible for their loved ones’ exposure to asbestos. A time limit exists on how long the family has to file a lawsuit, though, so it is important to speak with a knowledgeable mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible.

To file a successful mesothelioma lawsuit, the victim has to prove that they were exposed to asbestos, something that likely happened decades earlier. Our attorneys can review a person’s employment history and establish a connection between their exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis by identifying the source of their asbestos exposure.

Our experienced mesothelioma attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have firsthand knowledge of what effect a mesothelioma diagnosis can have on a patient, and their loved ones. We know that filing a lawsuit is probably not your number-one priority at this time. That said, if you do decide to file a lawsuit, we will seek to make the process as simple as possible.

We will deal with each step of the legal process, and allow for you to decide what level of involvement you would like to have in the case. You do not have an infinite amount of time to file a mesothelioma lawsuit though, so contact us for a free case evaluation as soon as possible.

If you decide to work with our lawyers to bring a lawsuit against the at-fault parties, you will make no payments to us until we recover compensation for you or your family.