Mesothelioma is an asbestos-induced cancer of the membrane surrounding and protecting the internal organs. Mesothelioma most commonly strikes the lining of the lungs, but can also affect that of the abdomen, heart or testicles. Severe symptoms of mesothelioma of the lung include shortness of breath, chest pain and cough. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our firm to speak with an experienced asbestos attorney about your legal rights.
Mesothelioma Resulting from Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately many individuals continue to be diagnosed with this fatal disease. The law firm of Summers and Wyatt has proudly represented mesothelioma and asbestos victims and their families now for over 30 years. Unlike many firms, Summers & Wyatt has never advertised for this type of work, nor has it ever advocated for the mass screenings of certain employee groups (like labor unions) in an effort to drum up business. Although the majority of Summers & Wyatt clients over the years were exposed to asbestos while working in some of the larger local industrial plants like DuPont, Combustion Engineering, and some of the T.V.A. facilities, Summers & Wyatt has represented many clients whose exposure to asbestos came from other settings including military, railroad, or exposure in the home through a loved one who worked at a job site where asbestos was used. In doing so, Summers & Wyatt has handled cases originating from exposure to asbestos from throughout the country including particularly southeast Tennessee, middle Tennessee and northwest Georgia.
Please know that if you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, a lawyer based in Chattanooga will speak with you and give you sound legal advice about your situation. Summers & Wyatt is NOT a 1-800 number -- as you unfortunately see often on TV -- where you are likely to be connected to a law firm in some far away state that has no intention or ability to advise you or actually handle your case. These 1-800 number law firms often are pure "case brokers", who will simply farm your case out to some other law firm.
Instead, if you contact Summers & Wyatt, a knowledgeable and experienced attorney will speak with you, evaluate your potential case, and, if feasible, pursue legal justice for you. If you contact Summers & Wyatt about your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, you will not be some random number and you will not have difficulty speaking on a regular basis (in person even if you like) with an attorney about your case. Rather, your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case will receive the personalized attention, from an attorney, that it deserves. That is the way Summers & Wyatt has been handling mesothelioma and asbestos cases now for over 30 years, and that is one of the reasons why we have been successful in doing so. The fact that other law firms associate and refer cases to us speaks volumes as well about our standing in the mesothelioma and asbestos legal community.
Summers & Wyatt continues to receive calls and accept new mesothelioma and asbestos clients based on the great reputation and solid results that Summers & Wyatt has historically achieved for its clients. That is the only form of advertising that Summers & Wyatt utilizes. If you appreciate and share these values, and if you want an experienced attorney to review your potential mesothelioma and asbestos case, please contact Summers & Wyatt as soon as possible.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease and would like to speak with an attorney about your rights, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you have not yet been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related lung disease, but you have concerns or questions because you know you have been exposed to asbestos, our attorney will be happy to speak with you about that as well. To speak with or schedule a free consultation with a lawyer at our firm, call 423-933-2738, or contact us by e-mail.
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Our attorneys have more than 140 years of combined legal experience and have handled hundreds of asbestos and mesothelioma claims. To put our experience to work for you, contact Summers & Wyatt, P.C.
Legal Redress for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Injuries
In the past century, thousands of people were exposed to harmful, airborne asbestos fibers in industrial settings and through the use of asbestos-containing products and construction materials. Sometimes the dangerous, often fatal, diseases from breathing or ingesting asbestos fibers are not manifest for even up to 50 years. Even now, people exposed decades ago are developing asbestos-induced illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Courts continue to be choked with asbestos cases. Many large companies named as defendants in asbestos litigation have declared bankruptcy, and the resulting remedies and trust funds set up for claimants are sometimes inadequate. However, this does not mean victims have no legal recourse. If you have been exposed to asbestos to your physical, mental or economic detriment, consult an experienced attorney at Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to discuss your legal remedies.
RAND Asbestos Litigation Study
The combination of the overwhelming numbers of those exposed and the horrific nature of the resulting injuries created an explosion in asbestos-related legal activity. According to a 2005 RAND Institute for Civil Justice study, over 730,000 people in the US filed claims for asbestos-induced injuries from the 1970s through 2002. The defending businesses and insurers spent more than $70 billion in response, with only 42 cents per dollar going to the injured claimants and the rest going to defense costs and attorneys fees.
RAND calculated about 8,400 entities have been defendants in asbestos litigation. By mid-2004, at least 73 companies commonly named as asbestos defendants had declared bankruptcy.
Potential Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos lawsuits cover a variety of situations and are brought under different legal theories in both state and federal courts. The outcomes vary widely and different laws govern in each jurisdiction.
Many different types of defendants have been targeted including mining companies; manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and marketers; employers; and property owners, landlords and managers.
Product Liability
Lawsuits for asbestos injury are often brought as product liability cases. A product liability case theorizes that a defective or unreasonably dangerous product injured someone, potentially making anyone in the "chain of distribution" liable for that injury. Parties in the chain of distribution can include the manufacturer, material supplier, marketer, seller and distributor. There are several potential types of product liability, including strict liability, breach of warranty, negligence, defective design, civil conspiracy, failure to warn of danger and others.
Premises Liability
In some states, premises liability lawsuits are a potential source of recovery for asbestos injuries. Plaintiffs sue operators or owners of industrial facilities that used asbestos in production, or where asbestos exposure occurred from construction materials. Landlords, property managers and property owners may face liability for exposure in residential and commercial buildings where asbestos-containing construction materials were used, resulting in injury to the occupants.
Workers' Compensation
Workers injured by asbestos in the workplace are usually eligible for workers' compensation benefits. The treatment of occupational diseases in the workers' compensation system varies by state - sometimes more restrictively than other types of diseases and sometimes more generously. Depending on the jurisdiction and the facts, workers may have additional legal remedies outside the workers' compensation system.
Economic Property Loss
Asbestos-containing materials were used to construct millions of buildings. Some lawsuits contemplate the economic loss to property from the asbestos contamination. The plaintiff seeks to recover the difference between the value of the property without asbestos contamination and the amount the property is currently worth with asbestos.
Conclusion
Asbestos litigation can be extremely complex. If you believe you have been or may be harmed by asbestos exposure, you should protect your interests by seeking the advice of a skilled lawyer at Summers & Wyatt, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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