Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney
Questions to ask when selecting a mesothelioma attorney.
Since so much is at stake, selecting the right mesothelioma lawyer
is very important. According the Wall Street Journal, lawyers say
a typical mesothelioma award in a mesothelioma settlement is $1
million, and attorneys get 40% of this amount. If the case actually
goes to trial, the average award was $6 million in 2001, which was
triple the amount awarded just two years earlier.
So, mesothelioma attorneys are very eager to find mesothelioma
patients. And it's vital that patients select the mesothelioma attorneys
that are best for them.
A Brief Background on Your Legal Rights Regarding Mesothelioma
Companies that manufacture products that contain asbestos have known
for over 60 years that asbestos can cause serious diseases.
Unfortunately, because many of these companies wanted to increase
their profits, they kept this information quiet, thereby seriously
endangering their workers.
There are now laws that help protect the workers who have been
harmed by their exposure to these asbestos-related products.
However, since representing mesothelioma can be so profitable to
attorneys, it is important that people who have mesothelioma be
especially careful selecting attorneys who are really qualified
to represent them. Therefore, we have created a list of...
Important Questions to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma
Attorney
Question #1 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney:
What is your personal experience in representing mesothelioma patients?
Your goal is to find out how many cases the attorney has actually
handled.
You also want to know: how many of these were settled, and how
many of these went to trial? What were the results of each case?
You should ask the same questions about his or her law firm. You're
goal is to find out about the firm -- is this an area the firm specializes
in?
Question #2 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney:
Next, you want to ask if the lawyer intends to actually handle
your case him or herself. Many attorneys simply refer these cases
to another law firm and receive part of the fee in exchange. This
may not be in your best interest.
Question #3 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Lawyer:
A very important question to ask is how expenses and attorney fees
will be handled for the case. The process is not fast -- preparation
for the trial and then the trial itself -- will take many months
(or even years).
During this time, there will be thousands of dollars of initial
costs associated with preparing for the trial, such as travel, hiring
expert witnesses, depositions, etc. Ordinarily, the attorney who
represents you advances these initial costs that are associated
with the preparation and trial.
Most attorney fees in these cases are based on contingency fee
contracts. This means that the lawyers receive a percentage of the
amount the victim recovers if the suit is successful. If the suit
is not successful, then the attorneys earn no fee.
Question #4 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Lawyer:
The next thing to ask is what is involved in this kind of lawsuit.
You want to get an overview of the process, and what your role will
be in it. You also want to get a sense of how good a communicator
the attorney is.
Finally, a lot is at stake financially in these lawsuits. Therefore,
it is ordinarily a good idea to interview a number of attorneys
before you make a final decision about who will represent you. Consider
trying to get at least two or three recommendations so you can make
the best decision for you.
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