Thursday, January 28, 2010

Asbestos Settlement Facts.

By Thomas Goldman

An asbestos settlement can sometimes amount to more than tens of millions of dollars. Asbestos exposure can result in a cancer known as mesothelioma or sometimes other health problems. The scientific fact of a link between this chemical and mesothelioma was proven in 1960 so legal action is usually taken on the assumption that any employer should have made themselves aware of the problem and taken appropriate precautions.

The first asbestos settlement was in 1929 and many settlements have been processed since 1960. Compensation can be obtained for many aspects of the disease, including loss of earnings, compensation from care provided whether paid-for or not, items purchased due to the disease, loss to other family members as well as travel to medical and healthcare facilities as well as for the disease itself.

Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by direct exposure to this chemical during work. Types of employment bringing workers into contact with this dangerous chemical include boilermakers, shipbuilders and laggers due to the fact that asbestos was used as lagging to insulate boilers. Electricians, carpenters, builders and joiners, who need to drill or cut asbestos insulation as they perform their jobs, motor mechanics exposed to asbestos used in brake pads and clutches, plumbers and pipe fitters who work with types of asbestos pipe insulation, and teachers, fire fighters, police officers, managers and other professions can all come into direct contact with the chemical. Indirect contact can also cause the same medical problems. This might result from doing the laundry of those who work with the chemical or might even be caused by children playing on playing areas which include asbestos mining waste materials.

Many legal cases in this field are taken on by lawyers and attorneys on a "no win no fee" basis which thus saves the claimant from having to pay any legal fees upfront. Most cases tend to reach a settlement before going to the final hearing so the patient usually does not have to make a personal appearance in court. An asbestos settlement can still usually be made even if state benefits have been claimed for, although the amount of the claim might be adjusted.

An asbestos settlement is sometimes vital for a patient to get the best treatment, as some treatments can total close to a million dollars.

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