Asbestos Settlement Amounts

Many victims require an extensive settlement amount to pay for medical expenses, travel expenses and other financial losses. A mesothelioma lawyer can help determine the compensation amounts that a patient may be eligible for.

Although going to court can raise the mesothelioma payouts Most cases settle with an agreement. These agreements are reached through discussions with asbestos companies.

Thomas Brown's $300 million Verdict

Thomas Brown worked on oil drilling equipment as a "roughneck" in Mississippi which is a term used by locals to describe people who work hard and manual. His job was to pour bags of additives into mud on the oil field to accelerate drilling. Those bags, which he had no idea mixed in the workplace included asbestos. At the age of 48, he had contracted asbestosis and required oxygen 24-hours a day. The jury awarded him $300 million in punitive damages. This was the biggest asbestos verdict for a single plaintiff in history.


The award was an affront to Union Carbide Corp., which produces the asbestos-containing product Brown used. The company requested Circuit Judge Eddie Bowen to toss the verdict shortly after the record verdict was announced. They also requested that he step down, claiming that they believed he was biased and discriminated against them, as shown by his rulings, the comments made in front of the jurors, as well as coaching Brown's lawyers in questioning witnesses.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that the defendants knew about the dangers of the product but did not warn him or other workers. The jury decided that the plaintiff contracted the illness due to the defendants' negligence. The jury determined that he would have suffered less severe consequences had he been warned of the dangers of the contaminated dirt.

Asbestos lawyers have plenty of experience in arguing behalf of their clients the rights they have in the courtroom. They are proficient both at the appellate and trial levels, combining expert advice with aggressive advocacy in order to achieve the legal goals of their clients. They have handled cases that are complex in a variety of jurisdictions and are highly regarded for their accomplishments.

The Canadian community is unable to find any definitive answers on how their friend died. KENS 5 reported previously that the district prosecutor's office was not able to present the case to a Grand Jury because it was suicide. The attorney general released 249 pages of documents the night before the town hall stating that there is no evidence to show that Thomas killed himself.

Roby Whittington's $250 million verdict

Simmons Hanly Conroy is a national firm that specializes in mesothelioma and asbestos law. Asbestos attorneys from the firm won a verdict of $250 million for Roby Whittington who was a former steel mill worker. This is the largest verdict in Madison County, Illinois and one of the most prestigious mesothelioma cases in the nation. The mesothelioma attorneys at the firm have handled a range of asbestos cases. A significant portion of them involved exposure to industrial chemicals.

Whittington worked at the U.S. Steel Gary Works in Indiana from 1950 to 1981. He was employed at the plant from 1950 until 1980. In his lawsuit, he claimed that the company didn't warn him about the dangers of working with asbestos.

Atlanta asbestos lawyers awarded the retired steel worker $50 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages. He also received the cost of his medical bills for the rest of his life. This huge verdict was secured in part by the lawyers from Simmons Hanly Conroy because they have experience with large mesothelioma lawsuits. Lawyers such as Randall Bono and Perry Browder are able to spend hours constructing asbestos cases for clients, ensuring that the firms have the resources to yield the highest results.

In the Whittington case, asbestos lawyers were able to make peremptory challenges to John Crane Inc. during jury selection. This allowed them to strike potential jurors who appeared favorable to the defense. In a mesothelioma lawsuit against Daimler-Chrysler in a similar situation, Matushek used the same tactic to strike prospective jurors who appeared favorable to the defense.

Steel mill workers are at a high risk of developing mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. They are exposed to asbestos when they work on machinery and boilers. They could be exposed asbestos while cleaning and repairing machinery.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma is encouraged to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. The mesothelioma lawyers at Simmons Hanly Conroy are experienced in holding corporations accountable for asbestos exposure. They have won multi-million dollar settlements in asbestos-related lawsuits against corporations like U.S. Steel and Georgia Pacific, as well as companies that did not manufacture asbestos, but utilized asbestos in their facilities.

Nancy Lopez's $10 million Verdict

Nancy Lopez, a mesothelioma victim who died in the year 2010, fought for decades to resolve her legal case. Like many plaintiffs diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses, she fought for compensation from the companies that exposed them to this harmful material.

In her case she was awarded $10 million, after concluding that mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos during her work on the Jackson County Courthouse renovation project between 1983 and 1984. Her heirs brought suit against the county and the US Engineering Company (the firm who carried out the renovations in 1983 and 1984) for compensation.

The decision established a crucial precedent. Missouri's Supreme Court ruled that workers who breathed in toxic substances and are now suffering from mesothelioma or another illness must be compensated for medical expenses they've incurred. The asbestos fibers responsible for these illnesses don't disintegrate and can remain in the lungs for years before symptoms show.

The verdict will not bring Lopez back but it sends a clear message that courts stand by those who have been affected by asbestosis. The suit also opened the door for other victims to seek financial compensation from companies responsible for their exposure.

If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, your lawyer will immediately begin to collect details about your exposure to asbestos as well as the companies at fault. Once your attorney has the evidence required, they can file the claim with the defendants. After that, both sides can begin to exchange information during the discovery process and work toward the settlement.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Trusts for asbestos are the only way asbestos victims can receive compensation from companies that deceived or hid asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. After asbestos-related lawsuits flooded the courts in the 1970s, many of these companies filed for bankruptcy and set up trusts to pay those who were owed. The lawsuits of these companies are usually shortened or even dismissed to make way for asbestos trust payouts.

The trusts are administered by bankruptcy trustees not a jury or judge. Mesothelioma lawyers will work with trust administrators to ensure that your claim is in compliance with all the requirements. These include the documentation of your exposure, a confirmation of your diagnosis and an assessment of whether your condition was the result of the company which you worked for. Your attorney can also help you resolve any disputes regarding the amount of compensation you'll receive in accordance with your specific life circumstances and mesothelioma-related symptoms.

Each asbestos bankruptcy trust has its own guidelines for compensating asbestos victims. They utilize a process referred to as a Trust Distribution Procedure (TDP) to determine the amount an individual victim will receive based on the nature and severity of their illness. These guidelines typically deal with levels of disease, which are utilized to ensure that every victim receives fair treatment. The disease level for mesothelioma will always differ and other asbestos-related illnesses might have different levels of disease.

Your asbestos lawyers will submit an application on your behalf if you qualify for an expedited review. This can be completed within about 90 days, and you will receive a set amount according to the asbestos bankruptcy trust's established criteria for your diagnosis. The simplified process is beneficial for those who have a limited time to file a legal claim before the time limit expires.

The asbestos bankruptcy trust will evaluate your case on an individual basis if you are not eligible for the expedited review. This can take longer, but the trustees will scrutinize the evidence of asbestos exposure and your medical background to determine the amount you should receive based on the diagnosis you have received.