6 Questions for Your California Mesothelioma Attorneys
You and your family never heard of the term mesothelioma cancer. You and your family were not prepared for a mesothelioma diagnosis when it happened, you were not prepared for your doctor’s description of the reality of pain and suffering mesothelioma can cause, nor were you and your family prepared to seek legal advice from California mesothelioma attorneys.
Yet, here you are in a situation where you are juggling your emotions, thinking about your feelings of responsibility for your family’s well-being, and trying to come to grips with the next logical steps to consider.
At some point, you may decide you wish to seek some form of justice where the parties responsible for your asbestos exposure, and possibly another family members’ exposure, are held accountable so that no other innocent person can be victimized. You most likely will want to seek compensation that will help pay for the extremely expensive process of undergoing mesothelioma treatment as well as secure financial compensation for your family’s future well-being.
6 Must Ask Questions for Your California Mesothelioma Attorneys
You are at the point where you are ready to research and reach out to a California mesothelioma attorney. But where do you begin? The following six questions will help you, and your family, evaluate the California mesothelioma attorneys you have chosen to contact. The questions are designed to aid in your decision-making process by taking into consideration each firm’s level of experience, their track record in the field of asbestos litigation, and the cost and compensation involved in a mesothelioma lawsuit.
How old is your firm and how long have you been doing this?
One of the most critically important criteria you should seek in hiring a law firm specializing in mesothelioma is their experience and practice focus. The length of time a firm has been practicing asbestos litigation is critical. What is the law firm’s role in the history of asbestos litigation? Have they been practicing since the 1970’s when asbestos law was established and were they one of few pioneering law firms that helped create asbestos litigation?
In conjunction with the history of the California mesothelioma attorneys you are evaluating, is their practice focused on asbestos litigation? Does the firm practice mesothelioma-asbestos law exclusively? If they do not specialize in asbestos litigation, then that firm most likely is not experienced enough to guide you and your family through the complex process of going to trial or seeking settlement. They will not be equipped to answer all of the intricate questions about asbestos trusts, bankrupt defendants, and the dozens of other critical decisions you will need support in navigating. No lawyer is an expert at everything- and like any other job, people get good at doing things by doing them repeatedly.
Will your firm represent me in court and negotiate the settlements against the defendants?
This is absolutely critical. If the answer is no, then the law firm you are vetting is a case broker. Case brokers are simply lead generation specialists who often produce expensive television commercials and digital advertisements attempting to attract asbestos plaintiffs. Once a case broker has your commitment, they place your case with the highest bidding law firm who buys the case from them. Consequently, you are then passed off to a firm without having been given the time to research their qualifications, experience, and practice focus. Instead of choosing the most qualified firm for your representation, the choice is left up to the broker who has no moral obligation to seek the most qualified law firm.
How much will it cost me to investigate my asbestos claim?
California mesothelioma attorneys should never bill you for investigating your potential claim. A consultation should always be free. The investigation process will include questions about you, about your family, and about your work history. This investigation will uncover the information that will help you lead to the next steps in the process if you have a legitimate claim.
How much will it cost for your firm to represent me?
You and your family should not work with a law firm that doesn’t work on a contingency fee basis. That means that the firm you hire to represent you and your family does not charge you an hourly fee. Instead the law firm is paid compensation only if a judgement is won in your favor or settlements are reached in your case.
How long do I have to file a mesothelioma lawsuit?
The law places time limits on how long a person can wait before filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. Once the deadline passes, it is too late to file a lawsuit. These time limits are called statute of limitations. Your right to pursue a claim or a lawsuit varies depending on where your asbestos exposure occurred and when you were diagnosed. There is a wide range of statute of limitations in the United States. California is one of the most stringent for victims often allowing only one year from diagnosis for a personal injury claim. A number of other states allow two to three years from diagnosis. It’s vitally important to obey these time limitations or you could lose the right to compensation. Although California’s statute of limitations is stringent, the California court system is widely recognized as one of the most sympathetic to victims in the country.
How much compensation can I expect from my mesothelioma lawsuit?
Every case is unique, with a unique set of circumstances that influences the outcome and amount of compensation you and your family can expect. With that said, in most instances negotiations between the attorneys on both sides will inevitably yield mutually agreeable settlement amounts to be paid to you. The goal of a settlement is to ensure you receive a fair amount of compensation as quickly as possible.
Mesothelioma Settlements
What is a settlement? When you reach a settlement with the defendants you are agreeing to a compromise between you and the guilty party(s) who knowingly exposed you to deadly asbestos. Settlements rarely if ever come with an admission of guilt from the responsible parties. The amount of your settlement will vary dependent upon a number of factors.
The advantages of a settlement include having quick access to settlement money to pay for your medical treatment costs as well as financial support for your family. In addition, you and your family will not have to go through the complicated, often long, and invariably painful process of trial.
Going to Trial with California Mesothelioma Attorneys
If it is justice you seek, in the form of holding the people and organizations accountable for your asbestos exposure, in a public forum then you may wish to go to trial seeking a verdict.
Trials come with risks not associated with a settlement. In most cases, trials take longer to complete than settlements. Because of the unpredictability of court proceedings, trials come with additional risks. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you have the chance of losing when the verdict is returned. If you lose at trial, you and your family will not receive any money or compensation from trial defendants. The compensation that you deserve will be lost. The best and most experienced California mesothelioma attorneys understand the risks and will help you understand those risks before you make the decision to move forward with a trial.
California Mesothelioma Attorneys at Kazan Law
Since our founding in 1974, Kazan Law has represented thousands of people suffering from asbestos related illnesses, particularly mesothelioma. Our firm was built upon asbestos litigation and after four plus decades we remain dedicated and focused on representing people harmed by asbestos exposure.
Among our principals are pioneers in asbestos litigation. As a pioneering law firm in the field, we are the most experienced mesothelioma attorneys in California. We have unparalleled expertise and involvement in asbestos bankruptcy reorganizations and asbestos bankruptcy funds.
You will receive the personalized service and expertise you and your family deserve through our staff of more than 80, including 25 attorneys and a team of paralegals and professional investigators. We pride ourselves on the fact that Kazan Law excels in complex litigation involving, catastrophic asbestos cancer and personal injury.
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