Asbestos Litigation
Since litigation for asbestos exposure and related diseases began, asbestos litigation has become the longest running, most expensive mass tort claim in the history of the United States. Since its inception, more than 8,400 defendants and 730,000 claimants have taken part in claims involving asbestos. The current total cost of asbestos litigation, in the United States alone, is estimated at more than $250 billion.
Even though general use of asbestos was stopped years ago in the United States, there are still enough places left already containing asbestos that it is anticipated that the number of people who are diagnosed with diseases tied to asbestos exposure will increase in the coming years.
When litigating asbestos cases, it can be a difficult item to master because of the huge number of variables and the multiple factors that play a role in each and every case. This is made more complicated by the number of cases that involve multiple plaintiffs who all have similar symptoms.
One problem of asbestos litigation is that many of the plaintiffs have not actually been diagnosed with a specific disease but instead, are claiming damages for future medical problems. The lawsuits are frequently based on negligence asserting that the employer had a duty to ensure that working conditions were safe and that this duty was breached.
Because of the huge number of variables, many asbestos cases settle out of court. This is excellent news for the federal court system since in 1999 there were 200,000 pending asbestos cases. It is even better news when considering that the number is expected to balloon to 700,000 pending asbestos cases in the next four decades or so.
Contact Us
Understanding asbestos law and litigation can be complicated. For more information, contact us today at 800-781-3955 for the assistance you need.
