How to Find a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Dallas Texas

Are you looking for information on how to find a mesothelioma lawyer in Dallas, Texas? Past exposure to asbestos puts you at risk of contracting mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos and diagnosed in fewer than 3,000 people in the United States every year.http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/mesothelioma.htm If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos at any time in your life, you should see your doctor for a thorough examination and assessment. If you have already received a diagnosis of mesothelioma, it is time to find an attorney.

Dallas, Texas has the 30th highest incidence of asbestos-related death in the nation.http://www.asbestos.com/states/texas/dallas.php Deaths from mesothelioma specifically didn't start being documented until 1998. However, from the information available, it is estimated that as many as 239 people in the Dallas, Texas area have died from mesothelioma since 1979. Of those, 199 were in Dallas County, 17 in Collin County, 10 in Denton County, 3 in Rockwell County and 10 in Kaufman County. If you include all forms of asbestos-related deaths, as many as 300 people have died from asbestosis or mesothelioma in the Dallas, Texas area since 1979.

If you or somebody else living has mesothelioma, a lawyer may file a personal injury suit. If a family member has died from mesothelioma, a wrongful death suit may be filed. In the state of Texas, the statute of limitations for filing either personal injury or wrongful death suits is two years. http://www.asbestos.net/state-resources/texas.html The clock starts running when the problem is first discovered. So, it is very important to consult with a lawyer as soon after your diagnosis as possible.

Disclaimer

The content on this page is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. Speak with a qualified lawyer to ensure that you get the most accurate information regarding any potential claim that you might have.

Featured Video: Should You Hire a Mesothelioma Lawyer?

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In this video interview with Mary Hesdorffer, a nurse practitioner and Medical Liaison for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, she advises patients with mesothelioma to get a lawyer. As she points out, mesothelioma is a very expensive disease to treat. Settlement money can help to pay for medical bills not covered by insurance, travel expenses to visit doctors and the day-to-day expenses of daily living for the patient and his or her family.

Step 1: Were You Employed in an At-Risk Industry in the Dallas, Texas Area?

Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas have a number of potential sources of asbestos exposure. As in many areas, asbestos was used in roofing, flooring and insulation materials in most buildings constructed prior to the 1980s when the government began to regulate the use of asbestos products. .http://www.asbestos.com/states/texas/dallas.php This construction included houses, schools, hospitals, apartments, offices and many other types of buildings. Because of its superior heat resistance and insulating properties, asbestos was also widely used in power plants, oil refineries and many other manufacturing industries. At many industrial sites, asbestos was used in the protective clothing worn by workers on a daily basis. Oil refineries did not use asbestos in their products. However, in addition to its heat and fire resistance, asbestos undergoes virtually no corrosion when exposed to chemicals. Because of this, it was used in oil refineries for everything from insulation and protective clothing to bearings and gaskets in process equipment.http://www.asbestos.net/state-resources/texas.html

One site that has been of particular concern as an asbestos exposure site is W.R. Grace’s Texas Vermiculite plant in Dallas. From 1953 to 1992, over 327,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite was shipped to this plant from a mine in Libby, Montana.http://www.asbestos.com/states/texas/dallas.php Those who worked at or lived near the plant during its years of operation are at risk of contracting mesothelioma. Family members may also be at risk from asbestos brought home on shoes and clothing by plant workers. If you lived near or worked at this plant between 1953 and 1992, you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of asbestos exposure.

Step 2: Did You Work For a Company Where You May Have Been Exposed to Asbestos?

If you think that you, a friend or a family member may have been exposed to asbestos at work or in buildings where asbestos has been discovered, see your doctor for a thorough exam. If mesothelioma or asbestosis is diagnosed, find a lawyer. Be prepared to tell your attorney where you think you were exposed to asbestos. He or she will have to be able to prove what caused your exposure to asbestos and which company was responsible for that exposure.

The companies listed below are sites of potential asbestos exposure in Dallas, Texas.http://www.asbestosnews.com/asbestos-areas/texas.html If you or someone you know worked at or spent extended periods of time at any of these sites, you may have been exposed to asbestos. This is not a comprehensive list of potential exposure sites. Make sure your lawyer is aware of all of the areas where you have lived and worked in and around Dallas.

Step 3: Finding a Mesothelioma Lawyer

Before consulting with a lawyer, make sure you have a firm diagnosis of mesothelioma. Also, learn all you can about the disease from your doctor, current literature and online resources such as the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and Mayo Clinic. You don't have to become an expert. But, the more you know, the better equipped you will be to assess the knowledge of a prospective attorney.

When looking for an attorney, use all of the resources available to you. Phone books and internet directories can be used as starting points. But, it is important that you find someone experienced in cases involving mesothelioma and with whom you feel comfortable. Ask for referrals from anybody you know who has been through a similar case or who works with or is familiar with the attorneys in your area. Search public records for mesothelioma cases that went to court and note the attorney and the outcome of the trial.

Once you have a short list of prospective attorneys, make a list of questions that you want to ask each one. Some suggestions are listed in the next section on this page. Make sure to write your questions down so that you don't forget to ask any of them. Also, take notes when speaking with each attorney so that you can compare their answers later. When reviewing the answers of each lawyer, consider not only how knowledgeable they were, but how comfortable you felt when speaking with them.

After comparing notes and considering each attorney you spoke to, choose one and make an appointment to get started. Because of the statute of limitations on personal injury and wrongful death cases, it is imperative that you be make a decision and get things moving as quickly as possible after your diagnosis.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Attorney

When speaking with prospective attorneys for your Mesothelioma case, you'll want to ask a lot of questions. Here are some important ones to get you started. You may also have some of your own to add to the list.

How many Mesothelioma or asbestos-related cases have they handled? How many were settled? How many went to trial? What was the outcome?http://www.scambusters.org/mesothelioma-attorney.html
Will the attorney handle your case personally?
Will they be reasonably available to speak with you when you have questions? How quickly can you expect calls to be returned?http://www.asbestos.net/asbestos-legal-issues/mesothelioma-asbestos-and-other-asbestos-diseases-lawyers-and-attorneys.html
What role will you play in your case? Will you always be consulted before any legal decisions are made?http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/attorney.php
Will the lawyer require payment up front or as the case proceeds? Or will they accept the case on a contingency basis and receive payment from the final settlement. If so, what percentage of the final award will they take to cover their fees and expenses?
What other resources does the attorney have at their disposal to investigate, build and prove your case?
Will your case be handled as a standalone case, or will your claim be part of a larger case with more than one plaintiff?