Mesothelioma Settlements-What’s the Value of a Human Life Worth?
What is the value that can be placed on a human life? How much in terms of dollars and cents is pain and suffering worth? Could it be worth millions?
If you or a loved one is suffering with mesothelioma, a disease almost exclusively contracted from exposure to asbestos, there may be the ability to take legal action against the company where the exposure to asbestos took place. If they win a favorable verdict or receive a settlement it could be a substantial amount of money.
It can be very difficult to gauge and measure the damage mesothelioma can bring upon a person and their family. It can be difficult to pre determine exactly how much a settlement can be. All cases will have different circumstances and can vary greatly. As well there will be many differences in how these cases are looked upon from one state to another.
Having said all that there have been a number of very high settlements with mesothelioma cases in the US. Here is a sampling of some very high settlements:
$250 million was awarded, in recent years, to Roby Whittington, a retired US Steel Worker. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2001.
In 2000 a jury awarded a 64 year-old retired worker from the Shell Oil Company $34.1 million. It was in 1998 that he was diagnosed with plueral mesothelioma. It was determined he was exposed to the asbestos fibers when he worked for Shell Oil from 1956-1966.
A Navy electrician and his wife were awarded $33.7 million from a jury in California The electrician came down with mesothelioma as a result of occupational exposure to asbestos.
$10 million was awarded to a retired 82-year old machinist with mesothelioma in 2005.
One of the very earliest recorded cases for a mesothelioma award was in 1973 for a posthumous patient at $80,000.
There are many reports of other cases where settlements ranged in the millions of dollars to others that were just in the thousands. Most settlements are not as high as those mentioned. Most cover medical expenses, lost wages, expenses incurred during the time of the disease and occasionally something for pain and suffering. But it is not out of the question that a multimillion dollar settlement can be awarded. The best advice is to speak with an attorney that is a specialist in this type of case.
A good mesothelioma attorney should be able to help you get an sense of what a settlement might look like. Medical costs, loss of income and other expenses that can be documented are fairly easy to add up. But putting a price on the value of pain and suffering (non economic damages) can be very different and a good mesothelioma lawyer can be very helpful in sorting things out.
Look for an attorney that offers a free consultation Be sure to seek out one that will take on the case with out any upfront cost to you. They will be paid only if they win a settlement. You will also agree upon how much their fee will be out of any settlement before you agree to go forward. Here is a list of good questions you can ask that will help you select a good mesothelioma lawyer texas.
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