Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with mesothelioma recently? If so, then there is a high chance you might’ve been exposed to asbestos at your workplace. In such a case, you can take legal action and file a lawsuit against your employer. Doing this will enable you to obtain compensation for your physical and emotional suffering. After all, a mesothelioma diagnosis is usually followed by thousands of dollars in medical treatment and therapies. Not to mention, you will have to take a significant pay cut when you take time off to recover. Before filing a claim in court, you must first understand what mesothelioma is. It is a rare type of asbestos-related cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs.
When you’ve decided to file a case in court, the first thing to do is to hire a mesothelioma attorney or law firm. Sure, you can always represent yourself in court. However, ask yourself; do you know what it takes to fulfill all the legal requirements associated with such a type of claim? Can you prove your claim on your own? Probably not! So, with that in mind, here are a few reasons why it is best to hire an attorney to ensure a win.
1. A Lawyer Has The Legal Knowledge Required To Deal With A Mesothelioma Case
One of the most obvious reasons is that you might’ve been exposed to asbestos in the past, around 10 to 40 years ago. Plus, you probably wouldn’t know where you were exposed to this mineral. Not to mention, the employer in question might have gone bankrupt and closed up shop. So, it will be challenging to remember the location and time you were exposed to asbestos. If that’s the case, a competent mesothelioma lawyer will help you determine the when and where of your asbestos exposure. Your lawyer will require a history of your asbestos exposure to identify if you were exposed at the workplace.
Moreover, your attorney will also have an idea of where to pursue compensation from. For example, if your employer has gone out of business, they might have set up a trust fund to compensate mesothelioma victims. In the end, working with a law firm or lawyer will enable you to utilize their expertise, especially if they have experience with asbestos exposure-related cases.
2. A Lawyer Knows Everything About The Statute Of Limitations
You will also have to hire a lawyer who knows about the statute of limitations for your case. It will help them act accordingly and file a lawsuit before the time limit expires. A statute of limitations is the time you have to file your claim. Typically, the statute of limitations ranges from one to four years.
For instance, the statute of limitations for Texas is five years, meaning you have until five years after your diagnosis to take legal action. If you don’t, you will end up losing your eligibility for a court case. Mesothelioma lawyers typically know of this and will act in due time to ensure that your lawsuit is filed within the appropriate time limit.
3. A Lawyer Has The Time And Resources To Investigate Your Case
A personal injury claim doesn’t ask for a lot of investigative work. However, on the other hand, a mesothelioma claim requires a lot of evidence and investigation to prove. Not to mention, this can usually take a lot of time. However, your mesothelioma attorney will have the resources and time to collect evidence like medical reports and records and expert opinions to ensure your diagnosis resulted from your employer’s negligence. It will be challenging to build a strong case if you don’t hire an attorney or law firm that has the time, connections, and resources to perform the investigative work your lawsuit needs.
4. A Lawyer Will Know How To Value Your Claim
One of the most challenging parts of any mesothelioma claim is determining its value and worth. Due to this, you will have to account for all the damage you suffered from your diagnosis, physical, emotional, and mental. So, you will have to hire a knowledgeable attorney who can collaborate with medical experts and perform a comprehensive assessment of the damages caused by your diagnosis.
5. A Lawyer Will Help You Pursue Your Claim On A Contingency Basis
One of the main reasons people don’t consider contacting a mesothelioma attorney is that they are worried about the amount of money they will need to pay their lawyer. However, don’t worry as we have some good news for you. Mesothelioma lawyers usually work on a contingency basis, meaning they won’t charge you a single dime until you win your claim. Due to this, you can rest assured that you won’t have to pay your attorney any money if you don’t win.
In the end, it is critical to get in touch with a reputable lawyer as soon as you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma. Doing this will ensure you get fair compensation for your emotional and physical suffering.