Posts Tagged ‘mesothelioma settlements’
Mesothelioma Settlements–Can A Price Be Put on a Human Life Accurately?
Is there a value that can be placed on a human life? How much is pain and suffering worth in terms of dollars and cents? Could it be worth millions?
If you or a loved one is suffering with mesothelioma, a disease almost exclusively contracted from exposure to asbestos, they may have a case for pursuing a lawsuit. If they win a favorable verdict or receive a settlement it could be a substantial amount of money.
There is no accurate gauge for measuring the damage this disease can cause to a person and their family. It can be difficult to evaluate exactly the value of a settlement. Each case will have different circumstances and can vary greatly. Also there will be many differences in how these cases are treated from one state to another.
That being said there have been many high settlements with mesothelioma cases in the United States. Some of these very high settlements include the following:
$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.
$33.7 million was awarded to a Navy electrician and his wife in California. The electrician contracted mesothelioma from occupational exposure to asbestos.
$10 million was awarded to a retired 82-year old machinist with mesothelioma in 2005.
One of the earliest mesothelioma cases resulted in a posthumous award in the amount of $80,000 in 1973.
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 settlements will pay for 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 could happen. The best advice is to consult with an attorney that is a specialist in this type of case.
A good mesothelioma attorney should be able to help you get an idea of what a settlement might look like. Costs covering medical, 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 subjective and a good mesothelioma lawyer can your best help in soring things out.
Most attorneys will offer 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 should 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.
Tags: exercise, Health, nutrition
