If you or a loved one has or had mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for compensation. As a major manufacturing producer in the U.S. since the late 19th century, Pennsylvania is also home to many mesothelioma cases and deaths. You may have legal options to pursue mesothelioma claims for damages if you or a family member experienced asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma is a disease heavily linked to asbestos exposure. Attorney David Halpern of the Halpern Law Firm has spent decades fighting for his Pennsylvania clients in mesothelioma lawsuits. Our firm wants you to know that you have legal options to pursue justice.
What Is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare disease that affects the protective layers of tissue around the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and internal organs. Workers in manufacturing and construction are the most susceptible, as well as those in other industries, including:
- railroad engineering, construction, and operation
- manufacturing
- metalworking
- shipbuilding
- insulation manufacturing and installation
- mining
- teaching
- and more
Additional communities in Ellwood City and New Castle have also shown high levels of exposure to asbestos.
How Does Exposure to Asbestos Lead to Mesothelioma?
Asbestos fibers invade the lungs during inhalation and can’t escape the lungs once inside. Your body’s natural defenses of red and white blood cells, including germ-destroying macrophages, can’t clean the asbestos fibers out of the lungs.
Generations of macrophage cells will continue to mutate to try to destroy the invaders, deteriorating the chromosomes and leading to the development of cancer cells. These cells are hard to detect in the early stages of cancer, leading to late diagnosis and short life spans following diagnosis.
What Is the Statute of Limitations on Filing Mesothelioma Claims?
In most cases, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury, wrongful death, or product liability claim in Pennsylvania is two years. However, extenuating circumstances in your case could affect the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawsuits, but you would need to discuss this with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer.
The first condition is noting the cause of action date. In the event of a personal injury claim, this would be two years from the date of diagnosis. Even still, you may not need help to draw a good connection between your diagnosis and the liable party. In these cases, the statute of limitations starts when you can first connect the responsible party to your diagnosis strongly enough to warrant legal action.
Your Legal Options
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the country. You have the right to pursue compensation for your pain and suffering or the loss of a loved one to mesothelioma. Compensation can include:
- winning or settling against a former employer that knowingly used asbestos products
- winning or settling against a manufacturer of asbestos products that knew the risks of exposure to asbestos
- recovering settlements from asbestos bankruptcy trusts
A lawyer experienced in mesothelioma claims can help you find liability with a former employer and pursue the appropriate legal options for the best opportunity to recover compensation for your injuries.
Hire a Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Lawyer with the Halpern Law Firm
The Halpern Law Firm wants to help every Pennsylvanian injured by exposure to asbestos pursue fair compensation for their pain and suffering. We have helped recover over $100 million in compensation for our clients and hope that we can help more families struggling with mesothelioma claims have similar success.
For more information about filing Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawsuits, contact the Halpern Law Firm at (800) 505-6000 or complete our online form to schedule your free legal consultation.
