A long industrial history has contributed to the hundreds of recent deaths in Paterson and Passaic County. A Paterson mesothelioma lawyer like Dave Halpern can help you and your family if asbestos has impacted your life and caused illness.
For more information on Dave Halpern, including past cases he’s won, please visit our Meet Dave Halpern page. Contact us if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer. Please use our Free Consultation form or call us at (800) 505-6000 to get in touch and ask important questions.
Paterson mesothelioma lawyers, like Dave Halpern, represent victims of asbestos exposure and their families. They understand the relevant laws, legal options for victims, and where asbestos exposure occurred in and around Paterson.
Mesothelioma and asbestos lawyers in Paterson advise and represent people who have been harmed by asbestos. Most people encounter asbestos on the job, and most cases of exposure are negligent.
Lawyers help their clients choose and follow through with legal options. They provide several important services:
Paterson has a long and important industrial history. It was the first city founded in the U.S. specifically to be an industrial city. Located near the Great Falls on the Passaic River, Paterson had a power source and an ideal location for industry.
While industry helped the city thrive, by the 1800s and well into the 1900s, many Paterson workplaces used asbestos and put workers at risk.
Just a few of the employers in Paterson known to have used asbestos include:
The Union Asbestos and Rubber Company, UNARCO, operated in Paterson from 1941 to 1954. Employees worked with and handled asbestos. They also brought the fibers home on their clothing and exposed family members.
These Paterson workers and their families have been important in the study of asbestos and mesothelioma. For decades, Dr. Irving Selikoff and his team at Mount Sinai studied the workers. They made a definite connection between asbestos and certain diseases, including mesothelioma.
Dr. Selikoff’s work was groundbreaking. In addition to proving asbestos workers were vulnerable, he also showed that their families could become sick. Until then, no one had shown that the lower levels of exposure caused by fibers coming home from the workplace could trigger illness.
The researchers found that 40% of the family members of UNARCO workers had lung abnormalities. Some of those who were children when their fathers were at UNARCO developed mesothelioma by the 1970s.
While the factories and other industrial workplaces of Paterson caused a lot of asbestos exposure over the years, they are not the only way people encounter this harmful material. Family members of workers can be exposed and even develop mesothelioma.
Abandoned industrial sites in the city also pose a risk to residents. The remains of Allied Textile Printing recently made the news for toxic substances, including asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency helped the city install a fence to keep people out of the way of harm.
As an older city, Paterson also has a lot of buildings constructed with asbestos. Many of these still contain asbestos. When it deteriorates over time or is disrupted during maintenance or renovations, the asbestos can cause harm.
The restoration of the 120-year-old Passaic County Courthouse recently stalled due to large amounts of asbestos that must be abated. Government buildings, public schools, and older homes all pose a risk of asbestos exposure.
You may be unsure if you need a lawyer about mesothelioma or asbestos, but if you have any questions or concerns, it’s worth reaching out. Mesothelioma lawyers usually offer free consultations, so they can evaluate your situation and provide some advice.
Talk to a Paterson mesothelioma lawyer if you:
A Paterson mesothelioma lawyer can be a big help, even if you only ask a few questions and realize you don’t have a case. Lawyers have extensive knowledge about asbestos in Paterson and legal options for those exposed.
Look for a lawyer who knows the area and is licensed to practice in New Jersey. Choose a lawyer with years of experience working with asbestos victims in the state.
They should be able to show you that they have won cases for similar clients and provide references from past clients.
The right lawyer will make you feel comfortable, have time to answer your questions, and be easy to contact. They should not ask you for up-front fees and should have the resources to be able to take your case on a contingency basis.
Dealing with the aftermath of asbestos is difficult. It’s important to have an experienced advocate working on your behalf as you investigate your exposure and seek to hold someone accountable. Dave Halpern can be that advocate for you. Learn more by completing our Free Consultation form, or call us at (800) 505-6000.
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Dave Halpern, Mesothelioma Attorney
Dave Halpern is a Pennsylvania and New Jersey mesothelioma attorney with over 30 years of experience. He has investigated hundreds of cases and won numerous multimillion dollar settlements and verdicts for asbestos victims. Dave prides himself on working tirelessly to help his clients in their time of need.