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Pennsylvania and New Jersey asbestos lung cancer lawyers advise and represent clients who became sick after asbestos exposure. These two states have high rates of asbestos-related deaths. Affected residents have a right to take legal action.
Dave Halpern is an experienced lawyer representing asbestos lung cancer clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. To learn more about his 30 years of experience, visit our Meet Dave Halpern page. To get in touch, call us at (800) 505-6000 or fill out our Free Consultation form.
What is a Pennsylvania and New Jersey Asbestos Lung Cancer Lawyer?
Asbestos is a harmful material that was once used in nearly all construction materials for buildings and in many industrial workplaces. Exposure to asbestos can lead to serious illness later, including lung cancer.
Most cases of exposure can be considered negligent when companies exposed workers without warning them of the risks.
Asbestos lung cancer lawyers specialize in representing these victims of exposure and resulting cancer. They have a deep understanding of the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and where asbestos has caused exposure.
These dedicated lawyers know the laws and have experience helping clients take legal action and recover damages for medical expenses.
Where is Asbestos Found in Pennsylvania and New Jersey?
Most heavy asbestos use is in the past, but the material and its effects on health linger in both states.
Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania have a long history of industry and workplaces that used asbestos. They both also have natural deposits of asbestos, some of which were mined in the past.
Some of the major companies that operated in Pennsylvania and New Jersey using asbestos include:
- Bethlehem Steel and Shipyard
Founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, this company manufactured steel in the area and ships at shipyards around the country, including in New Jersey. Both industries used asbestos heavily. - U.S. Steel
The largest steel manufacturer in the country at one point, this Pittsburgh company also used a lot of asbestos to protect against heat and fire. - Johns Manville
Johns Manville made construction products, like insulation, with asbestos. A factory in New Jersey opened in the early 1900s and was so important that a town called Manville grew around it. - W.R. Grace Zonolite
W.R. Grace operated Zonolite facilities around the country. They processed vermiculite mined in Montana that was contaminated with asbestos. - Superfund Sites
Both states are also home to multiple Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites, many contaminated with asbestos. These include the BoRit site in Ambler, Pennsylvania, that contains some of the waste left after the asbestos industry left that small town.
In addition to these more well-known companies and sites, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have been home to many more workplaces that used asbestos: steel mills, refineries, shipyards, U.S. Navy sites, gypsum factories, paper companies, chemical companies, and more.
Older buildings in both states have also posed risks to workers and residents. Buildings constructed earlier in the 20th century contained asbestos in almost all materials.
Deteriorating asbestos materials in public schools has been an issue in Scranton, Philadelphia, and smaller towns, putting both teachers and students at risk for asbestos lung cancer.
When Do I Need a Pennsylvania and New Jersey Asbestos Lung Cancer Lawyer?
If you live in either state, have been diagnosed with lung cancer, and know or suspect you experienced asbestos exposure, contact a lawyer. You may not know if you were exposed, but some jobs are more vulnerable than others:
- Auto mechanics
- Boiler workers
- Construction workers of all types
- Demolition workers
- Factory and manufacturing workers
- Firefighters and first responders
- Insulators
- Longshoreman
- Merchant marines
- Navy veterans
- Pipefitters
- Railroad workers
- Refinery workers
- Shipyard workers
- Steel mill workers
- Vermiculite processors
If you worked in any of these careers or think you spent time in an older building with asbestos and now have lung cancer, there could be a connection. A lawyer can help you figure out if asbestos caused your illness.
You don’t need to have a diagnosis to benefit from a lawyer. If you know or suspect you were exposed to asbestos years ago, a lawyer can help, especially if you have respiratory symptoms. Don’t wait for a diagnosis to get in touch.
What Will an Asbestos Lung Cancer Lawyer Do to Help Me?
Going up against a company that exposed you to asbestos may seem overwhelming, which is why you need the right lawyer.
An asbestos lung cancer lawyer based in New Jersey and Pennsylvania knows the region, which companies used asbestos, how people got exposed, and what to do to fight back.
A lawyer can help you and your family in several important ways:
- Help you access the right medical professionals for a diagnosis and specialty care
- Find the source of your asbestos exposure or confirm where you think you contacted asbestos
- Find evidence to prove your lung cancer is a result of past asbestos exposure
- Search for an asbestos trust that applies to your past exposure
- Help you make a claim for compensation from an asbestos trust
- File a lawsuit against the companies responsible for your exposure
- Build a case to prove you are owed damages for your lung cancer
- Negotiate a settlement to get you compensation sooner
- Go to court and litigate if necessary and to get a jury verdict and damages
- Maximize the damages you recover for medical and other expenses
- Sue a company for wrongful death if you lost your spouse to asbestos lung cancer
What You Need in a New Jersey Asbestos Lung Cancer Lawyer
Don’t settle for any lawyer or firm advertising asbestos services. They’re not all as experienced as they may seem. There are many important things to look for in a lawyer, but for asbestos lung cancer, these two are essential:
- Expertise in the area. You need a lawyer licensed to practice in New Jersey or Pennsylvania or both. They should also have extensive local expertise. They need to be able to track down your asbestos exposure, which requires knowledge of the area, local companies, and industry.
- Experience with asbestos clients. Local knowledge is essential, as is years of experience working with people who have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos cases are complicated, so you don’t want to work with someone who only devotes some of their time to them. Look for practice with years of experience and total dedication to asbestos victims.
In addition to these most crucial factors, look for a lawyer who has the resources to take your case all the way. They should have connections to medical and other experts and the time to help you. They should also offer a free consultation to get your questions answered and a contingency payment plan, so you owe nothing until they win.
Use our Free Consultation form, or call us at (800) 505-6000 to get in touch with Dave Halpern. He has over 30 years of experience helping victims of asbestos lung cancer in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and can answer your questions quickly.
Page Reviewed and Edited by
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.
Sources
- http://www.asbestosnation.org/facts/asbestos-deaths/pa/
- https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/01/nyregion/the-town-manville-built-has-mixed-feelings-the-talk-of-manville.html
- https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/case-summary-epa-receives-over-54-million-wr-grace-bankruptcy
- https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1189/pdf/Plate.pdf
- https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Cleanup&id=0301842#bkground
- https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/scranton-school-officials-charged-hiding-lead-asbestos/2548623/
