If you have been exposed to asbestos and have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, then you should seek out legal support from a mesothelioma lawyer Illinois. With the large number of mesothelioma lawyers today who are in practice, it should be easy to find one located near you. When you have the first conversation with your lawyer, you should get a free evaluation of your case, and you will also hear about your legal rights and any compensation that you may be eligible to receive. You must act quickly in order to proceed with your case, because the Illinois statute of limitations is two years from the time of discovery of the disease. The statute of limitations is something that is adhered to very strictly in almost all cases, so be sure to start the process immediately by calling one of many mesothelioma lawyers.
Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects different organs of the body, with the most common type, pleural mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the lungs. Other types affect the stomach, the heart, the intestines, etc. It is a disease with a difficult prognosis, because so many people do not realize that they have fallen ill until it is too late. The symptoms just do not show themselves for quite some time after the initial exposure. Also, malignant mesothelioma has no known cure to date. This type of cancer causes much stress and grief for the person who is afflicted, as well as his or her family.
In Illinois, the rank is 6th among all of the United States for malignant mesothelioma resulting in death. It has long been associated with the asbestos-related cases ending in decisions in favor of the plaintiffs. This is due in large part to Judge Nicholas Byron, whose courtroom has seen ten years of rulings. The lawsuits have regularly resulted in multimillion-dollar awards, for instance, a $250 million judgment which was issued in 2003 in Judge Byron’s courtroom. This was changed once Judge Byron’s successor stepped up as Judge, as mesothelioma lawsuits began to only be allowed in court when a person actually displayed the symptoms of their disease.
The famous case in 2007 of Yanchick v. Rapid American Corp. et al., which moved from the Circuit Court of Cook County in August of 2006, to the Northern District of Illinois’ federal court, was important for many reasons. Yanchick sued more than 130 companies, and brought to light the issue of second-hand exposure to asbestos. This case brought up the question of whether an employer should be responsible for protecting their employees’ spouses and relatives who do not directly have contact with the workplace.
It is important to contact an Illinois mesothelioma lawyer immediately, because of the statute of limitations of two years. An experienced lawyer can be of great benefit to your case, and help you win an appropriate settlement in court. You and your family do not need to suffer from financial burden and the injustice that was dealt to you. There is hope of you receiving compensation and potentially affecting future legislation with your case.
