Many people sue for damages after being diagnosed with a serious illness. If you’re wondering whether or not you should file a lawsuit after a mesothelioma diagnosis, the answer depends on your circumstances.
First and foremost, you need to have a good case. This requires speaking with an attorney to know where you stand. However, even if your attorney says you have a chance at winning, you might still need clarification.
For those undecided, here’s a list of 4 reasons to pursue a lawsuit.
1. You deserve to be compensated
You didn’t create your illness – it happened due to someone else’s negligence. You deserve to be financially compensated for this. If you’ve lost someone to mesothelioma, you can still sue for wrongful death.
Getting financially compensated won’t bring back your health, but it will help you cover your immediate bills and help your family in the long run. Compensation will depend on your case specifics, but the payouts are usually quite large.
Most mesothelioma lawsuits settle before going to trial, and the average compensation is between $1 million and $2 million. Although it’s easier to settle, some cases do go to trial and they sometimes settle for higher amounts, upwards of $5 million. However, trials also cost more in attorney and court fees and can take much longer to complete, so this is why most people choose to settle.
2. You can leave money to your family
Most people with mesothelioma only live about 1-2 years after their diagnosis, depending on what stage they’re in at the time. If you pursue a lawsuit for your illness, you can leave the money to your family to make sure they’re completely taken care of after you pass. If you don’t have life insurance, trusts, or any other investments set up for your family, don’t think twice about pursuing a lawsuit. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for them.
Pursuing a lawsuit will help you get peace of mind, knowing you have the financial resources you and your family need to take care of household expenses and ensure your family has long-term financial security.
3. The responsible party should be held accountable
Holding people accountable in a court of law is often the right thing to do just out of principle. It doesn’t matter if your exposure was a decade ago. Even when something happened 40 years ago, the person responsible should be held accountable.
It’s possible that the asbestos you were exposed to is still present and others are being exposed to this day. For instance, if it’s in a commercial building or an apartment, by holding the property owner accountable, you could be saving someone else’s life.
You’ll never know if your actions end up saving someone’s life, but if the asbestos problem is still there, and your lawsuit forces it to be fixed, you can be relatively certain that fewer people will be exposed than if you had done nothing.
4. A settlement will cover your medical bills
Medical bills can be extremely high, even when you have insurance. If you don’t have insurance, you probably won’t be able to get a plan after your diagnosis. This means you’ll be paying large bills out of pocket.
If you’re concerned about how you’re going to pay your medical bills or get treatments that aren’t covered under insurance, then settlement money will help. Since most cases settle out of court, it won’t take as long to start getting settlement checks. This will allow you to pay your medical bills faster and seek specialized treatment only available when you pay out-of-pocket.
Have you been diagnosed with mesothelioma?
Getting this diagnosis can be devastating, and it’s understandable if you feel caught off guard. Even though you already have a lot to manage, consider filing a lawsuit to get compensated for your illness.
With the right attorney, you won’t have to worry about anything – they’ll handle everything for you, from filing paperwork and court motions to proving your case and negotiating a settlement.
You really don’t have anything to lose by filing a mesothelioma lawsuit, so don’t wait any longer. Connect with an attorney to start the process now so you can collect compensation sooner.
