Where to find advice and support after Dad's mesothelioma diagnosis
July 14, 2015 11:39 AM Subscribe
My father was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma at age 83, caused by exposure to asbestos at his former workplace. Multiple doctors have urged him to seek a settlement by engaging an attorney. Is there any way to know which firms, if any, are reputable? The ABA website was no help. Also, where can we read about the experiences of other asbestos victims and their families to better know what to expect w/r/t his condition and also with w/r/t their experiences with claims for compensation?
We don't know any lawyers personally that we trust to refer us to a reputable firm, and it seems like this area has become a huge shark tank of money-grabbing megafirms that seem untrustworthy to me. Even his oncologist's website contains links to so-called research/support sites that are actually operated by law firms. FYI, his former employer has a trust set up and a website with application forms, but I suspect my parents would see a greater return with an expert to guide them through this process. The family is considering this because a settlement would be extremely helpful to my mother, who will be in dire straits after he's gone; their financial position is very weak, with only his small pension and social security to support them. They have no life insurance or other savings, no living will, etc. They do have good health insurance at least.
I'm also looking to connect with other families/caregivers for general support and insight but I can't seem to locate any active forums that aren't connected to a law firm. Many thanks!
We don't know any lawyers personally that we trust to refer us to a reputable firm, and it seems like this area has become a huge shark tank of money-grabbing megafirms that seem untrustworthy to me. Even his oncologist's website contains links to so-called research/support sites that are actually operated by law firms. FYI, his former employer has a trust set up and a website with application forms, but I suspect my parents would see a greater return with an expert to guide them through this process. The family is considering this because a settlement would be extremely helpful to my mother, who will be in dire straits after he's gone; their financial position is very weak, with only his small pension and social security to support them. They have no life insurance or other savings, no living will, etc. They do have good health insurance at least.
I'm also looking to connect with other families/caregivers for general support and insight but I can't seem to locate any active forums that aren't connected to a law firm. Many thanks!
I can't recommend a law firm, but one thing to consider is that most of these firms work on contingency. (meaning they take a percentage of the settlement, you pay nothing directly) Often contingency fee arrangements can be 33% of the money owed (or more depending on the state), so it's not a small amount of money.
Since there is already a preexisting settlement trust fund, there isn't as much legal work as there would be if a lawyer was litigating a case from scratch (thats why lawyers love these cases, it's basically a guaranteed payday for them if they find qualifying clients), so perhaps directly applying for compensation would net you more money in the end if you could avoid giving a firm a third of your settlement? The downside to that approach is that you might not know to ask for everything you are entitled to, whereas a lawyer obviously has an incentive to obtain as much as they can, since they are getting a percentage.
Finally, often lawyers will negotiate their fee percentage with you, so don't forget to ask about that.
posted by dcjd at 12:55 PM on July 14, 2015
Since there is already a preexisting settlement trust fund, there isn't as much legal work as there would be if a lawyer was litigating a case from scratch (thats why lawyers love these cases, it's basically a guaranteed payday for them if they find qualifying clients), so perhaps directly applying for compensation would net you more money in the end if you could avoid giving a firm a third of your settlement? The downside to that approach is that you might not know to ask for everything you are entitled to, whereas a lawyer obviously has an incentive to obtain as much as they can, since they are getting a percentage.
Finally, often lawyers will negotiate their fee percentage with you, so don't forget to ask about that.
posted by dcjd at 12:55 PM on July 14, 2015
Where does your dad live?
posted by Tentacle of Trust at 3:38 PM on July 14, 2015
posted by Tentacle of Trust at 3:38 PM on July 14, 2015
Response by poster: Tentacle, he lives in Western PA, about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I live in Pittsburgh.
posted by miaou at 6:19 PM on July 14, 2015
posted by miaou at 6:19 PM on July 14, 2015
Check your memail.
posted by Tentacle of Trust at 7:40 PM on July 14, 2015
posted by Tentacle of Trust at 7:40 PM on July 14, 2015
Kazan McLean is very well regarded
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 8:57 PM on July 14, 2015
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 8:57 PM on July 14, 2015
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posted by billiebee at 12:07 PM on July 14, 2015