Yes, the family members of those who worked in asbestos-contaminated job sites were unfortunately also exposed to asbestos fibers brought home on the skin, hair, and clothing of their loved one. Many mesothelioma cases arise from secondhand asbestos exposure. We’ve represented adults with mesothelioma who experienced asbestos exposure when they were small children and a parent worked for a company that neglected its employees’ health by hiding the facts about asbestos and never taking steps to protect them and their loved ones. These companies are liable when spouses and children become sick with asbestos-related diseases, even if it was the family breadwinner who was directly exposed to this carcinogenic mineral. Many New Orleans companies had job sites where asbestos contamination was high, and many New Orleans residents grew up in other places where a parent or spouse was exposed. At The Gertler Law Firm, we represent families who are suffering because of the…Read More
Because of Louisiana’s statute of limitations on mesothelioma lawsuits, it’s important that you don’t wait too long to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer in New Orleans after diagnosis. In general, you have one year to initiate legal action in a mesothelioma case, and your lawyer will need some time to investigate the matter and establish that the case can go forward. It’s best to reach out as soon as possible after diagnosis to begin the process of determining facts, like the dates and places from your work history, where likely exposure occurred, what strategies are best to obtain the appropriate award or awards, and which jurisdictions are most likely to yield the best result for your case. The Gertler Law Firm has decades of experience representing families injured by businesses who failed to disclose to employees the high risk of working with asbestos, and refused to take steps to protect them…Read More
There are a variety of occupations that tend to put people at certain jobs at greater risk for asbestos exposure, and later developing mesothelioma. Because the disease has a very long latency period, mesothelioma usually develops in older people who worked decades earlier in jobs like construction, shipbuilding, oil refining, manufacturing, or automotive service. Veterans also have a relatively high incidence of mesothelioma, particularly among those who worked aboard ships, in motor pools, construction and demolition, and in combat roles around the world. Until the 1970s and 1980s, work sites and materials used in making thousands of products were heavily contaminated with asbestos, and exposure was common and chronic. A generation of older Americans is bearing the cost of this, but you have rights to compensation for injuries sustained in a workplace years or decades ago. At The Gertler Law Firm, we were the first Louisiana lawyers to win a judgement…Read More
Yes, unfortunately there is such a thing as secondary exposure to asbestos. In many cases, spouses and children of workers at job sites with asbestos have developed mesothelioma as a result of this exposure. Asbestos fibers, which were widely used in industry through the 1980s, are extremely small and fine and often end up appearing as a coating of dust on a person’s skin, hair, and clothes. Second hand exposure happened when a worker came home with this layer of asbestos fibers attached to them and inadvertently deposited those fibers throughout their home. On laundry day, as dirty clothes were handled, more asbestos fibers would end up airborne in the house. Secondary exposure to asbestos has caused enormous suffering for families nationwide, but the root cause is almost always occupational asbestos exposure at a job site that an employer allowed to become contaminated. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma,…Read More
Is there any correlation between smoking and mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is caused “solely” by exposure to asbestos. It is a rare form of cancer which develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos increases their risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and tobacco smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers. If you have questions about mesothelioma, call the Gertler Law Firm at (504) 527-8767 for a free consultation or see our Q & A guide on Mesothelioma.Read More
Because of the long latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma, it’s common to find that employment or tax records have been lost by the time a diagnosis is made in Louisiana. For the purposes of your mesothelioma legal claim, it is necessary to show documentation of your workplace exposure to asbestos, which is why you and your family can trust our team to piece together a record of your employment over the years. We have the knowledge and resources to explore various archives, including tax records, Veterans Administration data, company employment rolls, and even by talking to old coworkers who can provide statements vouching for your time at the company or in a given military role or posting. When you’re fighting mesothelioma in Louisiana, your focus has to be on your health and your treatment plan. Because mesothelioma tends to attack older people who may already have health…Read More
Tragically, the family members of workers who worked with asbestos may also be at a heightened risk of mesothelioma. It has been recognized for decades that workers could bring home significant amounts of asbestos on their bodies, hair and clothing. Because asbestos fibers are so tiny, they can easily become lodged on a worker’s body and work clothes. Without realizing it, many workers came home every day covered in toxic asbestos dust. These workers’ spouses and children were often exposed to significant amounts of asbestos from this contaminated clothing. If you have questions about Mesothelioma, call the Gertler Law Firm at (504) 527-8767 for a free consultation.Read More
There are many reported cases of children getting mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos fibers that a parent brought home from work. The fibers are usually carried on parents work clothes and the entire home is exposed at that point. In fact, we have represented several individuals that have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, even though they were never directly exposed to asbestos. But their Mother or Father were. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, why not get your questions answered – call the Gertler Law Firm at (504) 527-8767. The call is free.Read More
We can help veterans appeal mesothelioma disability claims after they’ve been denied by the Veterans Administration. When completing a claims form, it’s important to understand that VA evaluators require significant amounts of evidence describing your service-related asbestos exposure, and even how that exposure has led to a mesothelioma diagnosis. It’s important that your claim be written as clearly and with as much detail as possible, citing specific jobs, postings, or events where you believe your exposure occurred. A good claim will also provide information about possible avenues of exposure that happened after your time in the service, and show how your service-related exposure contributed to your mesothelioma diagnosis. Standards of evidence matter, and we can help ensure that you claim is as detail-rich and fact-oriented as possible, with levels of supporting evidence that are designed to be persuasive to VA personnel who evaluate your claim. When the Veterans Administration denies a mesothelioma…Read More
There is no “set” latency period for contracting Mesothelioma. There have been reported instances of individuals being exposed to asbestos more than 50 years ago getting the disease. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and you reside anywhere in Louisiana, contact us at (504) 527-8767 and get your questions answered.Read More
