Find a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile County, Alabama is a port city along Alabama’s coast and has the highest number of asbestos related deaths in the state. Asbestos was widely imported to the United States during the 20th century, with unknown amounts of people exposed to the hazardous substance. As a port city, there is a substantial amount of people who were directly exposed to the mineral in their workplace or unknowingly exposed by living in a home or working in buildings near the port in Mobile.
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Top Mesothelioma Lawyers and Law Firms in Mobile
Asbestos is a cancer-causing mineral that was used throughout nearly every industry in the United States. The construction field was probably the largest asbestos consumer during its peak. Asbestos can be found in homes, buildings, offices, cars, ships, electronics – almost anything.
Asbestos has been known to cause diseases such as lung cancer or the rare cancer called mesothelioma. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, and the nearly 3,000 people diagnosed each year with this disease deserve compensation from the parties responsible for their illnesses.
It is crucial to find a mesothelioma lawyer or law firm to represent you. There are many connections a mesothelioma case may have to a port city like Mobile, all of which might be a reason to file a claim in the city. Finding a lawyer or law firm to handle mesothelioma cases in the city is of the utmost imprtance.
Mesothelioma claims are categorized as “personal injury” claims. There are plenty of personal injury lawyers and law firms in Mobile. One website mentions 62 personal injury lawyers and law firms. However, mesothelioma claims are very different from typical personal injury claims like trucking accidents or malpractice.
This specific type of legal claim requires a dedicated lawyer or law firm that specializes in asbestos and mesothelioma victims only.
Reasons to Find a National Asbestos Law Firm in Mobile
There are many reasons victims of mesothelioma, or their loved ones, should find a national firm to handle their Mobile asbestos claims. National law firms offer victims the best chance at receiving their deserved compensation from the irresponsible companies who prioritized profit off of asbestos more than the safety of their employees and consumers. National mesothelioma attorneys value their client’s well-being and will simplify the legal process so that you understand it.
Most Mesothelioma Cases Involve Multiple Locations
The first reason to find a national mesothelioma attorney is most claims involve multiple locations, or jurisdictions. Mobile might be where the victim was initially exposed, where they lived at the time they were diagnosed with an asbestos disease, or where the asbestos company manufactured the asbestos, but there is a possibility that other locations need to be included in your claim as well.
Choosing a national firm means your attorney will be qualified to file your claim in any and all locations included in your case to give you the best chance of compensation. As an asbestos victim, you are entitled to this compensation as it will cover the high expense of treatment, travel to hospitals and other financial hardships.
National Firms Have More Experience With Asbestos Claims
National firms have far more experience with asbestos claims. Local personal injury law firms might advertise that they can take on mesothelioma cases, but they likely do not have the experience required to win a case as complex as these.
Your best chances are with national firms that handle dozens, even hundreds, of cases per year. They know exactly how to move the case along as quickly and effectively as possible.
Burden of Travel and Upfront Fees Not Required
National mesothelioma lawyers understand the toll a mesothelioma diagnosis can take on a patient and their loved ones. They know how difficult it is to go about everyday activities. They know patients have no business traveling long distances for meetings with attorneys.
The top lawyers also know the expense of medical treatment and the burden it can be. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can cost thousands of dollars. Surgery is no different, but these treatments are required for survival.
The best law firms – namely, the national firms – do not ask for initial hiring fees. They do not charge clients anything to file the case with courts and do not send monthly invoices for the work they’ve done in preparation for court. They get paid on a “contingency basis,” which means they only receive payment if they win your case or reach a settlement with the at-fault companies.
If you receive compensation, your attorney will receive a percentage of the awarded compensation, which is essentially their lawyer fees. If your case does not succeed, you are not required to pay anything.
Top Asbestos Lawsuit Verdicts in Mobile, Alabama
Asbestos litigation is not so common in Alabama these days, as asbestos trust funds have become the common route. However, there have been a couple notable asbestos verdicts.
In 2015, the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma was awarded $3.5 million by an Alabama federal judge. The family claimed that she was exposed to asbestos by doing her husband’s laundry, which included his work uniform. Her husband worked at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant for 22 years and was often a part of the cleaning crew responsible for ridding leftover asbestos insulation after it was installed at the plant. The woman’s husband passed away due to asbestos lung cancer in 1997, and the widow was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011.
In 1998, a group of 21 former steel workers employed at the U.S. Steel mill in Huntsville were awarded $115.6 million by a Texas jury. They filed their case in Texas after the workers developed asbestos disease from asbestos exposure at the steel mill. This is the largest asbestos verdict connected to Alabama.
Steps to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Mobile, Alabama
Anyone planning to file a mesothelioma lawsuit in Mobile should know the major steps of this complex process. This guide will help victims and their families understand the legal process and the skills their attorney needs to possess.
Finding a qualified mesothelioma attorney and meeting with them to discuss your options is the first step. This usually comes after your prospective attorney completes a free case evaluation to examine your claim.
After those two steps, the main steps of mesothelioma lawsuits are:
- Analyze your work history and instances of asbestos exposure
- Determine which companies are responsible for your asbestos exposure
- Compile thorough evidence that connects these companies and their faulty business practices to your diagnosis of mesothelioma
- File your mesothelioma claim or claims in the jurisdictions connected to your case
- Provide a deposition, which is a victim testimony, either in-person or through a video recording
- Discuss a potential mesothelioma settlement if one is offered by the at-fault company or companies
- Take the case to trial, hopefully for a favorable verdict
Steps to File an Asbestos Trust Fund Claim in Mobile for Mesothelioma
If your mesothelioma claim involves a company that has filed for bankruptcy, your claim will not be a mesothelioma lawsuit. These types of claims go to asbestos trust funds.
Asbestos trust funds are bank accounts set up by the at-fault asbestos companies to ensure future victims receive compensation. Bankrupt companies cannot be taken to court or trial, as they are no longer active legal defendants.
Asbestos trust fund claims follow a similar step-by-step process as mesothelioma lawsuits. The main difference is the process after the claim is filed. If the evidence is strong enough and a clear connection between the company’s reckless business practices and the victim’s mesothelioma has been established, then the courts will affirm the claim. The claim will then go through review for an asbestos trust fund payout.
Asbestos Exposure in Mobile, Alabama
A crucial step in the mesothelioma claim process is the evaluation of a victim’s complete asbestos exposure history. Asbestos exposure in Mobile, Alabama, was not rare in the 20th century. Nearly every industry in the country used the cancer-causing mineral as a key ingredient for many products and materials, leading to reckless exposure to asbestos for employees, consumers and bystanders. Additionally, Mobile had a shipyard, which was a common location for asbestos exposure since asbestos was used to build ships and imported into the U.S. through ports and shipyards.
Some confirmed sites of asbestos exposure in Mobile, Alabama are:
- Addsco Shipyard
- Ruberoid Company
- Alabama Power & Light
- Alabama Shipyard
- Aluminum Company of America
- Bender Shipbuilding
- Brookley Air Force Base
- Doctors Hospital
- Eagle Chemical Plant
- First National bank Building
- GAF Corporation
- Gulf Engineering
- Gulf Shipbuilding
- Hollingsworth and Whitney Company
- Ideal Cement
- International Paper Company
- Joseph McWilliams and Company
- Little Big Horn
- Mobile Airport
- Mobile Infirmary Hospital
- Mobile Pulley & Machine Works
- National Gypsum Company
- Peerless Steam Laundry and Dyeing Company
- Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company
- Scott Paper Company
- Turner Supply Co.
- Union Carbide Corporation
- Waterman Steamship Company
At-Risk Occupations for Mobile Workforce
Construction, insulation and other industrial progress achieved throughout the 20th century are the main source of asbestos in the United States and Mobile. Most asbestos exposure occurred on jobsites. People working in specific trades or for companies involved in the manufacturing of asbestos products were unaware that there were any risks at all.
High-risk occupations for the Mobile workforce include:
- Construction work
- Insulation work
- Railroad workers
- Electrical workers
- Plumbers
- Pipefitters
- Electrical plant workers
- Gas plant workers
- Power plant workers
Asbestos Laws and Regulations in Mobile
Chrysotile asbestos is banned in the United States. It is the only of the six types banned but also the only type reportedly imported or used as of 2024. The use and import of asbestos had significantly decreased since its peak during the middle of the 20th century. The only industry still regularly using asbestos at the time of the ban in March 2024 was chlor-alkali plants.
There are government groups that oversee asbestos handling and use. These are separated by state, so Alabama has its own regulations.
Governing Bodies Overseeing Asbestos in Mobile, Alabama
Alabama’s Toxic Substances Control Act is the primary law governing asbestos regulation in Mobile. Its purpose is to ensure the availability of a trained and qualified workforce to identify and address asbestos-related hazards found in schools or public and commercial buildings.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is the entity responsible for asbestos management and handling. Remodeling or demolishing old buildings may require removal of asbestos. This can be dangerous, especially to untrained workers or people not wearing protective equipment.
The state of Alabama requires anyone planning to remove or handle asbestos be trained and certified by an accredited asbestos training course or program. To become a certified asbestos contractor you must complete these steps:
- Complete an approved Asbestos Accreditation Training Program. You can find a list of approved training providers here.
- Ensure you meet the Asbestos Certification Qualification Requirements
- Apply online for Individual Asbestos Accreditation
- Submit payment
- Certify Asbestos Abatement firm with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) by completing the Application for Asbestos Removal Contractor Certification ADEM Form 497.
- Submit Notice of Asbestos Abatement and/or Demolition ADEM Form 496 to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)
Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Legal Claims in Mobile
The statute of limitations is a law created to protect the defendant’s legal liability after a period of time has passed after the alleged offense was committed. The law requires victims or plaintiffs to initiate their cases within a specific time frame. In Alabama, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two (2) years after the date of the offense.
However, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma claims have distinct differences from all other types of personal injury claims. Mesothelioma has an extensive latency period, meaning it can take 20-50 years after exposure before it is diagnosed. Due to the mesothelioma’s long latency period, most victims do not know they have the disease for up to half a century after the offense, or exposure.
Therefore, the statute of limitations for mesothelioma cases in Mobile – and everywhere in Alabama – is two years after the patient is diagnosed. This gives the victim time to file their case after they realize they were wronged.
In cases of wrongful death, the statute of limitations is also two (2) years. This time limit begins on the date the victim passes away or an autopsy confirms mesothelioma was the cause of death. The family will need to file their case within a two year time frame after learning the cause of their loved one’s death.
Delaying legal action is not worth the risk. Do not wait to find legal representation as the clock for the statute of limitations is always ticking. You do not want to put off filing your claim or looking for a lawyer to only find out the statute of limitations window has closed.
You should prioritize finding a national law firm licensed in the state of Alabama and more. This will protect you from running out of time to file an asbestos claim in Mobile, or other locations included in your claim.
The law firm of Bullock Campbell Bullock & Harris is a nationally licensed law firm with unparalleled expertise, quality experience and long history of success. The lawyers at BCBH Law can help you open your case in Mobile and increase the odds of winning your case along with maximum compensation to secure you and your family’s financial future.
Contact the mesothelioma lawyers at BCBH Law if you have any questions about Mobile asbestos claims. They also offer a free case evaluation, which allows them to assess the strength of your case. Get connected with a BCBH lawyer and receive your free case evaluation today.
Alabama Mesothelioma Laws & Law Firms by City
Sources & Author
- Alabama Federal Judge Awards $3.5 Million in Mesothelioma Death Case. Cision PR Newswire. Retrieved from: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alabama-federal-judge-awards-35-million-in-mesothelioma-death-case-300155156.html. Accessed: 10/20/22.
- Asbestos. The University of Alabama. Retrieved from: https://alabamasafestate.ua.edu/environmentalprograms/environmental-accreditation/asbestos/. Accessed: 10/20/22.
- Welcome to ADEM. Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Retrieved from: https://adem.alabama.gov/default.cnt. Accessed: 10/20/22.
- Safe State Environmental Programs. Safe State Environmental. Retrieved from: http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us/docs/safst/822-X-2.pdf. Accessed: 10/20/22.
