Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma is an aggressive, deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The workplace is the most common source, but its widespread use has left everyone vulnerable. This is the direct result of the asbestos industry intentionally concealing the dangers of asbestos to maximize profits.
The Florida mesothelioma lawyers at The Lanier Law Firm help individuals stand up to the companies responsible and recover the compensation they need and deserve.
Legally Reviewed By: Sam E. Taylor
Managing Attorney | Mesothelioma & Asbestos in Houston
- Page Last Updated:
- March 29, 2024
Legally Reviewed By: Sam E. Taylor
Managing Attorney | Mesothelioma & Asbestos in Houston
- Page Last Updated:
- March 29, 2024
Why do I need a lawyer with experience in mesothelioma cases?
Why should I choose The Lanier Law Firm to handle my Florida mesothelioma case?
How much compensation can I recover for my mesothelioma claim in Florida?
Do I qualify for a Florida mesothelioma claim?
What occupations have the highest asbestos exposure risks?
Florida Companies That Exposed Workers to Asbestos
Approximately 1,146 new cases of mesothelioma were reported in Florida between 2015 and 2019, and 831 people died during the same period. As many as 167 of these deaths occurred in 2019 alone. While this form of cancer is rare, asbestos exposure is nearly always to blame.
The companies that profited from asbestos could have prevented most cases of mesothelioma by disclosing the truth about asbestos to the public, providing protective measures for workers, and transitioning to safer materials. Not only did they fail to do the right thing, but they actively evade liability to this day.
The Lanier Law Firm stands up to large companies on behalf of injured individuals. Our Florida mesothelioma attorneys focus solely on mesothelioma cases and provide aggressive representation to ensure the responsible companies pay for the harm they have caused.
Why do I need a lawyer with experience in mesothelioma cases?
Asbestos companies and their attorneys are willing to resort to nearly any legal maneuver at their disposal, from refuting expert witness credentials to blaming the victim for their illnesses. They use every stall tactic available and are often willing to fight liability in court.
You need legal representation that is as knowledgeable about asbestos exposure as the asbestos companies’ defense attorneys and has the determination and resources to match. This requires a skillful litigation team of lawyers that is tough at the negotiation table and unafraid to take your case to court.
Why should I choose The Lanier Law Firm to
handle my Florida mesothelioma case?
The Florida mesothelioma lawyers at The Lanier Law Firm are world-renowned attorneys who have been handling mesothelioma cases for more than 25 years. We have seen firsthand the devastation asbestos-related illnesses cause, and our attorneys are passionate about getting justice.
Our attorneys have won the respect and admiration of our peers in the legal field in large part because of our accomplishments in asbestos litigation, including the following honors and awards:
- Trial Lawyer of the Year
- Largest Verdict of 2018
- Best Law Firms, Tier I Ranking
- Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdict
- Elite Trial Lawyers Award
These honors came about because our attorneys get results for our mesothelioma clients, including the following Florida case results:
- $3,270,097 settlement for a man exposed to asbestos throughout a lifetime of work as a painter, laborer, and shade tree
mechanic - $1,865,000 settlement for the family of a deceased chief engineer who worked aboard an international cruise line and was
exposed to asbestos - $1.15 million for a woman exposed to asbestos through life-long use of talcum powder products
When you hire The Lanier Law Firm, you can count on our attorneys to go to any length necessary to ensure you receive justice. We regularly receive feedback from our clients such as the following from a Florida mesothelioma client:
“The lawyers cared deeply for the case and worked their hardest to assure that we would have justice in our case. We couldn’t have asked for better representation, and we definitely will never forget the help they lent us. Professional, aggressive, and diligent is what people look for in a very good lawyer, and that is exactly what we found with the law firm.”
— Carlos Carabantes
Our Featured Florida Mesothelioma & Asbestos
Exposure Attorneys
Mark Lanier
Mark Lanier founded the Lanier Law Firm in 1990 with a vision to provide serious legal representation against large corporations on behalf of individuals in need. He has won more than $20 billion in settlements and verdicts on behalf of injured individuals.
The New York Times has recognized him as one of the top civil lawyers in the nation, and he is regularly invited as a guest on major television networks and in some of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
He is well-known for his ability to connect with juries through creative and sometimes unconventional litigation methods, such as the use of props. His list of awards and recognitions is extensive and includes the following:
Case Dam
Case is a fervent advocate and passionate litigator who has successfully litigated several mesothelioma cases to verdict. He has performed extensive research on the asbestos industry and served as a trial and appellate attorney for clients exposed to asbestos in a variety of circumstances, including automotive mechanics, shipyard workers, boiler repairmen, plumbers, doctors, teachers, and smokers of asbestos-filtered cigarettes. He is licensed to practice in Florida, California, and Illinois.
How much compensation can I recover for my mesothelioma claim in Florida?
The amount of compensation you can recover depends on the types of asbestos exposure claims for which you are eligible.
Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
When you file an asbestos exposure lawsuit, you start the process of obtaining a settlement or having your case heard in court. The Florida mesothelioma lawyers at The Lanier Law Firm fiercely advocate for generous settlements from the companies that are responsible for your diagnosis.
Approximately 95 percent of our mesothelioma cases settle without the need to go to trial. However, we prepare every case as if it will go to court.
This provides our attorneys with an advantage if a defendant refuses to offer a fair and reasonable settlement, making it necessary to take the case to court. The decision to take a case to trial is always driven by the client.
Compensation in an Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
Compensation in an asbestos exposure lawsuit may include economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are verifiable monetary losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and the value of services you require as a result of your diagnosis.
Noneconomic damages are subjective, intangible losses such as pain and suffering, loss of bodily functions, and loss of enjoyment of life. Florida § 774.204 prohibits punitive damages in asbestos exposure cases. However, economic and non-economic damages can result in substantial compensation.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits
If your loved one has passed away as a result of an asbestos-related illness, Florida’s wrongful death statutes allow the personal representative of the deceased to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the immediate family members, who have a right to recover the following damages:
- Loss of financial support and services of the deceased
- Loss of companionship and protection
- Mental pain and suffering
- Parental companionship, instruction, and guidance
- Medical expenses of the deceased
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of earnings of the deceased
Asbestos Trust Fund Claims
Bankruptcy protection allows companies and individuals to escape liabilities. Companies with asbestos liabilities that go bankrupt are required to establish asbestos trust funds for the benefit of the individuals they harmed.
If you were exposed to asbestos by a company that has since gone bankrupt, you may qualify for an asbestos trust fund claim. These claims typically provide a faster means of recovering compensation than civil lawsuits. If you were exposed to asbestos by multiple companies, you may qualify for more than one claim.
Asbestos trust fund awards include economic and non-economic damages, and they are available to injured individuals and family members of deceased individuals.
Workers’ Compensation
If you were exposed to asbestos while employed by a company that purchased a workers’ compensation policy, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, which include free medical care and partial wage replacement.
The Florida Workers’ Compensation statutes prohibit covered employees from suing employers. Additionally, workers’ compensation benefits may only be sought from the last employer where asbestos exposure occurred. To qualify, your asbestos exposure must have occurred for a period of 60 days or more.
VA Claims
Military veterans in all branches suffered asbestos exposure, but personnel serving in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard suffered the highest levels. The most common sources of asbestos exposure in the military occurred in shipyards and on vessels.
If you were exposed to asbestos during active military duty and have been diagnosed with a related illness, you may be entitled to receive benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA benefits for military asbestos-exposure victims include monthly disability compensation and free medical care.
Do I qualify for a Florida
mesothelioma claim?
You may qualify to file a mesothelioma claim in Florida if you have mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness and you can identify the source of your exposure. The most common asbestos-related illnesses include the following:
Can I file an asbestos exposure claim if I have not yet contracted an illness?
Civil claims are generally based on actual damages suffered rather than on damages that may occur. Florida § 774.206 specifically addresses this by stating that the fear or increased risk of cancer is not sufficient harm to constitute an asbestos claim.
Having been exposed to asbestos does not create a certainty that you will contract a related illness. It only increases the risk.
What occupations have the highest
asbestos exposure risks?
Occupations with the highest levels of asbestos exposure require workers to handle friable asbestos or disturb non-friable asbestos so that it becomes friable. Friable asbestos is asbestos that is easily crumbled. This form of asbestos can easily become airborne, resulting in workers inhaling or ingesting the fibers.
Occupations most at risk of asbestos exposure include the following:
- Insulation workers
- Construction workers
- Boiler workers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Power plant workers
- Asbestos miners
- Oil refinery workers
- Aviation workers
- Auto mechanics
- Factory workers
- Firefighters
- Navy veterans
- Coast Guard veterans
- Shipyard workers
What is secondary asbestos exposure?
Secondary asbestos exposure occurs when workers bring home asbestos fibers on their clothes, resulting in family members being exposed. The Lanier Law Firm has successfully handled numerous cases of secondary asbestos exposure.
Florida Companies That Exposed Workers to Asbestos
The following companies in Florida have exposed their workers to asbestos:
- Black & Veatch
- City of Gainesville
- City of Vero Beach
- First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Mid-Florida
- Fitzgerald Energy of Florida
- Florida Avenue Residence Hall
- Florida Brick & Clay Company, Incorporated
- Florida Cane Products Corporation
- Florida Citrus Building
- Florida East Coast Hotel Company
- Florida East Coast Railway Company
- Florida Foods, Incorporated
- Florida Forest Products
- Florida Gas Company
- Florida Hardware Company
- Florida Hydrocarbon
- Florida Ice Machine Corporation
- Florida Ice Manufacturing Company
- Florida Industrial Corporation
- Florida Insulation & Fireproof
- Florida Insulation
- Florida International Engineering Services
- Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority
- Florida Keys Electric Cooperative Association
- Florida Machine & Foundry Company
- Florida Medical Center
- Florida Mining & Materials Corporation
- Florida Molasses Corporation
- Florida National Bank
- Florida Portland Cement Company
- Florida Power & Light
- Florida Power Corporation
- Florida Pulp & Paper Company aka St. Regis Paper Company
- Florida River Corporation
- Florida Smelting Company
- Florida State Capitol
- Florida State Hospital
- Florida State Prison
- Florida State University
- Florida Steel Corporation
- Florida Sugar Corporation
- Florida Weather, Incorporated
- Florida Wire & Nail
- Foley Florida Paper Mill
- General Portland Cement Company
- Hollywood Florida Water & Sewage
- Lone Star Florida Incorporated
- Mayport Florida
- Occidental Corporation of Florida
- Seatrain Florida
- Sikes Corporation Florida Tile
- Southeast Florida Hospital
- State of Florida – Doyle E. Carlton Bldg.
- Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida
- Texaco Florida
- Tyrone Square Mall: Robinson’s of Florida Department Store
- University of Florida
- University of South Florida
- West Florida Hospital
Where can I seek treatment?
When seeking treatment for mesothelioma, you must choose a treatment center that specializes in mesothelioma to ensure your medical team has experience with the diagnosis and treatment of this rare condition among cancers.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
The Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center at Moffitt Cancer Center is one of two designated National Cancer Institute hospitals. This facility participates in clinical trials for mesothelioma.
Advent Health Orlando
Advent Health Orlando is rated the Number One hospital in the Greater Orlando area by U.S. News & World Report. It is also the only facility in Florida to make Newsweek World’s best hospitals list.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center is the other designated National Cancer Institute treatment center in Florida. Nationally ranked, it is part of the University of Miami Hospital and Clinics Facility. The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center also participates in clinical trials for mesothelioma treatment.
When should I contact a mesothelioma & asbestos attorney in Florida?
When you are diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, you have limited time to file a claim under Florida law. This deadline varies based on the type of claim you can file. Contacting an attorney as soon as possible after you receive your diagnosis will ensure you do not miss the deadline that applies to your case.
When you contact The Lanier Law Firm, our Florida mesothelioma attorneys will spend significant time with you, combing through your life history and helping you identify all sources of exposure. We will then leverage our network of resources to build the strongest case possible. These endeavors may
include the following:
- Hiring private investigators to locate internal asbestos company memos
- Consulting with life care planners to determine the total cost of your illness
- Retaining expert witnesses to confirm the details of your case
These critical tasks can build a strong case against one or more companies that will leverage their resources to avoid paying you damages. Call The Lanier Law Firm promptly to ensure we have sufficient time to complete these tasks and maximize your compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
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