Maryland Mesothelioma & Asbestos Lawyer

Manufacturing, power plants, and shipyards have played a vital role in Maryland’s economy. Thousands of workers in these fields have developed devastating illnesses such as mesothelioma from asbestos exposure because companies actively concealed what they knew about the substance’s dangers. If you or your family member has contracted an asbestos-related illness, a Maryland mesothelioma lawyer at the Lanier Law Firm can help you pursue compensation.

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Legally Reviewed By: Jonathan Armour
Senior Attorney | Mesothelioma & Asbestos

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Why Should You Choose a Maryland Mesothelioma Attorney at the Lanier Law Firm?

Our Featured Lawyers

Compensation Available in a Maryland Mesothelioma Claim

Maryland Time Limits for Filing an Asbestos Exposure Claim

Where Does Asbestos Exposure Occur in Maryland?

Who Is Liable for Asbestos Exposure?

Top Mesothelioma Treatment Centers in Maryland

Why You Need an Experienced Maryland Mesothelioma Lawyer

States We Serve

Every year in Maryland, an average of 271 people die of asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. These illnesses could have been prevented if the companies that mined, processed, and used asbestos had been transparent about its dangers.

The largest asbestos companies became aware of its dangers as early as the 1930s. Instead of informing the public or taking measures to protect workers, the companies colluded to conceal the information in a blatant prioritization of profits over people.

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, a Maryland mesothelioma lawyer at the Lanier Law Firm can help you hold these companies accountable.

Why Should You Choose a Maryland Mesothelioma Attorney at the Lanier Law Firm?

When you have developed an asbestos-related illness, you need a law firm with experience handling mesothelioma cases. Our nationally recognized mesothelioma lawyers have over 250 years of combined experience helping individuals recover billions in compensation from the large corporations that wrongfully exposed them to asbestos without their knowledge or consent.

We are one of the most experienced and successful mesothelioma law firms in the world, with more than $20 billion in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients, including the following:

$4.5 million for a man exposed to asbestos through joint compound
$3.7 million for an 82-year-old man exposed to asbestos in the Navy
$2 million settlement for a former shipyard worker who contracted pleural mesothelioma

When you hire the Lanier Law Firm, you gain the benefit of the resources we have accumulated through our experience handling mesothelioma cases, including one of the world’s most extensive inventories of asbestos products, secret internal documents we obtained through our own investigations, and the unmatched trial skills of our award-winning Maryland mesothelioma lawyers.

You will also receive unmatched communication and support from our compassionate Maryland mesothelioma attorneys until your case resolves. Many of our clients have kept in touch with us long after their cases have ended. This is because our clients are more than cases to us. They are like family.

Unsolicited Client Testimonials

Our dedicated Maryland mesothelioma attorneys are driven by the need to make a difference for clients who have suffered devastating losses because of the misconduct of large corporations. We are honored when we receive unsolicited feedback from our clients, such as the following:

I would like to thank The Lanier Law Firm for everything they have done for my family. Since my father’s first emails to them, to after his passing and the resolution of our issue, they were right there with us, caring, attentive, and super professional. I would not hesitate to recommend them!

– B. Cirelli

The Lanier Law Firm handled our lawsuit with sensitivity and thoroughness and professionalism. We’ll always be grateful for how they represented us.

– Gaye Bailey

The Lanier Law firm has been such a blessing for our family. My mother passed away from mesothelioma. The many settlements my father received allowed him to live comfortably until he passed away at 95. The Lanier law firm was very professional and always answered our questions promptly. I am very grateful for all of their guidance.

– Nancy K.

Our Featured Lawyers

Mark Lanier

Mark Lanier founded the Lanier Law Firm in 1990 with a mission to represent individuals needing serious and sound representation. This is what he calls legal care. Throughout his distinguished career, Mark Lanier has achieved some of the nation’s largest verdicts for people injured by large companies.

The New York Times has referred to Mark Lanier as one of the top civil trial lawyers in the nation. He is a regular contributor on major news networks who is often invited as a featured lecturer at such prestigious law schools as the following:

Harvard Law School
Stanford Law School Pepperdine University School of Law
University of Chicago Law School
Texas Tech University School of Law

Mark’s accomplishments have not escaped the notice of the legal community, which has awarded him numerous accolades, such as the following:

Legal 500 Hall of Fame
Best Lawyers in America
Chambers USA Top Ranked
Super Lawyer
Top 100 Verdicts according to Verdict Search
America’s Top 100 Attorneys
Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers
Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdict according to Courtroom View Network in 2019
Trial Lawyer of the Year by the National Trial Lawyers Association
Leading Lawyers in Plaintiffs’ Dispute Resolution
Elite Trial Lawyers
50 Most Influential Lawyers in the U.S., according to the National Trial Lawyers Foundation in 2018
Litigation Star, according to Benchmark Litigation
AV Preeminent Rating for professional excellence and ethical standards

Jonathan Armour

Jonathan Armour started working for the Lanier Law Firm as an undergraduate, essentially growing up with the Lanier Law Firm’s high standards. His commitment to clients and strong work ethic won him a permanent position at the Lanier Law Firm in 2007 after he graduated from law school.

He has been recognized by the prestigious National Trial Lawyers Association as a Top 40 Under 40 lawyer, an honor only awarded to the nation’s most talented and effective lawyers.

Jonathan Armour is also a member of the Christian Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. He is known for his exceptional litigation skills and is a trained mediator.

Compensation Available in a Maryland Mesothelioma Claim

Mesothelioma compensation in Maryland can be substantial, with verdicts as high as $11.5 million. In recent years, asbestos companies appealed a $7.2 million verdict to the Maryland Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict.

Maryland mesothelioma compensation can come from multiple claim types, including the following:

Lawsuits
Asbestos trust fund claims
Worker’s compensation
VA claims

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Maryland mesothelioma lawsuits are a means for asbestos exposure victims to recover economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are compensation for provable financial losses suffered as a result of your illness. This may include but not be limited to the following:

Medical expenses
Lost wages, if you were still working when diagnosed
Projected future medical expenses and lost wages
Lost business opportunities
Personal care services
Domestic services

Punitive Damages

Non-economic damages do not include punitive damages, which are awarded separately. While there are no hard limits on punitive damages in Maryland, they are only available in limited cases where you can show clear and convincing evidence that a defendant behaved with malice.

Making such a case can be challenging, but our Maryland mesothelioma attorneys possess significant evidence that mesothelioma companies knew asbestos was dangerous and conspired to prevent the public from becoming aware of it, conduct that meets the Maryland punitive damages standard.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are compensation for pain and suffering. Since October 1, 1994, § 11-108 of the Maryland statutes has limited the non-economic damages you could recover. The limit was originally set at $500,000, with annual increases of $15,000. As of October 1, 2022, the adjusted non-economic damages limit is $920,000.

Wrongful Death Damages

If your beloved family member has passed away from an asbestos-related illness, Maryland’s wrongful death laws allow a personal representative to pursue economic, non-economic, and punitive damages on behalf of your family. The damages you may be able to recover in a wrongful death lawsuit include the following:

Your loved one’s medical expenses
Your loved one’s pain and suffering
Your family’s grief and suffering
Loss of companionship
Loss of comfort
Loss of protection
Loss of marital care
Loss of parental care
Loss of counsel, training, advice, and guidance

The non-economic damages limits and punitive damages standards for wrongful death lawsuits are the same as personal injury suits.

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

The asbestos industry kept the dangers of asbestos hidden from the public from the 1930s until the late 1970s. Tragically, this was too late for millions of workers and members of the public who had developed deadly mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis from their exposure.

With such a large segment of the population impacted by these devastating diseases, many asbestos companies lacked the resources to compensate all their victims. Faced with financial ruin, asbestos companies began filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Section 524(g) of the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code requires such companies to establish asbestos trust funds and provide a claims process by which asbestos exposure victims can apply for economic and non-economic damages.

Approximately 60 asbestos trust funds with $30 billion are available for asbestos-exposure victims diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses. The following Maryland companies and suppliers have filed for bankruptcy and established trust funds:

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation
National Gypsum Company
W.R. Grace

When you hire the Lanier Law Firm, our asbestos trust fund team will identify the funds you qualify for and file your claims. Identifying these funds requires a detailed process. In addition to identifying employers and other direct sources of asbestos exposure, we will also need to identify the companies that provided asbestos to these sources.

Maryland Workers’ Compensation Benefits
for Mesothelioma Patients

Occupational asbestos exposure is by far the most common source of asbestos exposure, but most lawsuits are filed against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers. This is because workers’ compensation typically covers employees unless they are independent contractors.

Workers’ compensation protects employers from liability, removing an employee’s right to sue. Instead, employees may file a claim for free medical care and partial wage replacement. However, partial wage replacement is only available if you are still working at the time of your diagnosis.

If you already retired, you can still file a claim for free medical care through workers’ compensation. Wage replacement benefits in Maryland are paid weekly, amounting to two-thirds of your weekly average wages.

If you are a deceased employee’s dependent spouse or child, you may also qualify for death benefits, which pay a weekly benefit amount equal to what the employee would have received in most cases. Survivors can also recover burial and funeral benefits through workers’ compensation.

Va Claims for Maryland Veterans Exposed to
Asbestos in the Military

As the home of the U.S. Naval Academy and other naval installations, Maryland has a strong military presence. Maryland veterans exposed to asbestos during active duty who contracted an asbestos-related illness have the right to file a VA claim. If approved, you may be entitled to the following:

VA disability benefits – a monthly tax-free payment
Deductible-free medical care

If you are the family of a veteran who passed away because of asbestos exposure in the military, you may qualify for VA survivor benefits.

The VA provides multiple methods of applying for benefits, including the following:

Online
By mail
In person at the Baltimore regional office
With the help of an accredited representative

Maryland Time Limits for Filing an Asbestos Exposure Claim

Maryland sets strict deadlines on when a lawsuit must be filed, known as the statute of limitations. In most personal injury cases, this time limit is three years from the date of diagnosis. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the statute of limitations is 10 years after the death or three years after the cause of death is discovered, whichever is earlier.

Trust fund claims also have deadlines, which vary by the individual trust fund. Most trust fund claim deadlines are based on the state statute of limitations for lawsuits.

Regardless of the time frame, it is important that you not wait to contact a Maryland mesothelioma lawyer. Before your claim can be filed, our attorneys must conduct a detailed investigation and preparation process.

Early involvement by an experienced attorney is crucial because it allows us to build a strong case against a asbestos company that will likely leverage vast resources to avoid paying compensation.

This will make obtaining a substantial settlement or proving your case in court easier. It will also help us ensure you receive the maximum compensation available.

Where Does Asbestos Exposure Occur in Maryland?

Asbestos exposure most commonly occurs on the job, but it can also occur in the following locations:

Public buildings, such as school buildings
During do-it-yourself brake service on classic cars
In the home
In naturally-occurring asbestos deposits

Asbestos was commonly used in home construction until approximately 1980, and asbestos-tainted vermiculite was used in insulation until around 1990. Asbestos can also be found in other forms of insulation and various areas of the home, including the following:

Floor tiles
Drywall
Popcorn ceilings
Plaster walls and ceilings
Plumbing pipes, especially cement water pipes
Ductwork