Choosing an Asbestos Lawyer    

Time is of great importance to people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease. It makes sense, therefore, to seek advice from an experienced asbestos lawyer as soon as possible.

To help you choose the right asbestos lawyer, ask yourself the following questions:

Has your asbestos lawyer proved to the asbestos companies that he / she is prepared to take them to court and get a verdict?

Most people want to settle their case quickly and quietly out of court. But asbestos companies and insurers don't pay out good money quickly from the goodness of their hearts.

They only pay good money quickly when they have a healthy respect for the law firm they are facing – and that sort of respect is hard earned. It's earned by a specialist asbestos law firm showing year after year that it is prepared to take cases to verdict when a company is not prepared to pay proper and fair compensation.

Does your asbestos lawyer have that sort of reputation?

Does your asbestos lawyer have experience in cases like yours?

It's not enough these days for your lawyer to say they've previously had an asbestos case. It is a considerable advantage if that lawyer has previously sued the company you need to sue. This is especially so if that lawyer has a well-organised system for preserving the evidence obtained in those earlier cases.

Does your asbestos lawyer have a computerised database containing evidence and witness statements from people who were exposed in the same place and in the same way as you were?

How many lawyers in the firm specialise in asbestos litigation?

If your case is complex or if it has to go to trial, you'll need to be able to match the resources of a big city insurance law firm when your case goes to court.

Does your law firm have a team of specialist asbestos lawyers who have run trials before?

Does your asbestos lawyer offer No Win No Fee™ arrangements?

Asbestos litigation can get expensive. You need to have an arrangement where the expenses of your case are borne by your lawyers and paid by you only if and when your case succeeds.

Does your asbestos lawyer show a real commitment to asbestos victims and their families?

Many lawyers claim they are committed to the rights of asbestos victims – it's quite another thing, however, to prove it. A law firm that claims to have many years of experience acting for asbestos victims ought to have a track record of providing non-legal support. Money for asbestos research, financial support for victims groups, advocacy with the government for victims’ rights, pro bono work in the Hardie Commission of Inquiry, are all ways to show real commitment.