Mesothelioma Legal Blog

Berkshire Hathaway, owned by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, recently filed suit against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. over claims the auto parts supplier failed to disclose asbestos cancer verdicts and settlements from seven years ago. Berkshire’s lawsuit seeks to absolve itself of reimbursing Goodyear for mesothelioma cancer claims that they claim the defendant never consulted with carrier about.

Mesothelioma specialists are working tirelessly to create new mesothelioma treatments. Specialists are working hard to develop new ways to prevent and detect mesothelioma. Currently, there are several treatment options available for mesothelioma that have already been tested in clinical trials and approved. A good number of prevention and detection methods for mesothelioma have also been tested in clinical trials and approved. Usually, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that a treatment option, prevention method, or detection method undergo three or four trial phases before it grants approval.

A St. Louis federal jury recently awarded a Wise County, Virginia woman a $110 million verdict over allegations that talcum powder produced by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) contained enough asbestos to cause the victim’s ovarian cancer. The lawsuit is just the latest substantial award given to talcum powder cancer victims but one of the first to allege the product contained cancer-causing asbestos.

Asbestos-related conditions like mesothelioma do not usually manifest themselves right away. Most of the time, it can take years before the signs and symptoms of serious illnesses alert asbestos exposure victims to the harm they have suffered. With such a long passage of time between asbestos exposure and developing mesothelioma, victims may be unsure of the legal timeframes they have to file claims and seek compensation.

A collection of environmental groups recently filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over claims the agency’s reporting practices essentially create loopholes that allow companies to avoid acknowledging asbestos may be present in their products. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and four other groups filed their claim in U.S. District Court for the District of San Francisco, challenging the agency’s decision to allow exemptions to asbestos reporting rules.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos fibers may choose to file a lawsuit against those responsible for the exposure. These lawsuits can be critical in helping an individual recover resources that will help them pay for medical treatment. One way in which the amount of damages may be determined is by valuing the victim’s pain and suffering. An individual may experience physical and mental pain and suffering as the result of developing mesothelioma. Physical pain and suffering includes a person’s actual physical injuries.