Mesothelioma Legal Blog

In a mesothelioma lawsuit, giving a deposition is one of the most vital parts of the case. Unfortunately, many people involved in mesothelioma lawsuits do not understand depositions. If you have filed or are planning to file a mesothelioma lawsuit, it is crucial that you learn about depositions. Here is what you need to know about mesothelioma depositions. What is a Mesothelioma Deposition? A deposition, which is part of the discovery phase of a lawsuit, is a form of pre-trial sworn testimony involving attorneys asking questions to witnesses who are relevant to the case.

A New Jersey state jury recently handed down a substantial $37.3 million verdict to a group of plaintiffs who claim they developed mesothelioma cancer from years of using talcum powder products that the defendants allegedly knew contained asbestos fibers. The jury handed down the asbestos cancer verdict after two months of testimony, deciding that pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson knowingly developed and marketed a dangerous product to consumers but provided no warning labels to consumers about the risks.

In a recently decided Ohio mesothelioma lawsuit, a jury awarded the estate of an 83-year-old Korean War Veteran $12.1 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The jury awarded the veteran’s estate this amount after hearing and deliberating on the details of the veteran’s decades-long asbestos exposure and his ensuing diagnosis and death from malignant mesothelioma. At first, the jury had awarded the plaintiff compensatory damages amounting to $6.1 million. The judge then decided to add another $6 million in punitive damages against John Crane, Inc. The war veteran worked in the stockroom at the Pfaudler Co.

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) will hold their annual international symposium on pulmonary care scheduled for May 13-18, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The ATS conference is titled “Where today’s science meets tomorrow’s care in pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine” and will feature topics from bioengineering to genetic technologies. The ATS conference brings researchers in pulmonary care together to develop new treatments for lung diseases such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.

The mesothelioma latency period refers to the time between initial exposure to asbestos and a diagnosis. It is primarily a “silent” one because it can take 10-50 years before one is diagnosed with mesothelioma. The latency period can be shorter or longer than the 10-50-year range depending on factors such as one’s gender, age, time of initial exposure to asbestos, and individual health conditions. The Silent Latency Period of Mesothelioma As earlier mentioned, it can take 10-50 years between the initial asbestos exposure and a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Asbestos cancer victims recently won a huge victory after a California Appeals Court upheld a significant, $5.8 million verdict on their behalf after the defendants attempted to skirt responsibility by appealing the case. Fortunately, judges for California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal sided with the three-plaintiffs, all surviving family members whose father developed mesothelioma after years of working with Bendix brake pads manufactured with deadly asbestos fibers.