How We Charge: You Don’t Pay Unless We Win
Persons battling mesothelioma typically don’t have the resources
to pay out of pocket for legal representation. For this reason, we charge
on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will never have to pay
unless we recover money for you through bankruptcy trusts, settlement
negotiations or a jury verdict.
The amount of our contingency fee percentage is negotiated with each client,
based on the client’s needs, the facts of the case, and the type
of claims that will be pursued. For example, the fee for some bankruptcy
settlements is 25%, while the fee for settlements with litigation defendants
can range from 33% to 40%, depending on the facts of the case and timing
of the settlement.
Typically, the earlier a claim is resolved, the less we charge. Many clients
choose to pursue early settlements in order to fund expensive
treatment options, and the cost of travel, housing and other related expenses. Sometimes
we are able to resolve claims and disburse settlement funds to clients
in as little as 30 to 60 days of being hired.
Every case is different, and the number of defendants can range from one
or two, in the case of someone with limited exposures, to as many as fifty
or more, in the case of construction workers, refinery workers, or Navy
veterans who typically have many exposures.
Your claims can be resolved in multiple ways:
- You can settle with asbestos bankruptcy trusts. There are over 30 trusts
now offering settlements, with many others expected to begin accepting
claims and offering settlements in the coming years. Asbestos bankruptcy
claims are resolved out of court and do not require you to testify or
appear for trial.
-
You can pursue settlements with defendants in a lawsuit. Companies sued
in a lawsuit in which you or others provide testimony confirming your
exposure to their asbestos products must either settle for an amount that
is acceptable to you or go to trial and have a jury decide how much to
pay. Since 1990, the
settlement values in our cases are among the highest in the country.
-
You may wish to settle with all but one or more of the liable defendants
and then go to trial where you can “have your day in court”
and let a jury decide what is just. Since 1990, our clients have received
some of the
largest jury verdicts in the country.
Most cases involve a combination of bankruptcy trust claims, litigation
settlements and jury verdicts.