WEST VIRGINIA: MESOTHELIOMA LAWYER HELPS ASBESTOS VICTIMS IN WV

CHARLESTON, West Virginia – Mesothelioma lawyer from the national asbestos litigation firm Levy Konigsberg LLP (“LK”) is continuing to help West Virginia mesothelioma patients and families obtain legal compensation from companies who manufactured, sold or used asbestos-containing products.

Patrick Timmins, a mesothelioma lawyer with over fifteen years of asbestos litigation experience, represents clients throughout WV. Prior to joining LK, Patrick Timmins was a criminal prosecutor, zealously representing various victims of crime.

Reflecting on his extensive work in West Virginia on behalf of mesothelioma victims, Patrick Timmins stated, “I have had the privilege to represent numerous West Virginia families who have suffered the loss of a family member from asbestos-related injuries. I continue to be inspired by the stories these families share with me of their loved ones. West Virginia residents worked decades in various industrial settings to provide for their families unaware of the serious health hazards created by exposure to asbestos. Our firm takes pride in investigating and litigating these cases in an effort to provide these families with the best outcome possible.” Patrick Timmins’ aggressive representation on behalf of West Virginia families begins as soon as they hire the firm, ensuring that each family’s case is placed on the West Virginia trial calendar as soon as possible.

Due to the presence of numerous industrial employers throughout West Virginia, insulators, steel workers, plumbers, electricians, pipefitters, chemical operators, machinists, powerhouse workers, boilermakers, coke oven operators, blast furnace operators, engineers and many other trades were routinely exposed to asbestos. Each year, approximately three thousand men and women across the country, including many in West Virginia, are diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive asbestos cancer.

West Virginia residents have been exposed to asbestos at industrial facilities, mechanic shops, assembly plants, chemical plants, power plants and steel plants. Numerous independent contractors were also exposed to asbestos from their work at many of these facilities. Many of these asbestos exposure sites are located in and around the Ohio Valley. However, the asbestos problem in West Virginia was not limited within its borders. Many asbestos exposure sites were located in Kentucky and Ohio, where West Virginia citizens would commute daily to their places of employment. Many people in West Virginia also developed mesothelioma from non-occupational asbestos exposures, such as automotive work and home renovations, or from “second-hand asbestos exposure,” which occurred when work clothes contaminated with asbestos were worn home.

West Virginia – Ohio Valley worksites where asbestos exposure was common include:

• AEP-Cabin Creek (Cabin Creek, WV)
• AEP-Gavin Powerhouse (Cheshire, OH)
• AEP-Muskingham River Powerhouse (Beverly, OH)
• AEP-Philip Sporn Powerhouse (New Haven, WV)
• AGA Gas (Washington Bottom, WV)
• AMOCO (Marietta, OH)
• Armco/AK Steel (Ashland, KY)
• Appalachian Power (Charleston, WV)
• Ashland Oil (Ashland, KY)
• Brand Insulation
• Cabot (Willow Island, WV)
• Chevron (Marietta, OH)
• Cyanamid Plant (Willow Island, WV)
• DuPont (Parkersburg, WV)

• Everready (Marietta, OH)
• General Electric/Borg Warner Facility (Washington Bottom, WV)
• Glasgow Powerhouse (Glasgow, WV)
• Pleasants Power Station (Willow Island, WV)
• Ross Brothers (KY)
• Shell (Belpre, OH)
• Shell (Huntington, WV)
• State Electric (Huntington, WV)
• Union Boiler Company (WV)
• Union Carbide (Institute, WV)
• Union Carbide (South Charleston, WV)
• Weirton Steel (Weirton, WV)
• West Virginia Electric Company
• Willow Island Powerhouse (Willow Island, WV)

ATTENTION: Mesothelioma has no known cure and often causes severe pain, suffering, and other types of damage, such as loss of consortium, and loss of income. Additionally, due to the exceedingly high cost of mesothelioma treatments, many families exhaust savings and accumulate financial debt in order to pay for the medical expenses of their family member.

Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from mesothelioma may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually obtained with the help of experienced mesothelioma attorneys. In some states other types of damages may also be recovered.

Asbestos litigation affords mesothelioma victims the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold accountable the companies that caused their asbestos exposure.

IMPORTANT: If you or your family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer as early as possible to determine if you have a mesothelioma case and to:

• Preserve your rights to bring a legal action against the responsible parties within the limited time frame allowed by law, known as statute of limitations;
• Obtain maximum compensation in your case by being able to:
  • Preserve evidence and establish facts of the asbestos exposure while the claimant is still alive and able to provide information;
  • File and resolve a lawsuit against the responsible parties before they file for bankruptcy or, if they already have, to obtain compensation before their bankruptcy trust funds run out of money;
• Expedite your case, as courts tend to give higher priority to mesothelioma lawsuits where the claimant is still alive.

WEST VIRGINIA MESOTHELIOMA FAQ

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is imperative that the party who was responsible for the exposure to asbestos is held accountable. Get answers to some of the most common questions about filing a claim.

What Industries Exposed West Virginia Workers to Asbestos?

Asbestos was in wide use in many, many industries primarily until 1989, when a rule banning most products containing asbestos was issued. Some of the industries in West Virginia in which asbestos was commonly used include mining, plumbing companies, energy companies, electricians, the railroad industry, mechanics, insulation manufacturing and installation services, steamfitters, pipe fitters, the paper production industry, and many others.

I Have Symptoms that may be Mesothelioma, How Do I Know if It Was Caused by Asbestos Exposure?

Mesothelioma develops over years in people who inhaled asbestos fibers. It is an incurable type of cancer affecting the thin natural membrane protecting the body’s organs. To determine whether your health condition is the result of exposure to asbestos, you must be diagnosed by a medical professional familiar with the symptoms of the disease and medical tests and procedures used to diagnose mesothelioma. Your diagnosis is the starting point for filing a lawsuit to recover damages. Many cases of mesothelioma may not have been diagnosed correctly, so ensure the doctor is aware you were exposed to asbestos during your work history or personal history.

What Do I Do If Loved One Dies from Mesothelioma?

If a loved one passed away from the disease, a wrongful death claim could be filed to seek compensation for the close family. A “wrongful death claim” is a legal action filed when a person dies as the result of the negligence of another party.

Do I Need an Attorney for a Mesothelioma Claim?

All personal injury claims hinge on the legal concept of negligence. An entity that allowed workers to be exposed to asbestos, and manufacturers of asbestos products, must be held accountable for the tragic consequences faced by individuals who suffer from mesothelioma. As the exposure may have occurred years many decades in the past, your attorney will be tasked with researching the details in the case, the company responsible, the amount of funds that may be available, and how to access compensation. It is crucial that your case is in the hands of an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation, and who has a record of achieving positive case outcomes.

Will My Mesothelioma Case be Part of a “Class Action” Lawsuit?

A class action is a type of case in which one person, termed the “class representative,” is used to represent many other people in a similar condition. Mesothelioma claims filed by Levy Konigsberg are not class action cases but are filed as individual complaints against the negligent parties. We are focused on providing genuine support and care to our clients, valuing each claim on its merits, and pursuing all forms of compensation available from all sources. Our experience in asbestos related litigation goes above and beyond what many other firms could offer.

Am I Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Mesothelioma?

The Workers’ compensation program in West Virginia was established to protect both employers and workers. An injured worker has the right to some compensation from the employer but usually sacrifices the right to file a lawsuit against an employer. The benefits paid through the system are helpful, but rarely enough to provide for a family, and usually just barely cover the cost of life’s necessities. You may have the right to file a third party claim against a negligent manufacturers or suppliers of asbestos products to recover far more in compensation.

Were Miners in West Virginia Exposed to Asbestos?

Asbestos naturally occurs in West Virginia, and miners were at high risk of exposure when working in this industry. The act of mining, along with the use of asbestos in the equipment used in the industry has led to hundreds of claims being filed by workers who are suffering the symptoms of mesothelioma, an incurable cancer caused by breathing asbestos fibers.

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