Weitz & Luxenberg is pleased, once again, to announce Best Lawyers has named many of our experienced attorneys as some of the nation’s best. Attorneys…
Read MoreAsbestos Exposure
Weitz & Luxenberg has nearly 40 years of experience in Asbestos Exposure law, helping families receive justice. For those clients diagnosed with this devastating disease, our experience and results are a tremendous benefit.*
Speak to an Attorney NowHow We Can Help
A Asbestos Exposure diagnosis can be overwhelming; especially with looming medical expenses and the frustration of knowing the disease could be traced to asbestos exposure from your job, from activities such a washing asbestos-laden clothing or from the use of talcum powder. A trusted and experienced lawyer can help victims of asbestos-related diseases and their loved ones receive the justice they deserve.
Few law firms are more respected in the field of asbestos litigation than Weitz & Luxenberg. Our firm stands behind victims of asbestos exposure, helping them through a confusing and difficult time. We prize personal client relationships and handle the majority of the legal burden, so victims of asbestos exposure can focus on their health and loved ones.
Attorney Spotlight
Weitz & Luxenberg has over 100 attorneys — many focused solely on asbestos cases.
-
Charles M. Ferguson
PARTNER and PRACTICE GROUP CHAIR Asbestos Exposure and AsbestosCharles M. Ferguson, Esq., has been fighting for asbestos victims’ rights for more than 25 years. He joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 1989 as an associate attorney in our Asbestos Litigation group, and now he helps manage the firm’s asbestos practice. Get In Contact >
-
Jerry Kristal
PARTNER Asbestos Exposure and AsbestosNamed a “New York Super Lawyer,” Jerry Kristal is the managing attorney of our firm’s New Jersey office, and he plays an active role in our asbestos cases. Some of the verdicts he has obtained are among the highest against U.S. asbestos defendants. Get In Contact >
Need help finding an attorney? Call our 24/7 Confidential hotline now!
(833) 544-0604What Is Asbestos Exposure?
Asbestos Exposure is an aggressive cancer that forms on protective linings of the chest, the abdomen, the heart and the testicles.1 Many of the 3,000 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year can be traced to job-related asbestos exposure.2 3
Asbestos Exposure usually takes anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Asbestos Exposure, and the risk of developing the deadly cancer does not diminish over time, even after the exposure to asbestos ends.3
Health Effects of Asbestos
- AsbestosisScarring of lung tissue4
- Lung CancerMalignant tumor that invades the lungs5
- Asbestos ExposureCancer of the lining of the lungs and other organs
Asbestos fibers can affect anyone who inhales them.
Symptoms & Treatment of Asbestos Exposure
By the time symptoms of Asbestos Exposure surface and an oncologist can make a definitive diagnosis, the disease is often advanced. That’s because people may mistake the early symptoms of Asbestos Exposure, such as pain, weight loss, or fever, for common ailments.6
Asbestos Exposure can be very hard to treat — regardless of the stage of the cancer. Doctors typically turn to four types of standard treatment: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Clinical trials are testing new types of treatment, such as biologic therapy.7
Types of Asbestos Exposure
The medical community recognizes four main types of Asbestos Exposure. Each is named for the area of the body where the cancer starts.
If you or a family member feel that they may have been affected by Asbestos Exposure, feel free to contact us, so that we can fight for you.
Who Gets Diagnosed with Asbestos Exposure
Weitz & Luxenberg attorneys advocate for men and women whose lives were ruined or altered by asbestos. Many of them are spouses of someone with Asbestos Exposure, and sometimes they are veterans who encountered asbestos while serving in the U.S. military. Though asbestos use in the U.S. has dropped dramatically in recent decades, asbestos is still present in older homes and buildings, including some schools. Asbestos is also still used in products such as automobile brakes and roofing materials and is contained in talcum powder products.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has estimated that millions of employees deal with risk in their jobs. Workers in construction and general industries face significant asbestos exposure on the job. People at risk for asbestos exposure in the workplace include some miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and installers, railroad and automotive workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers, plumbers, firefighters, and construction workers.1 8 11 12 13 14
In a historic court victory, Weitz & Luxenberg won a verdict of $75 million on behalf of 36 shipbuilders exposed to asbestos at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the 1940s and 50s.
Many asbestos victims trace their illnesses back to the military. In fact, veterans account for an estimated 30 percent of those diagnosed with Asbestos Exposure each year.
In two separate asbestos cases, Weitz & Luxenberg won $190 million for a group of five boiler company workers and $49 million for a boilermaker who suffered from Asbestos Exposure.
Many auto parts, including brakes and clutches, can release asbestos fibers when they start to break apart or disintegrate due to wear and tear or when they are removed and replaced.
Weitz & Luxenberg won a $35 million verdict on behalf of an asbestos-removal worker who died from complications related to Asbestos Exposure.
Toxic asbestos fibers can collect on clothing, especially in asbestos-heavy work environments. This contaminated clothing can easily pollute the home, placing children and family members at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.
Jobsite Exposure & Asbestos Discovery
Weitz & Luxenberg has represented more than 33,000 individuals and families who have been affected by asbestos exposure, giving our firm a deep knowledge of worksites across the U.S.
Our firm investigates each case, in an effort to track down the source of asbestos contact. Because we have worked on so many asbestos cases, we’re experts at investigating and determining where people were exposed to asbestos, what products they were exposed to and what company is responsible.
Why Choose Us
We’ve developed winning methods to explain to juries the complicated scientific and medical issues involved in your case. Equipped with our unique insight into asbestos companies and lawyers, we’ve won more than $8.5 billion in asbestos settlements and litigation.*
- We have honed our experience in more than 33,000 asbestos cases.
- We serve on 25 corporate bankruptcy Trust Advisory Committees.
- We are leaders in numerous bar associations and significant charities.
In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.
Recent Verdicts
Weitz & Luxenberg is responsible for some of the most significant asbestos verdicts in history — verdicts that bring justice to victims and send a powerful message to companies that ignored the effects of asbestos.
John Pilla’s Story
These attorneys give you confidence. They know what they’re doing and how to do it properly. They help you feel that things are going to turn out alright. Read More
Weitz & Luxenberg Locations
* While our past record doesn’t guarantee future success, it is something you may want to consider when evaluating our experience.
View Sources
- American Cancer Society. (2018, November 16). What Is Malignant Asbestos Exposure? Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/about/malignant-mesothelioma.html
- American Cancer Society. (2019, January 9). Key Statistics About Malignant Mesothelioma. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/malignant-mesothelioma/about/key-statistics.html
- American Cancer Society. (2018, November 16). Risk Factors for Malignant Mesothelioma. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/malignant-mesothelioma/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
- American Lung Association. (n.d.). Asbestosis. Retrieved from http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asbestosis/
- UMMC Health Care. (n.d.). Lung Cancers and Mesothelioma. Retrieved from https://www.umc.edu/Healthcare/Cancer/Cancer_Types/Lung%20Cancers%20and%20Mesothelioma.html
- American Cancer Society. (2018, November 16). Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/malignant-mesothelioma/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html
- National Cancer Institute. (2021, May 21). Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment (Adult) (PDQ®)–Patient Version. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma/patient/mesothelioma-treatment-pdq#section/_50
- American Cancer Society. (2023, January 18). Asbestos and Cancer Risk. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/asbestos.html
- Savarrakhsh, A., et al. (2021). Malignant primary pericardial mesothelioma presenting as effusive constrictive pericarditis: a case report study. Retrieved from https://cardiothoracicsurgery.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13019-021-01684-8
- Candura, S.M. et al. (n.d.). Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis in a Petrochemical Worker Exposed to Asbestos. Anticancer Research, 28, 1365-1368. Retrieved from http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/28/2B/1365.full.pdf
- Penn Medicine. Abramson Cancer Center. (n.d.). Exposure to Asbestos. Retrieved from https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer/types-of-cancer/mesothelioma/asbestos-cancer/exposure-to-asbestos
- OSHA. (n.d.). Asbestos. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/asbestos
- World Health Organization. (2014). Chrysotile Asbestos. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/143649/9789241564816_eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
- Moffitt Cancer Center. (n.d.). What Are the Most Common Occupations at Risk for Mesothelioma? Retrieved from https://moffitt.org/cancers/mesothelioma/faqs/what-are-the-most-common-occupations-at-risk-for-mesothelioma/
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. (2023, April 18). Asbestos. Retrieved from http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/index.asp