Dallas Mesothelioma Attorneys (New Update)

TOP MESOTHELIOMA ATTORNEYS 2018 THE PAUL LAW FIRM 

The Paul Law Firm is in its fourth decade of advocating for clients diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. 

They continue to uphold their legacy of diligent legal representation for the brothers and sisters of the trades, including plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, boilermakers and insulators. 

One of the things that sets The Paul Law Firm apart from other law firms is that they understand that the fight doesn't stop in the court room – The Paul Law Firm continues to fight in the lab supporting research to find a cure for mesothelioma and to spread awareness about asbestos related cancer. 

Dallas Mesothelioma Attorneys (New Update)

To date the settlements obtained on behalf of the clients of Jerry Neil Paul have totaled over $2.5 Billion. A recent example of The Paul Law Firm's excellence in the courtroom is the $5 million verdict they achieved on behalf of Mr. Webb, a career pipefitter, in the Webb v. Specialty Electric case. 

After the jury returned the large award, the presiding Los Angeles judge unilaterally took away the verdict. The Paul Law Firm appealed the judge's action and the appellate court reversed the lower court's decision finding in favor of Webb. Then Specialty Electric appealed the appellate court's decision to the California Supreme Court for review. The Paul Law Firm again went the distance, fighting all the way through and in the end Mr. Webb's widow received $6 million in total settlements which included a 10% penalty per year because Specialty Electric forced her wait through the appeals process. 

Just as important as helping ease the financial burden of compounding medical bills for those suffering from mesothelioma, is fighting to cure the disease itself - so Jerry Neil Paul, the principal of The Paul Law Firm along with Jim Kellogg, a retired UA Pipetrades International Representative founded the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America. Dr. Parkash Gill, a Board Certified Oncologist and head of the Translational and Clinical Sciences Program at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, runs research for the Foundation. 

This year alone, donations to the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America totaled over $300,000. Jerry sponsors all of the administrative costs out of his own pocket so that 100% of every dollar donated goes towards research. Currently the foundation has a drug, EPH B4 in clinical trials with some very promising results. In addition to fighting for their clients in the courtroom and in the lab, The Paul Law Firm also fights to spread awareness of mesothelioma. 

Approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year so it can be difficult to find doctors with the expertise to spot the disease. Jerry and The Paul Law Firm encourage members of the trades to use the least invasive method to screen for mesothelioma. Four different chest x-ray views as prescribed by a Board Certified Radiologist and B Reader with a specialization in asbestos exposure can reveal bilateral calcifications, bilateral pleural thickening and scaring of the lungs and other maladies indicative of asbestos exposure. 

The regular screenings increase the chances of early detection of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is critical to the efficacy of medical treatments. The Paul Law Firm looks forward to continuing to advocate for the workers exposed to asbestos as well as their families in both the courtroom and the lab.

Woman who blamed cancer on makeup, powders wins $29M award in Richland County lawsuit 

COLUMBIA — A woman has won a $29.1 million verdict in a Richland County case involving allegations that cancer-causing asbestos was present in makeup and body powders. 

But that award money could be a longtime coming because the company found liable apparently has ceased operations except to defend itself in court. Two other parties in the case, including cosmetics giant Mary Kay, reached undisclosed settlements during the recent trial. 

According to her lawyer, attorneys for Mary Kay said it was the first time a case against them over possible asbestos had gone to trial. Sarah J. Plant, 36, a former Spartanburg resident who now lives in Tennessee, was diagnosed two years ago with mesothelioma. 

It's a rare type of cancer that is associated with asbestos exposure. The diagnosis especially is unusual for someone in their 30s. The average age of a patient with this form of cancer is 72, according to the American Cancer Society. The five-year average survival rate for patients is 12 percent, according to the nonprofit. Plant, a mother of three, sued a variety of retailers and makers of beauty and personal hygiene products.  

Plant believes that early exposure to talc products, both in body powders used in her family home and in makeup, contributed to her cancer, said one of her attorneys, Jessica Dean. Because of the diagnosis, pushing the case to trial or resolution quickly was urgent, as with other plaintiffs who have mesothelioma cases, said Dean, of Dallas law firm Dean Omar Branham Shirley. "It is the No. 1 thing that matters to them," she said. 

Plant's family used body powders containing talc frequently after bathing when she was a child, and she began to wear makeup for dance recitals beginning at age 6.  She was allowed by her parents to wear eye shadow at age 12 and then any makeup she wanted when she reached high school, Dean said. 

There have been many lawsuits against makers of talcum powder over the alleged presence of asbestos in the products. Asbestos, long ago used as a fire-resistant substance in construction, is connected in some studies with mesothelioma after prolonged exposure and inhalation of it as a powder. It naturally occurs in areas where talc, the core ingredient in talcum powder, is mined. 

Companies such as supplier Whittaker Clark & Daniels have to certify that it is not present in the talc. Whittaker Clark & Daniels did not settle and was found liable by a jury on March 3, in a case heard in Columbia by former S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal.  

Another company, talc manufacturer IMI Fabi, was not held liable by the jury. The two companies that settled while the trial was underway, Mary Kay and Color Technologies, did not to respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. Whittaker Clark & Daniels also did not respond to a request for comment submitted to its attorneys. 

At one point, Dean said, attorneys for Mary Kay were making the point in court that they had to trust their talc supplier, Whittaker, about the ingredients being sold. 

It was unusual, Dean said, for two legal parties on the same side to disagree in front of a jury. Whittaker has lost several mesothelioma lawsuits, and faces concerns that it is not able to meet its legal obligations, Dean said.  In fact, it's unclear whether the company retains sizable assets.  

According to a court document, the company has said it sold most of its assets back in 2004 to a different company, Brenntag Specialties, and no longer has any employees, customers or incoming revenue. 

Dean and her legal team requested that a receiver be appointed to determine the company's current assets and to protect Plant's rights, a request that Toal granted March 10 after Whittaker failed to file a response. 

A court-appointed receiver can investigate whether substantial assets or insurance exist that should cover a company's liabilities, then report back to the court. That can require researching records on past insurance policies or even following assets or insurance to new owners. 

They also can check to ensure that unnecessary legal fees are not eroding money that otherwise would go to plaintiffs. In Plant's case, a receiver should help her get the settlement she is due, Dean said. 

"We fought for her to get a unanimous verdict and are doing what we can to protect her verdict given the information we have to date," Dean said. Companies in the cosmetics industry reportedly are moving away from the use of talc in face powders and other products. 

They also are taking legal claims from mesothelioma patients more seriously, said Dean, who has been active nationally in representing patients in suits, including several against Whittaker Clark & Daniels.  "I am just now seeing a change," she said. Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week.

Ex-Judge Appointed as Dallas County District Attorney 

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