Mesothelioma Settlements

Mesothelioma Settlements

It's virtually impossible to predict how much money will be involved in the settlement of a mesothelioma claim without knowing specific details of the claim and the medical history of the plaintiff. But history has shown that an overwhelming majority of the cases never reach the courtroom. Cases usually end in a settlement.

Settlement amounts are often tied to the cost of medical expenses, lost wages, physical and mental distress and bills that accumulate from moving forward with an asbestos-related illness. Of course, they're also linked to the strength of a plaintiff's case, which brings into play the disease diagnosis, the health condition of the plaintiff (or loved one) and the degree of perceived liability on the part of the defendant(s).

For example:

• A Buchanan County (Missouri) Circuit Court Judge approved a settlement in 2011 worth $10 million to Nancy Lopez, a Jackson County courthouse employee, who was exposed to the asbestos during a renovation project done by U.S. Engineering Company. 
• A Montana judge in 2011 approved a $43 million settlement in Libby, Montana. But because the settlement covered more than 1,300 miners and their families, individual settlements ranged from only $500 to $61,000. 
• The family of a New Jersey construction worker received a $2.1 million settlement after he died of mesothelioma, but a Navy veteran received settlements totally $461,000 after he developed asbestos-related lung cancer. 
• A boilermaker in New York received a $3.7 million settlement after developing lung cancer from asbestos exposure, while a building maintenance worker received a $2 million settlement after developing mesothelioma. 

Exact settlement figures are usually considered private and claimants are often bound by a confidentially agreement, although from time to time settlement amounts to reach the public eye. Those amounts can range from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars.

According to a recent Mealey's Litigation Report, the average mesothelioma trial award is an estimated $2.4 million. The average mesothelioma settlement is between $1 million and $1.4 million and typically is paid from multiple defendants. Some are considerably higher, others significantly lower. No two cases are alike.

Here are 10 other publicized settlements in mesothelioma cases:
Settlement Process