What is the value that can be placed on a human life? How much is pain and suffering worth in terms of dollars and cents? Could it be worth millions?

If you or a loved one is suffering with mesothelioma, a cancerous disease almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, there may be the ability to take legal action against the company where the exposure to asbestos took place. If they win a favorable verdict or receive a settlement it could be a very sizable amount of money.

It can be quite hard to gauge and measure the damage mesothelioma can bring upon a person and their family. It can be difficult to pre determine exactly the value of a settlement. All cases will have different circumstances and can vary greatly. Also there will be many differences in how these cases are looked upon from one state to another.

That being said there have been a high number of very large settlements with mesothelioma cases in the US. Here is a sampling of some very high settlements:

$250 million was awarded, in recent years, to Roby Whittington, a retired US Steel Worker. Roby was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2001.

$34.1 million was awarded in 2000 to a 64 year old retired worker from the Shell Oil Company. It was in 1998 that he was diagnosed with plueral mesothelioma. He was exposed to the asbestos when he worked at the Shell Oil Refinery from 1956-1966.

A Navy electrician and his wife were awarded $33.7 million from a jury in California The electrician came down with mesothelioma as a result of occupational exposure to asbestos.

In 2005, $10 million was awarded to a retired 82-year old machinist with mesothelioma

One of the earliest mesothelioma cases resulted in a posthumous award in the amount of $80,000 in 1973.

There are many reports of other cases where settlements ranged in the millions of dollars to others that were just in the thousands. The majority of settlements in mesothelioma cases are not as high as those mentioned. Most will pay for medical expenses, lost wages, expenses incurred during the time of the disease and occasionally something for pain and suffering. But it is not out of the question that a multimillion dollar settlement can be awarded. The best advice is to talk with an attorney that is a specialist in this type of case.

A well selected mesothelioma attorney will be able to help you get an idea of what a settlement might look like. Costs covering medical, loss of income and other expenses that can be documented are easy to add up. But putting a price on the value of pain and suffering (non economic damages) can be very subjective and a good mesothelioma lawyer can your best help in soring things out.

Most attorneys will offer a free consultation. Be sure to seek out one that will take on the case with out any upfront cost to you. They will be paid only if they win a settlement. You will also agree upon how much their fee will be out of any settlement before you agree to go forward. Here is a list of good questions you can ask that will help you select a good mesothelioma lawyer texas.

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