01. Connecticut Law Firms
Top Mesothelioma Law Firms in Connecticut
Connecticut residents and workers impacted by asbestos-related diseases can seek legal help from mesothelioma law firms. Experienced lawyers at these firms understand the history of asbestos exposure in Connecticut. This can help them identify the companies responsible for victims’ exposures.
Thousands of people have filed asbestos lawsuits in Connecticut. Victims can get free consultations with mesothelioma law firms to find the right representation for them. The following law firms have helped people living in Connecticut receive compensation:
Working with mesothelioma law firms offers several advantages for asbestos victims. These firms have decades of experience and resources for building successful cases. They have secured mesothelioma settlements for many of their clients.
Mesothelioma lawyers are dedicated to getting victims and their families well-deserved compensation and peace of mind. After they file their clients’ lawsuits, they can also handle the asbestos litigation process on their clients’ behalf. This allows patients to focus on treatment and time with their loved ones.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
02. Filing Lawsuits in Connecticut
Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits in Connecticut
Many people have filed mesothelioma lawsuits in Connecticut against asbestos companies. Patients and loved ones have received millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. Connecticut residents have also received compensation from other types of claims.
Residents living in over 100 cities in Connecticut have filed mesothelioma lawsuits and claims. The widespread asbestos use in the state has caused the development of exposure-related diseases, like mesothelioma. From 1999 to 2019, more than 900 people were diagnosed with mesothelioma in Connecticut. Those who develop asbestos-related illnesses may be eligible for compensation.
Different lawsuits may be an option depending on each case. Mesothelioma patients may file personal injury lawsuits. Patients’ loved ones may file wrongful death lawsuits.
Lawyers can help with the lawsuit filing process. This includes gathering information about their clients’ asbestos exposures.
Who Is Eligible to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Connecticut?
Connecticut mesothelioma patients and their loved ones may be able to file mesothelioma lawsuits in the state. Mesothelioma patients living in other states may also be eligible based on their case. For example, they could file if they were exposed to asbestos in Connecticut.
Many Connecticut victims have filed mesothelioma lawsuits against asbestos companies. These people often worked for the company or used its asbestos products. Some Connecticut industries were notable sources of occupational asbestos exposure.
For decades, many jobsites were sources of asbestos exposure in Connecticut. Until the 1970s, asbestos was a popular building material and fire retardant. Certain industries, like shipbuilding, used high amounts of asbestos materials.
Many workers at Connecticut shipyards may have been exposed to asbestos on the job. Shipyards in Connecticut that used asbestos-containing materials include:
- General Dynamics Electric Boat
- Naval Submarine Base New London
- Thames Shipyard
Other Connecticut industrial sites used asbestos products, like insulation and roofing materials. For example, asbestos materials were present at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft jobsites. This posed asbestos exposure risks for anyone at these sites.
Connecticut residents may also have been exposed to asbestos in various buildings. Many office buildings, homes and schools were built with asbestos construction products. These residents may also file lawsuits if they develop asbestos diseases like mesothelioma.
Many Connecticut residents have filed lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of asbestos. Filing can help secure the compensation they deserve. The lawsuits were filed by clients living in the following towns and cities:
- Ansonia, CT
- Avon, CT
- Ballouville, CT
- Baltic, CT
- Berlin, CT
- Bethany, CT
- Bloomfield, CT
- Branford, CT
- Bridgeport, CT
- Bristol, CT
- Chaplin, CT
- Cheshire, CT
- Clinton, CT
- Colchester, CT
- Cromwell, CT
- Danbury, CT
- Danielson, CT
- Darien, CT
- Deep River, CT
- Derby, CT
- Durham, CT
- East Berlin, CT
- East Hampton, CT
- East Hartford, CT
- East Haven, CT
- East Lyme, CT
- East Windsor, CT
- Ellington, CT
- Enfield, CT
- Fairfield, CT
- Glastonbury, CT
- Griswold, CT
- Groton, CT
- Guilford, CT
- Haddam, CT
- Hamden, CT
- Hartford, CT
- Harwinton, CT
- Hebron, CT
- Higganum, CT
- Jewett City, CT
- Kensington, CT
- Killingworth, CT
- Ledyard, CT
- Lisbon, CT
- Madison, CT
- Manchester, CT
- Marion, CT
- Marlborough, CT
- Meriden, CT
- Middlebury, CT
- Middletown, CT
- Milford, CT
- Milldale, CT
- Moodus, CT
- Moosup, CT
- Mystic, CT
- Naugatuck, CT
- New Britain, CT
- New Canaan, CT
- New Haven, CT
- New London, CT
- New Milford, CT
- Newington, CT
- Newtown, CT
- Niantic, CT
- Noank, CT
- Norfolk, CT
- North Branford, CT
- North Franklin, CT
- North Grosvenor Dale, CT
- North Haven, CT
- North Stonington, CT
- Northford, CT
- Norwalk, CT
- Norwich, CT
- Oakdale, CT
- Old Lyme, CT
- Old Saybrook, CT
- Orange, CT
- Oxford, CT
- Pawcatuck, CT
- Plainfield, CT
- Plainville, CT
- Portland, CT
- Prospect, CT
- Putnam, CT
- Quaker Hill, CT
- Rocky Hill, CT
- Sandy Hook, CT
- Shelton, CT
- Simsbury, CT
- Somers, CT
- South Windsor, CT
- Southbury, CT
- Southington, CT
- Southport, CT
- Stamford, CT
- Stonington, CT
- Stratford, CT
- Suffield, CT
- Thomaston, CT
- Torrington, CT
- Trumbull, CT
- Uncasville, CT
- Vernon, CT
- Wallingford, CT
- Waterbury, CT
- Waterford, CT
- Watertown, CT
- West Hartford, CT
- West Haven, CT
- West Redding, CT
- Westbrook, CT
- Westport, CT
- Wethersfield, CT
- Wilton, CT
- Windsor, CT
- Windsor Locks, CT
- Winsted, CT
- Woodbridge, CT
- Woodstock, CT
Deadlines for Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Connecticut
Attorneys at Connecticut mesothelioma law firms can help clients navigate the legal process. This includes choosing the right state to file a mesothelioma lawsuit in. These lawyers understand each state’s asbestos laws, such as the statutes of limitations. These statutes outline the time frames for filing specific lawsuits.
Mesothelioma lawyers can explain Connecticut’s statutes of limitations and other relevant laws. They can also explain other options for compensation. For example, many bankrupt asbestos companies set up asbestos trust funds. Eligible victims may file claims against these trust funds to receive compensation.
Filing VA Claims in Connecticut
Many veterans experienced asbestos exposure in Connecticut. The mineral was often used in military bases, vehicles and equipment. As a result, veterans face a high risk of mesothelioma. This includes many of the 153,444 veterans living in Connecticut as of 2021.
Veterans with mesothelioma have various benefit options through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These benefits may help cover treatment costs and living expenses. They may also provide financial aid to family members.
03. Connecticut Settlements & Verdicts
Mesothelioma Settlements in Connecticut
Mesothelioma lawyers have helped many Connecticut clients file and win asbestos cases. Financial compensation from these successful cases may be through settlements. Settlements are agreements between victims and companies to end a case before, during or after trial. The average mesothelioma settlement is between $1 million and $1.4 million.
Many Connecticut settlements have exceeded the average amount. For example, an insulator and Navy worker received $4.7 million in mesothelioma compensation. Examples of settlements for Connecticut victims who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace include:
- $15 million for a 76-year-old laborer
- $4.7 million for a 70-year-old insulator and Navy worker
- $3.8 million for a 73-year-old Merchant Marine
- $3.6 million for a 55-year-old electrician at Millstone Nuclear Plant
- $3.2 million for an 83-year-old Navy veteran (USS Tuscana) and tile setter
- $3.2 million for an 80-year-old Navy veteran (USS Vermillan) and pipefitter
- $2.6 million for a 65-year-old Electric Boat and Northeast Utilities worker
Settlements have also been secured for victims of non-occupational exposure. In many other cases, people have experienced asbestos exposure from consumer products. For example, some makeup and talc products may contain small amounts of asbestos.
In February 2020, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) settled a Connecticut mesothelioma lawsuit out of court. The victim who filed the lawsuit alleged J&J’s asbestos-contaminated talc caused them to develop mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Verdicts in Connecticut
Juries award verdicts if they find asbestos companies liable for causing plaintiffs’ mesothelioma. The average mesothelioma verdict is $2.4 million. But some Connecticut victims have received higher verdicts. Notable mesothelioma verdicts in Connecticut include:
- A Connecticut jury awarded the wife of a mesothelioma patient $20 million. Her late husband’s mesothelioma was due to asbestos exposure in the 1960s. He had worked with an asbestos window glazing product called DAP “33.”
- A former mechanic and U.S. Navy veteran was exposed to asbestos on the job. As a mechanic in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he handled asbestos equipment. In 2006, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He and his wife later filed a lawsuit against the asbestos products manufacturers. The jury awarded his wife $2.59 million, which was later reduced.
Note: Each lawsuit is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in the future. Contact a reputable Connecticut mesothelioma lawyer to understand how much compensation you may be eligible to receive.
04. Asbestos Laws in Connecticut
Connecticut Asbestos Laws & Regulations
The United States does not have a full asbestos ban. But since the 1970s, some federal regulations have helped protect the public from asbestos. In addition to these regulations, Connecticut has state asbestos laws, including:
- Abatement training programs: Connecticut asbestos abatement workers must complete a department-approved training program to become certified. The program covers asbestos hazards and abatement procedures.
- Licensing: Connecticut asbestos contractors must have a license issued by the state commissioner. Without one, they cannot legally provide services as asbestos contractors.
- School regulations: Connecticut has waived the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). Instead, it has put in place its own regulations for asbestos in schools.
The Connecticut State Department of Public Health runs the state’s asbestos program. Outside of state laws and federal regulations around schools, Connecticut observes federal regulations, including asbestos handling and removal guidelines.
Connecticut Laws Affecting Asbestos Litigation
Some Connecticut laws may affect asbestos lawsuits and other litigation. Like all other states, Connecticut has its own statutes of limitations. These determine the timeline for filing asbestos lawsuits.
Connecticut also has statutory law affecting lawsuits. For example, although a person has three years to file after a mesothelioma diagnosis, their asbestos exposure must also have occurred within the last 80 years. This is significantly longer than most product-related lawsuit limits in Connecticut.
Lawyers at asbestos law firms understand each state’s unique asbestos laws. They can explain these in detail, so their clients don’t have to spend time studying complex laws or navigating the legal process. This can help take the burden off of patients and their families.