Find a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the state of Alabama and has one of the highest populations in the state. Aside from being the home of a U.S. Air Force base, there are many other buildings in downtown Montgomery or residential neighborhoods that may have asbestos. If you live in Montgomery or worked here and have mesothelioma, you should find a lawyer who can file a lawsuit in Montgomery.
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Top Mesothelioma Lawyers and Law Firms in Montgomery, Alabama
There are not many lawyers to choose from in Montgomery for mesothelioma cases. One website lists only a couple of options.
Fortunately, most national law firms can represent people from Montgomery. This is because the firms have lawyers licensed to practice law in Alabama. Additionally, the top firms want to help victims, so even if they aren’t licensed, they’ll connect you or your family member with a fellow lawyer at another national firm who is licensed in this state.
Why to Find a National Law Firm
There are a lot of reasons to prefer a national mesothelioma lawyer over a local one. For starters, national mesothelioma lawyers specialize in cases involving mesothelioma cancer and asbestos exposure. For local attorneys, this type of case is one of many personal injury lawsuits they’ll take on. So they aren’t specialized in them and won’t be as dedicated to the victims of mesothelioma.
Filing Cases in Other States Aside From Alabama
Mesothelioma cases often span multiple states, usually with victims or their families filing cases across state lines. Any jurisdiction involved in the exposure to asbestos can be part of a person’s case. So they can file claims based on:
- Where they were exposed to asbestos
- Where the asbestos was manufactured
- The headquarters of the defendant company
Local attorneys are often restricted to just that location. National lawyers have licenses to practice in most, if not all, states and provide more versatility to you, the victim.
Experience Is Needed
National mesothelioma lawyers handle dozens, if not hundreds, of these cases every year. They have a long track record of success and getting victims their deserved compensation. Local attorneys may handle a couple of local asbestos cases every year, but their experience is minimal.
Contingency Basis Firms
The top national mesothelioma law firms work on a contingency basis, meaning they only receive payment if they win the case for you or reach a settlement. There are no fees to hire the law firm, and you don’t owe the firm any money if you don’t receive compensation.
This agreement presents a no-risk situation to victims of asbestos exposure. They have no financial commitment to seek legal justice for their undeserved cancer diagnosis.
Asbestos Deaths in Montgomery, Alabama
According to the website Asbestos Nation, there are an average of three asbestos-related deaths in Montgomery County each year. This number is low compared to other areas of Alabama, but all asbestos deaths are preventable and all trace back to corporate greed, which should be held accountable.
The website reports there have been nearly 4,000 deaths in Alabama related to asbestos exposure from 1999-2017. Approximately 600 of these deaths are from mesothelioma, while around 2,500 are from asbestos lung cancer.
The website estimates Alabama as having an average amount of asbestos-caused deaths compared to other U.S. states. Alabama has around 200 asbestos-related deaths each year, and 30 of them are due to mesothelioma cancer.
How to File a Lawsuit in Montgomery, Alabama
Finding a qualified and experienced lawyer licensed to practice in Montgomery will take care of most steps to mesothelioma lawsuits. Victims of this cancer should not have to spend much time preparing their case. They can be as involved as they want but otherwise should rely on their trusted lawyer to move the case along.
Once you find a lawyer, the steps are:
Go over your work and residential history in Montgomery
File a claim in the appropriate Montgomery court
Connect your work history to known places of asbestos exposure in Montgomery
Record a deposition, if needed, for video testimony to use in court
Discuss a settlement with the at-fault companies involved
Take the case to trial
How to File Asbestos Trust Fund Claims
Asbestos trust funds follow a different, and shorter, process. After filing the case, they usually don’t go to trial. Asbestos trust funds are bank accounts created by asbestos companies that have gone bankrupt. These bank accounts ensure future victims of their misdeeds receive some compensation.
Asbestos trust funds usually go to a review process once the case is filed in court. There is no settlement or jury verdict. The process takes just a few months, which is quicker than filing a lawsuit.
Asbestos Locations in Montgomery, Alabama
Mesothelioma Guide built a database of asbestos exposure in each city in the United States, including Montgomery and other Alabama cities and towns. These locations are known sites of asbestos manufacturing or the use of asbestos in construction, insulation or plant work.
There are a few dozen asbestos locations in Montgomery. A few notable ones are:
- Adams Manufacturing Company
- Brockway Glass
- Capital Chevrolet Company
- First National Bank
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- Montgomery Lighting and Water Power Company (power plant)
- State of Alabama Department of Finance
- Union Refining Company
Find other asbestos places in Montgomery by using our online search database. This free resource will help your mesothelioma case against the companies responsible for your cancer.
At-Risk Jobs for Montgomery Workers
Many blue-collar jobs involved handling asbestos directly or being in the proximity of asbestos. Many of these jobs are the cause of the spike in mesothelioma cancer cases during the 20th century.
Some of the at-risk jobs for workers in Montgomery, Alabama, are:
- Refinery plant workers
- Power plant workers
- Electricians
- Construction workers
- Glass manufacturers
- Automobile mechanics
Asbestos Laws and Regulations in Montgomery
Asbestos is not banned in the United States despite recurring efforts from non-profit and advocacy organizations like Mesothelioma Guide. The top law firms, such as BCBH Law, also urge Congress to ban asbestos as a measure of protecting U.S. residents and workers.
In Montgomery, the laws regulating asbestos are related to state government agencies. While asbestos isn’t banned, it’s not used in any industry aside from chlor-alkali.
Alabama Government Agencies Involved in Asbestos
The Alabama Toxic Substances Control Act governs the use of asbestos throughout the state. The act ensures workers are trained to identify and remove asbestos.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) is also responsible for the management and handling of asbestos, such as during the remodeling or demolishing of old buildings. Remodeling or renovation of buildings can disturb legacy asbestos and expose workers.
Workers must complete Alabama’s Asbestos Accreditation Training Program to become a certified asbestos handler and remover. You can find approved training providers here and review the Asbestos Certification Qualification Requirements. After completing these steps, workers apply online for Individual Asbestos Accreditation.
Once the application is approved, workers:
- Certify accreditation with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management by completing the Application for Asbestos Removal Contractor Certification ADEM Form 497
- Submit Notice of Asbestos Abatement and/or Demolition ADEM Form 496 to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Statute of Limitations for Asbestos Claims in Montgomery
The statute of limitations for asbestos claims in Alabama is two (2) years. This applies to both personal injury claims and wrongful death cases. The statute of limitations applies to every city in a state, so this is the statute of limitations for Montgomery.
Statute of limitations is a law setting a time limit on how long plaintiffs have to file cases. This law prevents people from filing cases decades after an incident, when the evidence of a case might not be relevant.
For mesothelioma cases, asbestos exposure is the incident that causes the cancer. However, it usually takes 20-50 years between asbestos entering the body and the first tumor forming. Therefore, the statute of limitations for asbestos claims begins once the patient learns they have an asbestos disease.
Mesothelioma Guide’s team of experts can help you find legal assistance. Contact our patient advocates or legal experts to learn the next steps and connect with a law firm.
Sources & Author
- Mapping the Deadly Toll of Asbestos – State by State, County by County. Asbestos Nation. Retrieved from: http://www.asbestosnation.org/facts/asbestos-deaths/. Accessed: 10/29/2022.
- Asbestos. The University of Alabama. Retrieved from: https://alabamasafestate.ua.edu/environmentalprograms/environmental-accreditation/asbestos/. Accessed: 10/20/22.
- Welcome to ADEM. Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Retrieved from: https://adem.alabama.gov/default.cnt. Accessed: 10/20/22.
- Safe State Environmental Programs. Safe State Environmental. Retrieved from: http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us/docs/safst/822-X-2.pdf. Accessed: 10/20/22.
