“Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyer” Illinois is no stranger to asbestos. This material was used in many industries to prevent fire damage. In the state of Illinois, more people die from the incurable cancer, mesothelioma than any other asbestos-related disease. Between 1980 and 200, the state lost a total of 1,731 lives to asbestos diseases. This fact has led to an increase in mesothelioma attorneys Illinois seeking to aid people suffering from the disease by helping to relieve the patients’ financial stress.
Illinois was previously associated with granting pro-plaintiff decisions in regards to asbestos-related cases. Specifically, Madison County, due in no small part to the decade of rulings presided over by Judge Nicholas Byron, who presided over 953 such cases in 2003 alone. Mesothelioma lawsuits Illinois concerning asbestos cancer frequently resulted in multimillion-dollar awards, such as the $250 million judgment issued in 2003 by a jury in Byron’s courtroom.
Due to the perceived pro-victim stance and the high return in rewards, Madison County was disparaged by former U.S. Attorney Griffin Bell. Bell noted that the county had 25% of the nation’s asbestos suits. According to Gretchen Schaefer, spokeswoman for the American Tort Reform Association, “Madison County is a magnet for asbestos litigation that has no connection to that jurisdiction”. Due to the strain related to this, when Nicholas Byron retired, his successor was urged to stiffen mesothelioma lawsuit Illinois rulings.
Due to this, other counties in the area also became more stringent in allowing mesothelioma settlements Illinois. For example, Cook County, which has one of the largest state court systems in the US, began sidelining cases filed by people who do not display actual symptoms of asbestos-related diseases. At nearly the same time, Cook County Judge William Maddux began regularly refuting requests for continuances, in effect giving mesothelioma lawyers Illinois about a year to prepare for trial, which can be difficult since many cases involve an excess of more than 50 defendants.
In Illinois, there is no explicit legislation about the damages that can be awarded to victims of mesothelioma. One asbestos-related case to come to the attention of the media is the 2007 case of Yanchick v. Rapid American Corp. et al. While originally filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County in August, 2006, the case was later removed to the federal court for the Northern District of Illinois. The victim in the case and his mesothelioma attorney Illinois sued over 130 companies. The story was especially news worthy because it brought up the issue of second-hand asbestos exposure. More specifically, it asks the courts to decide whether an employer has a legally recognized responsibility to protect a non-employee spouse or relative from asbestos exposure outside the workplace.
