Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Lawsuits Are on the Rise

Asbestos-related lawsuits may be on the rise again this year, not only in judicial hotspots such as Madison County, but across the entire country.

In Madison County, Illinois, asbestos-related lawsuits are almost commonplace, and a large number of the suits are filed by out-of-state plaintiffs. In fact, asbestos-related lawsuits account for 50 percent of all cases filed in the Third Judicial Circuit's L Division at Madison County Circuit Court.

The reason this occurs is because Madison County (and other locations such as Kanawha County in West Virginia) has developed a reputation for ruling in favor of the plaintiff in suits such as these. Judges in Madison County are more likely to hold corporations accountable for negligent actions like those alleged in asbestos-related lawsuits.

Another reason why such suits are filed in Madison County is because the law allows anyone from any part of the country to file a lawsuit in any other state providing they can prove one party (either a plaintiff or a defendant) has a connection to the state where the suit is being filed. In other words, as long as a plaintiff can establish a link to Illinois, they can file a case there. Given that many of these large asbestos companies are multi-state entities, establishing such a link is usually not difficult.

Overall, asbestos-related lawsuits in the United States are on the rise. One reason is attributed to more people being aware that they can hire a mesothelioma lawyer and attempt to claim compensation for suffering from asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma. The general public was less aware of such services since mesothelioma lawyers were not allowed to advertise in print or on television several years ago.

A second reason is because many experts say the incidence of asbestos-related diseases in America has yet to peak. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people a year are diagnosed with mesothelioma, and that number is expected to rise in the near future.

Asbestos-related diseases, particularly mesothelioma, tend to have long latency periods. It's quite common for a person to develop malignant mesothelioma after being exposed several decades prior.

Another reason why asbestos lawsuits are becoming more common is because doctors are simply better at diagnosing asbestos-related diseases. As mesothelioma has increased in incidence, doctors have become more adept at recognizing and diagnosing it.