Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

A:Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the lining of your internal organs. Most often, mesothelioma affects the pleura, or the lining of your lung. Mesothelioma of the lung is known as pleural mesothelioma, but mesothelioma can also affect your abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma) or your heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Many people develop mesothelioma after working with or being exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma is often diagnosed by X-rays, CT scans, and biopsies. Symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain under the rib cage, difficulty breathing, painful coughing, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain and swelling, and unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest or abdomen.

A:First, you must have suffered an injury to your person or property. In the case of an asbestos-related disease, you must have a confirmed diagnosis from a medical physician. Most often, that will involve undergoing a CT exam, chest x-ray and/or Pulmonary Function Test (PFT). Second, you should consider whether your injury was someone else's fault. In some cases, it may be necessary for you to show that the other party was more at fault for the injury than you were.

A:If an injured individual dies due to their injuries, his or her spouse or children may typically pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party being held responsible for the deceased loved one's accident. If an individual passes away due to an unrelated cause, a personal representative may still continue the claim on his or her behalf. Even if a person filing a lawsuit dies from unrelated causes, a personal representative can continue the lawsuit on behalf of the deceased individual's estate.

A:Yes. Each state has different time limits, called "statutes of limitations" that restrict the amount of time for a person can file a lawsuit. These statutes not only vary by state, but they also vary depending on the type of case or cause of action. It is critical you provide your attorney with the requested information about your case, injury or disease to insure your case is filed within the proper time frame.

A:Your initial consultation with a George & Farinas, LLP attorney is entirely free. We will thoroughly investigate your case before advising you of your legal rights at no cost to you. The vast majority of our cases are performed under a contingency fee arrangement. This means that unless money is awarded to you, the lawsuit will cost you no money. There are no financial risks involved when you file a lawsuit with our firm.

A:A contingency fee means you owe no legal fees or expenses until we conclude your case in your favor. If we do not achieve recovery for you, we do not get paid for our legal services. If we are able to achieve recovery for you, then we receive our legal fee as a percentage of your total recovery, and are reimbursed expenses from your portion of the settlement. We believe our clients appreciate the contingent agreement. It allows them to receive the legal assistance they are entitled to, without worry of how they will afford it.

A:Our team of Indiana asbestos attorneys takes most cases on a contingency fee basis for two reasons. First, and most obviously, is the freedom it provides you to hire a lawyer without the added stress of flat fees and hourly rates. Many firms earn money by charging for each minute they spend working on the case, which can add up to hundreds of dollars, or more, before you even reach the court house steps.