Specializing In All Matters Of Mesothelioma Law
At Bergman Draper Oslund Udo, we represent families struggling with mesothelioma. By focusing our attention to this one area, we can offer you our best legal representation. We’re ready to help you with these services.
Litigation
After we evaluate your case, we will file your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the companies responsible for your harms. During the discovery phase of the case, we’ll work to make sure the defendants recognize the extent of their liability and the risk involved in trying to avoid it.
Most cases reach a favorable settlement without a trial, but should your case proceed to that point, you’ll be represented by accomplished trial lawyers with a proven track record.
The same is true if your case goes through an appeal. You will be represented by an experience appellate lawyer who knows the courts and the issues and has prevailed on appeal many times before.
Bankruptcy Trust Claims
Many of the companies that used to make asbestos-containing products have now filed for bankruptcy. The good news for asbestos claimants is that these companies often still have funds available to pay creditors through the bankruptcy trusts they have created.
If necessary, we can file claims on your behalf against these bankruptcy trusts. While bankruptcy provides legal protection to a company, we know the system and are well-equipped to protect your interests when dealing with bankrupt asbestos companies.
Pension Claims
For Washington state cases, we can file pension claims with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries on behalf of the surviving spouses and dependent minor children of deceased clients. These pensions are awarded in an amount determined by a deceased worker’s exposure to asbestos, wage scale, and diagnosis. The pensions are lifelong awards and are paid monthly.
We can also help you file claims with the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs for asbestos exposure covered by federal jurisdiction.
Legal Services For Veterans
The risk for mesothelioma is very real for our nation’s veterans, many of whom were heavily exposed to asbestos during their service. In addition to filing claims against the companies responsible for the harms they have suffered, veterans have the additional option of seeking benefits through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
While the VA often fails to recognize mesothelioma as a “service-connected” medical condition, we have veterans on our staff with extensive experience who can advise you in the complex VA claims process.
Beware of National Mesothelioma Claims Centers
When you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are faced with numerous television ads and websites that offer a free “mesothelioma book” or other information that claim to provide answers to medical questions. In fact, these claims centers and mesothelioma books are nearly always associated with law firms that are seeking to solicit clients. In many cases, the claims centers are not law firms at all but, instead, are wholesalers who take cases and file them in far off jurisdictions. They might also refer the case to a lawyer you never met. Unlike these large national firms and claims centers, Bergman Draper Oslund Udo is a local firm based in the Pacific Northwest with over two decades of experience fighting for mesothelioma victims in the Northwest. BDOU has a proven track record of the highest settlements and largest verdicts in Washington and Oregon. As our past clients will attest, we always work closely with our clients and guide them through the legal process