What Are Toxic Tort Claims?

Toxic tort is a legal term used to describe an injury caused by exposure to harmful substances such as:

• Asbestos
• Prescription medications
• Industrial solvents
• Medical devices — e.g. pacemakers and breast implants

Despite a variety of state and federal safety regulations in place, innocent workers continue to be exposed to these dangerous substances, oftentimes resulting in serious or life-threatening illnesses, including mesothelioma and other health conditions.

Serious Health Conditions Related To Toxic Torts

Most toxic tort cases stem from occupational exposure, secondhand exposure in the home, exposure to dangerous consumer products or pharmaceuticals, and can result in the following injuries:

• Various forms of cancer — including mesothelioma, lung cancer, leukemia and angiosarcoma
• Brain damage
• Organ damage
• Nerve damage
• Respiratory conditions and lung disease
• Birth defects

What Is The Biggest Challenge Facing Victims Of A Toxic Tort?

While it’s possible to hold companies and business owners accountable for their negligence in exposure cases, the biggest challenge facing plaintiffs is establishing causation. There are a wide variety of chemicals and substances that can be responsible for a serious or life-threatening illness; however normal, there is not a definitive test to determine how you were exposed.

This does not mean that you can’t be successful filing a personal injury claim and get compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.

What Compensation Can I Recover?

The primary damages sought in a toxic tort claim are called compensatory damages. These cover actual damages that are easily calculable such as hospital bills, co-pays for doctor’s visits, prescription medication costs and more. In the event of wrongful death, funeral and burial costs can also be recovered. Compensatory damages also include the victim’s physical, mental and emotional pain and suffering caused by another’s negligence or defective product.

In some cases, however, compensatory damages may not be enough to stop a negligent or careless company from doing further harm. In these types of cases, it may be necessary for plaintiffs to seek punitive damages as well, which is a sum of money in excess of compensatory damages designed to punish the defendant for their wrongdoing.

How Satterley & Kelley PLLC Can Help You

Filing a lawsuit against a Fortune 500 company can be intimidating for the average person. Plaintiffs often feel like they don’t have a fighting chance to recover the damages to which they are entitled when pursuing claims against a Fortune 500 company with a team of attorneys and endless resources. By putting the experienced lawyers at Satterley & Kelley PLLC in your corner, you can feel confident that you have a fighting chance.

For more than 20 years, the attorneys at our firm have been representing victims harmed as a result of exposure to toxic substances at sites throughout Kentucky. We provide full legal support and seek maximum compensation after catastrophic events, including asbestos exposure, chemical exposures and gas explosions.

Our attorneys work tirelessly to do everything in their legal power to make sure you get the compensation and assistance to which you are entitled. We promise to treat you with compassion, while determinedly pursuing the financial compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.