Before it closed, Avondale shipyard employed many people in the area during its years of operation. The hours were long and the work was tough, but many people gained skills that took them through their careers whether they remained at the shipyard or moved on to other opportunities. If your father was one of the people who had the opportunity to work there, you may have grown up hearing stories about building some of the best ships in the country.
Your father may not have realized that one of the dangers of working at the shipyard would come back to haunt him decades later. Even if none of you realized it at the time, asbestos was present in many areas of the shipyard, and now, your family faces an uncertain future due to mesothelioma — a rare and incurable form of cancer resulting from exposure to asbestos.
Time is of the essence
Once a doctor diagnosed your father with mesothelioma, the clock started ticking. He only has so long thereafter to file a claim for compensation. Since this is often a fast moving cancer, you may now be the one looking for compensation as a surviving loved one. In either case, the sooner that you or your father begin the legal claims process, the better the chances are of successfully pursuing a monetary judgment.
Gathering the right information
Before moving forward with a claim, it would be a good idea to gather the following information pertaining to your father and his newly diagnosed condition:
- Work history
- Regular job duties
- Materials routinely handled on the job
- Medical records
You may also want to include any tests, along with the results, that your father’s doctor did to reach a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Any information regarding the recommended course of treatment and prognosis may help as well. All of this information requires a thorough analysis to determine whether pursuing a claim is the appropriate course of action.
Finding the right help
When it comes to the legal aspects connected to your father’s mesothelioma, nothing is more important than preserving his rights, and perhaps yours if your father has recently passed away, and exploring all of the legal options available under the circumstances.
It may be a challenge to find the right assistance when it comes to claims arising out of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. This is a complex area of law, and without the proper experience, your claim may not receive the attention or outcome your family deserves. Doing some research regarding the legal resources available in this area could lead you to the right support and guidance.