One of the hardest types of personal injury suits to pursue is an environmental injury. These injuries, caused by a toxin in the immediate environment of the victim, can take years to develop or show outwardly signs. So what should a person do if they find that they have a rate disorder or aggressive disease that is a direct result of an environmental incident? They will need to contact an experienced environmental injury attorney.
Recent Examples Of Environmental Issues Leading To Injury
At this time, there are two very distinct issues that can affect Florida residents when it comes to environmental injuries: asbestos exposure and the recent Gulf Oil Spill. Both of these issues have a negative impact on the health of the victim, and compensation can be handled by a Miami personal injury lawyer, or a personal injury lawyer in your hometown.
Asbestos poisoning, for example, has been a very common ailment in Florida. Shipyards dominate both coasts of Florida, and it is there that asbestos was most commonly used. Inhalation of asbestos over time has been shown to cause Mesothelioma, a very aggressive form of lung cancer. This does not develop overnight, however, and a victim could have been initially injured a decade or more ago by the asbestos, only to start suffering now.
The Deep Water Horizon event in the Gulf of Mexico is yet to show its impact on Floridians. With the excessive amount of oil that was in the Gulf water and subsequently washing up on shore, it is hard to say what types of environmental hazards this will cause in the long run. Studies are already being conducted on clean-up personnel to see if they are suffering from any types of physical injuries from working so closely with the oil.
Determining Responsibility
If you have been injured due to an environmental hazard, it will take time and the skill of a good environmental injury attorney to determine the responsible party for the injury. It cannot be assumed, for instance, that British Petroleum would automatically be responsible for a sickness created from the oil spill. While they were held accountable for the event, it may have been the products used to clean the spill, or the way that the oil was disposed of when retrieved that caused the final illness.
Victims suffering from Mesothelioma have the ability to claim against the class action settlement that was set aside for this environmental injury. However, the attorney will have to establish a connection between the client and the asbestos and prove that is the cause of their disease.
Overall, environmental personal injuries can take a long time to appear, and a long time to prove in court. Anyone that has been a victim of this type of event will need to prepare for an extended case unless he or she has the assistance of a professional environmental injury attorney. These specialized cases need to be handled by someone who understands the undertaking of proving the connection between an event that could have taken place a decade prior and a sickness today.
Sarah Bishop is a freelance writer and environmentalist who contributes this information to aid individuals who have been affected by environmental injuries. If you have suffered an injury similar to those listed above and live in Florida you should contact the Miami personal injury lawyer firm of Steinger, Iscoe & Green. Their staff is committed to protecting the rights of those with environmental injuries, and can help you decide what step to take next.
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