Georgia Mesothelioma Lawyers

Filing an Asbestos Claim in Georgia

A mesothelioma lawyer can help you file a legal claim. They can trace your asbestos exposure and build your case.

An experienced asbestos attorney can also navigate the state’s time limit to file. The statute of limitations is 2 years from your mesothelioma diagnosis for a personal injury lawsuit. It’s 2 years from the death of a loved one for a wrongful death lawsuit. Your Georgia lawyer will also know if exceptions apply in your case.

Key Facts About Filing in Georgia

1. Georgia’s asbestos litigation reform began in 2005. Lawmakers elected to manage the state’s asbestos case docket. They adopted bills that formed strict new filing requirements for asbestos cases. 
2. Georgia enacted a revised version of the Asbestos and Silica Litigation Reform law on May 1, 2007. It outlines rules for asbestos lawsuits. It only allows Georgia residents or people who were residents at the time of exposure to file claims.
3. After asbestos litigation reform passed, the caseload fell significantly. In a year, it went from 1,200 asbestos cases to about a dozen.

Your asbestos attorney may also recommend you file in a different state. This may be the case if your asbestos exposure happened somewhere else. It may also be the case if the company responsible is based in another state.

Why Should I Hire a Georgia Asbestos Lawyer? 

You should select a mesothelioma lawyer who is familiar with Georgia’s litigation laws. For example, the state ruled in 2021 that strict-liability claims have a 10-year statute of limitations. Your lawyer should know that negligence claims still fall within Georgia’s Asbestos Claims and Silica Claims Act.

Georgia isn’t considered particularly favorable for asbestos lawsuits. This underscores the importance of working with lawyers with records of success in the state.

Georgia Mesothelioma Law Firms

Lawyers with Georgia mesothelioma law firms who have experience successfully litigating in the state will be familiar with court proceedings and regulations. They’ll have insights into state judges, court staff and potential jury pools. 

Georgia asbestos law firms will have teams with local knowledge of asbestos exposure sites and companies responsible for workers’ exposure. They’ll be able to help you collect evidence and build your case.

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Outside Georgia

Georgia residents diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease may also consider hiring a national mesothelioma law firm for their mesothelioma claims. National firms are licensed to practice throughout the U.S. These firms have extensive resources and records of success fighting for their clients.

Firms with nationwide reach can also help you file in another state if that’s best for your case. More than 50% of all mesothelioma plaintiffs file outside the state they live in, according to a 2019 KCIC industry report. 

Successful Asbestos Settlements & Verdicts for Georgia Residents

Multimillion-dollar mesothelioma verdicts aren’t common in Georgia. Most cases end in a mesothelioma settlement. Top firms practicing in Georgia have secured settlements worth more than $1 million.

An example of a notable verdict in Georgia was the 2016 outcome of a former paper mill employee’s case. He developed mesothelioma. His suit claim his cancer was the result of exposure to asbestos products used at the mill. A Chatham County jury awarded $4.9 million in mesothelioma compensation.

A former sheet metal worker had been awarded $4.2 million in a 2016 jury verdict. But the Georgia Supreme Court reversed the verdict. Prior to the verdict, defendant Union Carbide decided to settle. His suit said his mesothelioma was because of asbestos in products such as yarn.

Georgia Asbestos Laws & Regulations 

Georgia has a mix of federal and state laws that regulate asbestos and aim to protect the public from exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 4 oversees the state’s regulations. It’s also responsible for enforcing them.

Georgia Asbestos Regulations

• Georgia Code Title 12, Chapter 12, Asbestos Safety Act: Statutes that define the Georgia Asbestos Program.
• Georgia Code Title 51, Chapter 14, Asbestos and Silica Claims: Outlines laws in Georgia affecting asbestos and silica claims.
• Georgia Code Title 51, Chapter 15, Asbestos Claims: Outlines laws in Georgia affecting asbestos claims.
• Georgia Code Title 51, Chapter 12, Damages: Defines Georgia’s negligence laws
• Georgia Code Title 9, Chapter 3, Limitations of Actions: Defines Georgia’s statutes of limitations.

In 2009, state funding for the Georgia Asbestos Program was cut. By 2011, the program was completely defunded. Control of the program was transferred to the EPA’s Region 4. The state continued to oversee asbestos abatement in homes, however.

The Land Protection Branch of Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division used to oversee asbestos rules. In 2017, the branch made headlines for failing to report any asbestos abatement violations in the prior 7 years.

Asbestos Exposure in Georgia

Asbestos exposure in Georgia primarily happens at work. Jobs in the state with a high risk of asbestos exposure include power plant work, manufacturing and the military.

The state also has naturally occurring asbestos deposits. Georgia has 52 asbestos deposits. It was once home to 17 asbestos mines, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Miners, workers at the processing plants and nearby residents alike were at risk of exposure to raw asbestos. Georgia’s former asbestos mines operated from the late 1800s to the early 1950s.

Georgia Sites Known for Asbestos

• Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control
• Bowen Power Plant
• Fort McPherson
• Fort Stewart
• Georgia State Farmers Market
• Hickory Lake Apartments
• Hicks Asbestos Mine
• Hollywood Asbestos Mill and Mine
• Hunter Army Airfield
• H. V. M. Miller Asbestos Mine
• Jekyll Island Historical Power Plant
• Lawrenceville High School
• Miller Property
• Pig Pen Mountain Mine
• The Sall Mountain Asbestos Company Mine

In January 2019, the city of Columbus sought a $500,000 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant. The grant was to fund the removal of hazardous materials, including asbestos, from the former Georgia State Farmers Market. Local officials have been holding public hearings for input and ideas about the site’s future uses.

In 2005, an investigation revealed that asbestos waste was dumped illegally in Amicalola State Park. Asbestos ceiling tiles were among the debris. The disposal of asbestos is highly regulated in Georgia. 

Occupations & Industries Known for Asbestos Exposure in Georgia 

Asbestos exposure at work in Georgia most often happened at mines, industrial plants and military bases. The state’s manufacturing industry employed 402,000 people in 2021. It accounted for 9.35% of Georgia’s gross domestic product. Families of asbestos workers were also at risk of secondhand exposure at home.

Many veterans in Georgia were exposed to asbestos products on military bases. Military exposure occurred at several of the state’s 13 bases. Veterans who develop mesothelioma may file VA claims for benefits. They also have access to VA health care in Georgia.

Jobs With High Exposure Risk in Georgia

• Construction workers
• Manufacturing workers
• Military veterans
• Miners
• Power generation workers
• Shipbuilders

People with mesothelioma have sued companies in Georgia over asbestos exposure. These companies include Georgia-Pacific, Keebler Company, Bowen Power Plant and CSX Transportation Inc.

At least 27 Georgia residents in Fulton County were diagnosed with mesothelioma between 1999 and 2008. Most could trace their exposure back to Georgia-Pacific. Headquartered in Atlanta, this pulp and paper company has defended nearly 300,000 asbestos claims since the 1960s.

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