What is the value that can be placed on a human life? How much in terms of dollars and cents is pain and suffering worth? Could it be worth millions?

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a disease almost exclusively caused from the breathing of asbestos fibers, there may be the ability to take legal action against the company where the exposure to asbestos took place. If they win or receive a settlement it could be a substantial amount of money.

There is no accurate gauge for measuring the damage this disease can bring upon a person and their family. It can be difficult to evaluate exactly how much a settlement can be. All cases will have different circumstances and can vary greatly. As well there will be many differences in how these cases are treated from one state to another.

Having said all that there have been many high settlements with mesothelioma cases in the US. Here is a sampling of some very high settlements:

$250 million was awarded, in recent years, to Roby Whittington, a retired US Steel Worker. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2001.

$34.1 million was awarded in 2000 to a 64 year old retired worker from the Shell Oil Company. He was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in1998. It was determined he was exposed to the asbestos fibers when he worked for Shell Oil from 1956-1966.

A Navy electrician and his wife were awarded $33.7 million from a jury in California The electrician contracted mesothelioma from occupational exposure to asbestos.

In 2005, $10 million was awarded to a retired 82-year old machinist with mesothelioma

One of the earliest mesothelioma cases resulted in a posthumous award in the amount of $80,000 in 1973.

There are many reports of other cases where settlements ranged in the millions of dollars to others that were just in the thousands. Most settlements are not as high as those mentioned. Most settlements will pay for medical expenses, lost wages, expenses incurred during the time of the disease and occasionally something for pain and suffering. But a multimillion dollar settlement is still a possibility. The best advice is to consult with an attorney that is a specialist in this type of case.

A well selected mesothelioma attorney should be able to help you get an sense of what a possible settlement might look like. Medical costs, loss of income and other expenses that can be documented are fairly easy to add up. But putting a price on the value of pain and suffering (non economic damages) can vary greatly from one case to the next and a good mesothelioma lawyer can be very helpful in sorting things out.

Most attorneys will offer a free consultation. Be sure to seek out one that will take the case on with out any upfront cost to you. They will be paid only if they win a settlement. You will also agree upon how much their fee will be out of any settlement before you agree to go forward. Here is a list of good questions you can ask that will help you select a good mesothelioma lawyer texas.