Friable Thoughts

Monday, July 17, 2006

Victims' advocate sues asbestos attorneys for gypping her

Who would've thought that a plaintiff's lawyer would rip off their clients by settling with defendants for less than they could've gotten? According to a "victims' rights" advocate, a firm that files in Madison County did just that and now she's alleging malpractice.

Now, plaintiff's firms do settle with defendants for less than what they could possibly get at trial because trials can be expensive and risky, let alone the delay in getting money after a favorable verdict. That's true in all kinds of litigation, not just asbestos.

Plus, it's really hard to believe that a plaintiff's lawyer, usually on a contingency fee, would let defendants go for substantially less than what he or she could squeeze out of them. At first glance, it looks like the plaintiff will have a tough road ahead though discovering how plaintiff's lawyers settle and value cases might make it worth watching.