Choosing a mesothelioma lawyer comes down to two things: asking the right questions and checking the answers against public records. Ask about asbestos litigation experience, who will actually work on your case, how fees are handled, and whether the firm is prepared to go to trial. Then verify what you hear through bar records and court dockets. A lawyer worth hiring will welcome the scrutiny.
Questions to Ask a Mesothelioma Attorney Before You Hire
Bring a short list to your first conversation. A qualified mesothelioma lawyer should answer each question clearly and without hesitation.
Do You Have Experience in an Asbestos Litigation Program?
General personal injury experience is not the same as asbestos experience. Asbestos litigation has its own procedures, its own defendants, and its own body of case law. A lawyer who has worked inside that system starts well ahead of one who is learning it on your case.
Who Will Handle My Mesothelioma Case Day to Day?
The lawyer in the advertisement and the lawyer doing the work are not always the same person, or even at the same firm. Ask who will prepare your case, who will attend depositions, and who you will call with questions.
Will I Receive a Written Contingency Fee Agreement?
Pennsylvania requires contingent fee agreements to be in writing and to explain how fees and case expenses will be calculated. A firm that hesitates to put its terms on paper is telling you something.
Have You Taken Asbestos Cases to Trial?
Ask for general examples, such as the courts where the firm has tried cases and the kinds of claims involved. Defendants pay attention to which firms are willing to go to trial, and that can shape how they negotiate.
How Will You Investigate My Asbestos Exposure History?
A strong answer includes employment records, union records, job site or ship records, and interviews with former co-workers. A questionnaire you fill out alone is not an investigation. Many Pennsylvania workers were exposed at the same shipyards, mills, and plants, so a lawyer who knows the Pennsylvania asbestos exposure sites can often move faster.
How Will You Keep Me and My Family Updated?
Mesothelioma cases can move quickly, and treatment takes priority. Ask how often you will hear from the firm, whether they can accommodate your medical schedule, and whether a family member can be the point of contact.
Why Asbestos Litigation Experience Matters for Mesothelioma Claims
Mesothelioma usually appears decades after asbestos exposure. That long gap means evidence is old, former employers may no longer exist, and the responsible parties are often the companies that made or supplied asbestos products. In some situations, property owners or even former employers may also be responsible. Many claims also involve asbestos trust funds established by bankrupt companies. An experienced asbestos lawyer knows how to identify every potential source of compensation.
Deadlines also apply to mesothelioma claims, and they can depend on factors such as when you were diagnosed. Speaking with a lawyer early helps protect your options.
Philadelphia has maintained a dedicated asbestos litigation program in its Court of Common Pleas for decades. A lawyer who regularly appears there understands its schedule, its defendants, and how cases move through it. When you meet a lawyer, ask where they have filed asbestos cases and how recently.
Mesothelioma Lawyer Referrals: Know Who Will Represent You
Some heavily advertised firms sign clients and then send the case to another firm that does the actual work. That is legal, but Pennsylvania’s conduct rules require that you be told about every lawyer involved and have the chance to object to fees being shared between firms. Ask directly whether this lawyer will represent you or whether they are signing you up for someone else. If the case is referred, ask to speak with the handling firm before you commit.
How to Verify a Mesothelioma Lawyer’s Credentials and Track Record
You don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Three quick checks will tell you a lot.
Check Pennsylvania Attorney Disciplinary Records
The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania publishes each lawyer’s admission date, current status, and any public discipline. Search the lawyer’s name and compare the results to what you were told.
Search Asbestos Court Dockets
Court records show which lawyers actually appear in asbestos cases. The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas civil docket is searchable online. A firm that claims deep asbestos experience should show up on real dockets.
Confirm Legal Awards and Peer Recognition
Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers publish their selections online. If a lawyer mentions an award, look up the listing and confirm the years, the specific list, and the practice area.
Verify Our Philadelphia Mesothelioma Lawyer the Same Way
Here is what those checks show for our practice. Michael C. Schafle has been admitted to practice in Pennsylvania since 2005 (Attorney ID 94298), and his record can be confirmed with the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a founding partner of Green & Schafle, LLC in Philadelphia and appears as counsel in the Philadelphia asbestos litigation program. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, and he has resolved multi-million-dollar mesothelioma settlements on behalf of clients. You can review details on our case results page. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
His full background, including how he came to this work, is on the Michael Schafle profile page.
Next Steps After Choosing a Mesothelioma Attorney in Pennsylvania
Choosing a lawyer can feel like one more burden at the hardest possible time. In practice, it comes down to a short list of questions and a few record checks you can finish in an evening. To learn what happens after you hire a lawyer, from filing through resolution, see our mesothelioma lawsuit guide. For a plain explanation of fees, read what a mesothelioma lawyer costs.
When you’re ready to ask us these questions, start with a free case review.