Baron & Budd, P.C. – Dallas Mesothelioma Lawyers

Baron & Budd, P.C.

Dallas Office (Headquarters)
3102 Oak Lawn Ave #1100
Dallas, TX 75219
Phone:(214) 521-3605

Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm
***We Answer Our Phone Lines 24 Hours a Day***

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Local Attorneys at Your Fingertips when you Need it Most

Baron and Budd was founded in Dallas, Texas more than 45 years ago. One of the pillars of the firm’s mission was to protect the rights of mesothelioma patients and their families. Today, our team of mesothelioma lawyers are proud to continue that tradition and serve the people in the local DFW community.

As Leading Dallas Mesothelioma Lawyers, Our Firm:

• Achieved a $9 million mesothelioma cancer verdict for a Dallas family in 2011.
• Helped close down a lead smelter in West Dallas that was poisoning the local community.
• Convinced a Dallas county jury to award $8.4 million to a mesothelioma cancer patient’s family in 2012.
• Handled some of the first asbestos lawsuits ever filed in the U.S.
• Achieved the largest mesothelioma verdict ever in the state of Texas: $55 million.

Giving Back to the Dallas Community

Baron and Budd founder, Russell Budd, and his wife are highly involved in the local Dallas community. One of the organizations they work closely with is Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that gives Dallas families the opportunity for first-time home ownership. Budd has generously contributed to the “Building on Faith” project, a collaboration between the city of Dallas, the Dallas Faith Communities Coalition (DFCC) and Habitat for Humanity to build 100 affordable homes for families in West Dallas. Budd and his family have also personally donated land to help complete the Katy Trail, a popular jogging and biking path through the city of Dallas.

Areas of Practice Include

Our law firm headquarters is situated in the heart of Dallas, Texas. For over three decades, our attorneys have helped victims file claims in court seeking justice and financial compensation for injuries, negligence, unpaid wages, asbestos exposure, serious illnesses, drug side effects, and wrongful death. Each attorney at our firm is focused on one area of law, mastering the subtle nuances and intricacies of that set of laws to get results in Court when nobody else can. We handle mesothelioma asbestos claims, water contamination cases, class action lawsuits, whistleblower cases, and employment law for employees and entities alike.

Our law firm has earned our nationally-recognized reputation for its role in pioneering litigation against manufacturers and employers for exposure to dangerous substances and carcinogens like asbestos. In fact, our team of mesothelioma lawyers won the largest mesothelioma verdict in the country in 2011 for a client – $55 Million dollars. Further, in 2002, our team of asbestos litigators negotiated the largest asbestos trust fund settlement, $4 Billion, for victims exposed at asbestos products manufactured by Halliburton or one of its subsidiaries.

The firm, along with Budd, were honored with the inaugural “Friend of the Community” award by Attorneys Serving the Community (ASC) in 2012 for their generous contributions to the organization throughout the years. ASC brings together female Dallas lawyers to support local organizations.

Baron and Budd is also a platinum sponsor of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent non-profit organization that is dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of asbestos, offering support to patients and families and advocating for a global ban on asbestos.

Asbestos Exposure in Texas

Due in large part to the number of buildings built before 1989 (the year in which the majority of materials containing asbestos were federally banned) and Texas’ prolific oil refining and petrochemical presence, Texas residents suffer the country’s third-highest number of mesothelioma related deaths. While undisturbed building materials generally do not present a hazard to occupants. However, deteriorating materials that have begun to crumble and expose asbestos into the air are potentially lethal. Unfortunately, the latency period for developing mesothelioma after exposure is anywhere from 20 to 50 years, so it can be hard for people diagnosed many years later to pinpoint the exact source of exposure.  This is why a law firm like Baron & Budd that has represented mesothelioma patients for more than 45 years is necessary.

Some of the most common sources of asbestos in older buildings include:

• Vinyl Floor tiles
• Drywall compounds and textures;
• Paints;
• Coatings and adhesives, including window putty;
• Pipe insulation
• Shingles

Industrial Sites Often Expose Workers to Asbestos

Workers at industrial sites engaged in chemical manufacturing, chemical refining and petrochemical industries may have been exposed to dangerous amounts of asbestos (see our list of jobs with highest risk of asbestos exposure). Oil refineries and chemical plants have been known to utilize asbestos containing products throughout their plants.  Also, the shipbuilding, ship repair, maritime industry and our military branches, especially the Navy, are other jobs that continually exposed workers to asbestos.

Sites of Asbestos Exposure in the DFW Area

Schools, libraries, county offices, homes, and commercial buildings have all tested positive for asbestos in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Large structures such as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza and the Dealey Plaza most likely contain materials produced with asbestos and most residential homes built prior to 1978 may be contaminated in one way or another. Sadly, a number of children may have been exposed within Dallas area public schools containing window putty manufactured with asbestos, despite EPA regulations requiring school districts to replace or encase any materials known to contain asbestos.

Some Schools Where Asbestos is Known to Have Been Used :

• Robert E. Lee Elementary
• South Oak Cliff High School
• Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary School
• E. B. Comstock Middle School
• W. T. White High School
• W. H. Atwell Middle School
• George W. Truett Elementary School
• K. B. Polk Elementary School
• L. G. Pinkston High School
• Clara Oliver Elementary School
• Bryan Adams High School
• William M Anderson Elementary School
• Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School
• T. W. Browne Middle School
• Lincoln High School
• Herbert Marcus Elementary School
• W. A Blair Elementary School
• K. B. Polk Elementary School
• Julius Dorsey Elementary School
• Thomas Jefferson High School

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma and attended one of these schools, we highly suggest that you contact an attorney at Baron & Budd to investigate an asbestos claim.

The Dallas County Criminal Courts, Annex & Records Buildings are removing asbestos-contaminated materials with the help of certified abatement contractors in late 2016 and 2017. The project will be completed according to strict OSHA requirements and is not expected to place any occupants at risk of asbestos exposure, as each removal area will remain tightly sealed and quarantined throughout the duration of the removal process.  However, past disruption of asbestos-containing materials during renovations and other projects may have exposed Dallas County Criminal Justice employees, inmates, attorneys, and visitors at risk of exposure to asbestos.

Were You Diagnosed with Mesothelioma in Dallas?

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma in the DFW area, seek medical treatment and contact an attorney specializing in Mesothelioma claims right away. Having the right legal team on your side can significantly ease both short and long term financial strain involved in the process. Anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma may be eligible for financial compensation from an Asbestos Trust Fund, a VA claim, or a lawsuit for exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma lawsuits and trust fund claims can cover related medical expenses in addition to pain and suffering, loss of companionship, loss of future income and the loss of a loved one.

A Dallas mesothelioma law firm like Baron & Budd with extensive experience handling these cases can make the difference between a considerable settlement or cash award and extreme financial hardship for you and your family.

Serious Car & Truck Accident Lawyers

The string of fatal car accidents along I-20 in the DFW area has caused numerous injuries and deaths and may lead to a significant number of personal injury and wrongful death claims.
259 people lost their lives on Dallas county roadways during 2015 while another 1,462 experienced serious, incapacitating and catastrophic injuries. Our team of experienced car and truck accident attorneys can help you file a lawsuit for injury or death involving an auto accident in North Texas.

Accidents Involving Large Trucks Can Produce Catastrophic Results

Due to their sheer size and weight, traffic accidents involving large trucks tend to be far more serious than those involving passenger vehicles alone. Fatalities and/or injuries such as brain or spinal cord damage, paralysis, loss of limbs or broken bones and internal organ damage can occur in car accidents involving commercial trucks. Some of the most serious accidents with 18 wheelers involve underrides, overrides, jackknifes, and rollovers.

Trucks that are not properly maintained are more likely to experience a tire blowout, brake failure or other mechanical failure resulting in serious injury and sometimes death. Distracted driving caused by texting or using cell phones, driver fatigue and negligence on the part of the motor carrier, trucking company or component manufacturer may be contributing factors to the accident and all are potential grounds for a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

Resources for Mesothelioma Patients in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area

We’ve included some helpful resources for people with mesothelioma in the DFW area. If you know of a local resource that we missed, please let us know and we will add it to our list.

Local Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Treatment for mesothelioma requires specialized equipment as well as highly qualified medical professionals familiar with the disease.  There are two mesothelioma treatment centers in Dallas:

• The Chest Cancer Research and Treatment Center
  
  – A specialty group within The Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas.  Located at 3501 Junius St, Dallas, TX 75246. Contact them at 214-820-0111.
• UT Southwestern Medical Center
  
  – The University Hospital Radiation Oncology (Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center) and Medical Oncology Clinic are located at 2001 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75390-9125 on the first and second floors, respectively. Contact them at 214-645-8300.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials Available in the Dallas Area

Patients who may be eligible for and interested in participating in a clinical trial for experimental mesothelioma treatments have options in the Dallas area. Current availabilities include:

• Phase II Anetumab Ravtansine as 2nd Line Treatment for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM)
  
  – Hosted by Bayer and open to patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) with at least a three month life expectancy.
• Developing Optimal Parameters for Hyperpolarized Noble Gas and Inert Fluorinated Gas MRI of Lung Disorders
  
  – Sponsored by Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute and open to people with lung disorders who are able to hold their breath for at least 15 seconds to allow for proper imaging.

Sources

http://www.ehso.com/cssasbestos/asbestosban.htm

Asbestos Materials Found In Dallas

The DISD Asbestos Coverup

https://www.dallascounty.org/department/purchasing/documents/2016-065-6602.AppendixA.LS.pdf

http://www.baylorhealth.com/PhysiciansLocations/Dallas/SpecialtiesServices/cancer/ChestCancerCenter/Pages/Default.aspx

http://www.utswmedicine.org/cancer/programs/mesothelioma/

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02610140?show_locs=Y#locn

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02748798?term=mesothelioma+AND+asbestosis&rank=1

http://www.kltv.com/clip/5827248/fatal-wreck-on-i-20-caused-major-traffic-jam

http://www.ktbs.com/story/22343221/major-crash-on-i-20-in-east-texas

http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2015/12.pdf

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CP/htm/CP.71.htm

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm