Experience is required to develop the skill and judgment necessary to provide effective representation to the victims of asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. You may have noticed a recent surge of television advertisements and pop-up websites targeting individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC urge you to consider the importance of choosing the right attorney to handle your case.

Advertising should not be condemned. The purpose of advertising is to provide useful information regarding the services offered by a law firm and to inform citizens of their legal right to seek compensation and redress their grievances regarding government action. Since the Supreme Court declared that categorical prohibitions on attorney advertising are unconstitutional, the number of law firms that advertise has grown rapidly.

Unfortunately, a growing number of individuals are selecting legal counsel based on the strength of a law firm’s advertising campaign, rather than an appreciation for its level of experience and reputation in the community. Many of these firms are not admitted to practice law in New York State, and most of them will simply choose another lawyer, unknown to you, to handle your case.

The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio invite you to visit our website or call us to make an appointment to meet with one of our attorneys. If you begin your Internet search for a lawyer to handle your mesothelioma case by typing the words “mesothelioma attorney” or “asbestos lawyer,” you will not necessarily find a firm that will handle your case personally, or even one whose employees have the experience necessary to do so effectively. We urge you to speak to the experienced professionals at Lipsitz & Ponterio before making a final decision based on another firm’s advertising campaign.

If you do contact another firm, we urge you to ask the following questions:

1. Will you handle my case yourself? If not, will you refer me to a qualified firm?

The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio will handle your case personally. We have the experience necessary to do so, and we will not refer you elsewhere.

2. Will you handle my case promptly and, if possible, while I am still alive?

We will begin prosecuting your case immediately. We will not waste time by sending you to another lawyer. We know that mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are often fatal, and we will take every practical step necessary to preserve your testimony while you are still in full command of all your mental faculties.

3. How much experience do the lawyers in your office have?

John N. Lipsitz and Michael A. Ponterio founded Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC, in 1995. We have over 50 years of combined experience helping victims of toxic exposure and negligence to recover damages from asbestos companies, product manufacturers and careless landlords. Since our firm’s inception, we have doubled in size and developed a reputation for professional excellence.

4. Will you travel to my home for a free consultation, even though I may no longer live in New York State?

The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio have made hundreds of trips throughout the United States to assist clients exposed to toxic materials, such as asbestos, while they lived and worked in New York State. Because diseases, such as mesothelioma, typically have a latency period of approximately ten to fifty years from initial exposure to asbestos to the development of this deadly disease, symptoms may first appear long after a worker has retired and moved out of the state.

5. Will you provide me with advice and representation, not only in a lawsuit if there is the basis for one, but also in workers’ compensation proceedings and for social security disability benefits?

John M. Pullano is Lipsitz & Ponterio’s Licensed Workers’ Compensation Representative, and he has over twenty years of experience before the Workers’ Compensation Board and in handling Social Security claims. He is a full-time member of our staff.