National mesothelioma law firm Meirowitz & Wasserberg, has merged with O’Shea & Reyes, an asbestos law firm based in Davie, Florida. Founding partner Daniel Wasserberg says he wanted to grow the firm’s presence in Florida and offer clients strong support if they’ve originally been diagnosed with asbestosis and it progresses to mesothelioma or lung cancer.
Most of the O’Shea & Reyes’ present caseload involves asbestosis claims. When a client’s asbestosis progressed to cancer, O’Shea & Reyes often referred the case to another firm. Asbestos exposure can cause asbestosis, a nonmalignant form of lung disease.
“About 10 to 20% of people with underlying asbestos disease, asbestos scarring on their lungs, develop cancer. When they do, we’re here to handle those cases directly, instead of referring them out,” Wasserberg says.
Former O’Shea & Reyes clients will now work out of Meirowitz & Wasserberg’s Fort Lauderdale office. They’ll keep working with the same staff who’ve handled their cases so far.
“O’Shea & Reyes clients will have continuity with the same staff who’ve handled their cases before. But they’ll also have the backing of a firm with a national presence that commands high values and can get them the most money if they develop cancer,” Wasserberg explains.
The transition shouldn’t create any distance for local clients, either. Davie and Fort Lauderdale are about 10 minutes apart in the same South Florida metro area.
A Growing Track Record in Asbestos Litigation
Meirowitz & Wasserberg started in March of 2015. Founding partners Samuel Meirowitz and Daniel Wasserberg built the firm around asbestos and mesothelioma litigation, along with other personal injury cases. Since then, the firm has recovered more than $800 million in settlements and verdicts for clients across the country.
O’Shea & Reyes brought its own extensive history to the table. The firm represented people with mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases out of Davie, Florida for decades. Danny O’Shea, the firm’s founder, now serves as of counsel to Meirowitz & Wasserberg following the merger.
The merger also strengthens Meirowitz & Wasserberg’s presence in Florida specifically. “This merger makes us one of the largest active asbestos firms in the state of Florida, in addition to already being the fifth-largest filer of asbestos cases in the country,” Wasserberg says.
Meirowitz & Wasserberg now operates offices in Fort Lauderdale and Naples, along with locations in New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. The firm also retained several staff members from O’Shea & Reyes’ asbestos division, keeping trained bankruptcy claims staff in place for clients who need to file against asbestos trust funds.
What This Means for Asbestos Litigation Going Forward
Mergers like this one reflect a bigger trend in asbestos litigation. As firms handle larger caseloads, law firms are increasingly combining resources. This gives clients access to bigger legal teams and broader trial experience.
Many people diagnosed with asbestosis, for example, can file a claim and if their condition later progresses to a cancer diagnosis, they may also qualify for a separate lawsuit. Asbestos trust funds are also sources of compensation many people with asbestos-related illnesses qualify for. More than 60 asbestos companies that went bankrupt have set up trust funds to compensate eligible claimants and those funds still hold billions of dollars today.
Now, O’Shea & Reyes’ clients have access to the resources of a national trial firm ready to take action immediately to help them pursue compensation. If clients have questions about their case or the transition to the Meirowitz & Wasserberg team, they can reach out 24 hours a day.
