Galiher DeRobertis Ono

Asbestos & Mesothelioma

Since World War II, it is estimated that over 10,000 shipyard workers in Hawaii alone have been exposed to asbestos fibers on the job. Many more have been exposed at building and construction sites. Multiply that by 50 states and you have some idea of the magnitude of the problem in this country.

Unfortunately, it often takes 10 to 50 years for victims to develop symptoms, so many have innocently handled or worked around the deadly substance for decades -- ultimately sealing their fate.

The worst part is that asbestos manufacturers have known of the dangers since the 1930's, yet chose to say nothing. Only recently, as asbestos-related cancer has begun to manifest itself in the world's population are we seeing any revelation of the ugly truth. And justifiably, negligent asbestos companies are being made to compensate victims and their families.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with asbestosis, mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, you should know your options, both medical and legal.

Galiher DeRobertis Ono

Galiher DeRobertis Ono was founded in 1978, when Gary O. Galiher began representing 10 asbestos claimants who had worked at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The first client was Tristan Nobriga who was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and wished to file a workers' compensation claim. Mr. Galiher quickly did the legal and medical research to confirm that this disease could easily be proven to be caused by asbestos exposure and the courts recognized legal remedies against the asbestos insulation manufacturers.

Dedicated to Our Clients

Every mesothelioma client with the Galiher DeRobertis Ono firm receives the personal attention of the principal attorneys of this firm. This includes not only a one-to-one explanation of the legal suit but also a videotaped question and answer deposition so the client can "tell his own story."

Proven Track Record

We take pride in successfully representing mesothelioma clients who have had unusual exposures to asbestos, often in locations where there has not been any past documentation of asbestos use. The firm has subpoenaed the historical files of prior employers and found the proof of exposure after spending days sifting through boxes of ancient sales receipts.

Since the 1980s, Galiher DeRobertis Ono has been successful in trying mesothelioma cases to verdict. As a result, our firm has been able to negotiate a favorable settlement in every mesothelioma case it has filed. Given our proven track record, Galiher DeRobertis Ono has been able to settle "out-of-court" (i.e. before starting trial) once proof of asbestos exposure is demonstrated to the defendant manufacturers.

Galiher DeRobertis Ono has represented mesothelioma clients who live in the following states: Hawaii, California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New York, Montana, Idaho, New Jersey, Texas, New Hampshire, Washington, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Colorado.

Galiher DeRobertis Ono has successfully represented mesothelioma clients who were exposed to asbestos at the following sites or in the following manners:

Shipyards such as Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Mare Island NSY, Norfolk NSY, Brooklyn NSY, Bremerton NSY, Long Beach NSY, Subic Bay NSY; U. S. Navy active duty; Guam; Sugar Mills; Pineapple Canneries; Oil Refineries; Chemical Plants such as National Distillers & Chemical in Illinois and Hercules Chemical Plant in North Carolina; Canada.

For more information, please visit our verdicts and settlements page.

No Recovery, No Fee

Importantly, since most people cannot afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars financing their own lawsuit, Galiher DeRobertis Ono assumes all financial risk of filing any lawsuit. Unlike some states, the Hawaii Rules of Professional conduct allow Hawaii law firms to assume the risk of all costs expended during a lawsuit and not require the client to reimburse the firm if there is no recovery.

All legal services provided by Galiher DeRobertis Ono will be pursuant to a contingency fee contract, where any payment to the law firm for attorney time or costs is strictly contingent upon the firm obtaining a recovery for the client. Therefore, if the client obtains no recovery (for example, if the suit is dismissed for being filed after any deadlines), then there is no charge whatsoever to the client.