Asbestos-related diseases that may qualify
Asbestos fibers are microscopic. Once inhaled or swallowed, they can stay in the body for decades and cause scarring, inflammation, and cancer. These are the most common asbestos-related diagnoses behind legal claims:
Mesothelioma
A cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. Almost always linked to asbestos. Mesothelioma claims →
Asbestos lung cancer
Lung cancer caused or worsened by asbestos — including in people who smoked. Learn more →
Asbestosis
Scarring of the lung tissue from heavy asbestos exposure, causing shortness of breath.
Other conditions
Including some cancers of the larynx and ovaries, and pleural disease. Ask an attorney about your diagnosis.
How asbestos exposure happened
Asbestos was used in thousands of products across American industry until the late 1970s — and in some products for longer. In 2024 the U.S. EPA finalized a ban on ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, the last form still in use, but people exposed decades ago are being diagnosed today.
High-risk jobs
- Navy veterans, shipyard workers, and merchant mariners
- Insulators, boilermakers, pipefitters, and plumbers
- Construction workers, carpenters, drywall and flooring installers
- Electricians, power plant and refinery workers
- Auto mechanics who worked on brakes and clutches
- Firefighters, railroad workers, and factory workers
Common asbestos products
Pipe and boiler insulation, gaskets and packing, cement sheets and pipes, floor and ceiling tiles, joint compound, roofing, brake pads, clutches, and fireproofing materials. Family members were also exposed when workers brought dust home on their clothes.
How asbestos cases work
- Diagnosis and records
Your attorney gathers your medical records to confirm an asbestos-related diagnosis.
- Exposure history
Together you rebuild where you worked and which products were used there.
- Identify responsible companies
The legal team matches products and job sites to manufacturers and asbestos trusts.
- File claims
Trust claims and lawsuits are filed, often at the same time.
- Resolution
Most cases settle. Compensation is paid directly to you or your family.
Why experience matters
Asbestos litigation has been going on for more than 50 years. Experienced asbestos lawyers know which defendants are still in business, which trusts are paying, and what evidence each one requires. They can also handle cases nationwide, because exposure often happened in another state.
Asbestos lawyers typically work on contingency. You pay nothing unless you receive compensation.
Each state limits how long you have to file after diagnosis. Check deadlines by state →
Find out if you qualify for compensation. Free and confidential.
