Filing a mesothelioma claim, explained simply.

What is a mesothelioma claim?

A mesothelioma claim is a request for compensation from the companies whose asbestos products made you sick. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart, and it is almost always linked to breathing in or swallowing asbestos fibers — often 20 to 50 years before diagnosis.

For decades, many manufacturers knew asbestos was dangerous and kept selling it without warnings. Courts have held these companies responsible, and many of them set aside money specifically to pay people diagnosed today. Filing a claim is how you access that money.

Types of mesothelioma claims

Many people qualify for more than one type of compensation. An experienced attorney will look at every option available to you.

Who can file a mesothelioma claim?

You may be able to file if any of the following applies to you:

• You have been diagnosed with pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, or testicular mesothelioma
• You were exposed to asbestos at work, during military service, or through renovation or home products
• You were exposed secondhand — for example, by washing a family member's dusty work clothes
• You are the spouse, child, or estate representative of someone who died from mesothelioma

You do not need to know exactly where or when the exposure happened. Attorneys use your work history, military records, and databases of asbestos-containing products and job sites to trace it for you.

How the claims process works

1. Free case review

   You share your diagnosis and work history by phone or with our short form. There is no cost and no obligation.

2. Investigation

   Your legal team builds an exposure history — where you worked, which products were on site, and which companies made them.

3. Filing

   Trust fund claims and, if appropriate, a lawsuit are filed. Courts in many states move mesothelioma cases faster because of the illness.

4. Settlement or verdict

   Most lawsuits settle out of court. Trust fund claims are reviewed and paid on their own timeline, often within months.

5. Payment

   Compensation is paid to you or your family. Attorney fees come out of the recovery — never out of your pocket.

What you'll need to get started

Don't worry if you don't have everything. Your legal team can request most records on your behalf.

What compensation can cover

Every case is different, and no one can promise a specific amount. Compensation is generally meant to cover the losses caused by the illness, which may include:

• Medical bills, treatment, medication, and travel to cancer specialists
• Lost wages and lost future earning ability
• In-home care, hospice, and help around the house
• Pain and suffering and loss of quality of life
• Funeral costs and loss of companionship (in wrongful death cases)

The amount depends on factors such as the diagnosis, how the exposure happened, how many companies are responsible, the state where the claim is filed, and the trust funds you qualify for.

Don't wait: filing deadlines apply

Every state has a statute of limitations — a deadline to file. For mesothelioma it is often just one to three years from the date of diagnosis (or from the date of death for family claims). Once the deadline passes, you may lose the right to compensation permanently.