An experienced Indiana mesothelioma lawyer can help you if you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos illness. Indiana ranks 21st in the U.S. for the most asbestos-related fatalities, including malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis.
If you or someone you love suffers from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to get a free Financial Compensation Packet. You’ll learn about the top mesothelioma lawyers in Indiana, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file a claim for the asbestos trust funds, and more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
We offer assistance to asbestos victims in all cities and towns in Indiana, including:
Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Carmel, Fishers, Bloomington, Hammond, Gary, Lafayette, Muncie, Terre Haute, Kokomo, Noblesville, Anderson, Greenwood, Elkhart, Mishawaka, Lawrence, Jeffersonville, Columbus, Portage, New Albany, Richmond, Merrillville, Westfield, Valparaiso, Goshen, Michigan City, West Lafayette, Plainfield, Marion, East Chicago, Granger, Schererville, Hobart, Crown Point, Zionsville, Franklin, Highland Town, Munster, Brownsburg, La Porte, Clarksville, Greenfield, Shelbyville, Seymour, Vincennes, Logansport, New Castle, Huntington, Griffith, Dyer, Frankfort, Crawfordsville, Lebanon, St. John, New Haven, Jasper, Beech Grove, Warsaw, Avon, Bedford, Chesterton, Connersville, Auburn, Lake Station, Speedway, Madison, Washington, Martinsville, Greensburg, Cedar Lake, Yorktown, Peru, Purdue University, Wabash, Greencastle, Plymouth, Bluffton, Kendallville, Mooresville, Danville, Decatur, Lowell, Columbia City, Angola, Princeton, Elwood, Brazil, Charlestown, Tell City, Notre Dame, Lakes of the Four Seasons, Scottsburg, North Vernon, Nappanee, Mount Vernon, Batesville, Bargersville, and more.
The highest number of asbestos deaths were in Lake County and the city of Gary.
Mesothelioma is much more common in the urban areas of Indiana, whereas asbestosis is more common in rural areas.
Steel mill workers experienced some of the highest levels of asbestos exposure in the state.
In 1980, Indiana actor Steve McQueen died while having an operation for mesothelioma.
Am I Eligible to File a Mesothelioma Claim in Indiana?
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma in Indiana, you are probably eligible to file a claim or lawsuit to seek compensation. Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by negligent asbestos exposure. The companies responsible can be held accountable and liable for your expenses.
You have a few options for taking action to seek justice and compensation:
Mesothelioma Personal Injury Lawsuit.Asbestos exposure is negligent, so when it causes an illness, it is considered a personal injury. Negligent companies can be sued for damages. Most of these cases end in settlements.
Asbestos Trust Fund Claim.Many companies went bankrupt in the face of thousands of asbestos lawsuits. They set up trust funds to compensate victims. An asbestos lawyer can determine if you are eligible to file with any of these trusts, which contain a total of about $30 billion in funds.
VA Benefits.If you encountered asbestos during military service, you could be eligible for veteran benefits. These include disability compensation and medical treatment.
How Can an Indiana Mesothelioma Lawyer Help Me?
Top-rated Indiana mesothelioma lawyers are your best option for representation in an asbestos case. They have expertise and experience in working with and winning for victims of asbestos exposure.
The right lawyer will provide a free initial consultation to review your case and provide advice. If they take your case, they will put their extensive resources to work investigating your past exposure. Based on your work history, they can determine which companies exposed you to asbestos and can be held liable.
Asbestos attorneys give you the best chance of winning compensation through a settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, they will litigate your case in court to seek a jury award.
How Do I Choose a Mesothelioma Lawyer?
Your choice of lawyer to handle your mesothelioma case is essential. Asbestos lawsuits are complicated and time-consuming. They require particular expertise and a lot of resources. Look for the following in your Indiana mesothelioma lawyer:
A lawyer in Indiana who is part of a large firm with jurisdictions in other states
Experience working on asbestos cases
Proven wins for other asbestos clients
A free initial consultation
Contingency payment with no fees until they win
Which Job Sites Used Asbestos in Indiana?
Asbestos use was heavy in most industrial jobs throughout the state until the early 1980s. But some industries and job sites caused a notable amount of exposure and cases of related illnesses:
Steel mill workers in Indiana have some of the highest risks of developing asbestos-related diseases. Steel mill workers were exposed because asbestos was heavily used in the industry to protect against high temperatures and fires.
Workers in the automobile industry were also at great risk. In 1984, the Nuturn Corporation, a brake manufacturing business, was inspected for asbestos. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) determined that employees were being exposed to asbestos at much higher levels than legally allowed.
In July of 1986, NIOSH also surveyed the Federal Office Building in Evansville, Indiana, after the president of the American Federation of Government Employees requested an evaluation. The findings concluded that over nine surface samples contained asbestos, meaning that asbestos was present and could easily become airborne.
Indiana’s USX Corporation facility in Gary, a steel business, faced a multi-million dollar lawsuit when a former employee filed an asbestos lawsuit after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. The former worker won his lawsuit and was awarded $250 million, one of the largest mesothelioma payments ever awarded.
What Other Companies Used Asbestos?
Allison – Bedford Foundry
A-Bomb Heavy Water Plant
Heise Brothers and Company
Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical
Southern Indiana Railway Company
Texas Gas Transmission Corporation
Bluffton City High School
Franklin Electric Company
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
U.S. Steel
United States Steel Corp.
Heise Brothers and Company
Rolls Royce
General Motors
Peerless Pump
Chemetron Corporation
George Rogers Clark National Park
Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation
Raybestos Friction Materials Company
Linde Air Products Company
Clinton Electric Light and Power Company
Indiana & Michigan Electric Company
Blish Milling Company
Some companies that used asbestos are only now the sites of cleanup efforts. In South Bend, the city will take over the site of the former Drewrys brewery, long abandoned and a dangerous source of community asbestos.
In Indianapolis, the city plans to redevelop the former site of Carrier-Bryant, a manufacturer of air conditioner units. The site is contaminated with asbestos and other toxic materials.
In 2023, a warehouse fire in Richmond, Indiana, destroyed a former plastic recycling plant. The plant contained asbestos, and the fire spread harmful debris throughout the area. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency got involved in cleaning up asbestos materials and warned residents to be careful around any debris in their yards.
How Much Compensation Can I Get in a Mesothelioma Lawsuit?
Asbestos cases vary significantly by individual. The right lawyer can maximize your compensation by finding all the expenses you face. They can make a reasonable estimate but cannot guarantee a certain amount.
Asbestos and mesothelioma compensation takes into account:
Past and ongoing medical expenses
Expected future medical and care expenses
Lost wages and lost earning potential
Pain and suffering
Mesothelioma lawsuit compensation can be significant. One of the largest jury verdicts ever awarded in an asbestos case originated in Indiana. Roby Whittington worked at the U.S. Steel plant in Gary and developed mesothelioma.
An Indiana jury ultimately awarded Whittington $250 million. This included $50 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages.
Indiana Laws That Affect Mesothelioma Cases
State laws regarding mesothelioma and asbestos claims vary. In Indiana, victims hoping to file a successful lawsuit need to know about the statute of limitations and the state’s stance on secondhand asbestos exposure.
Indiana Statute of Limitations on Mesothelioma and Asbestos Lawsuits
Unlike many other states, Indiana has specific state laws when dealing with asbestos lawsuits. Indiana has two different categories of statutes of limitations: cases against defendants who sold and mined raw asbestos are separate from all other asbestos cases:
If the plaintiff is suing a defendant who mined and sold raw asbestos, the claim must be filed within two years of the plaintiff discovering they developed an asbestos-related disease.
The plaintiffs suing on behalf of a victim who passed away are allowed two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit.
For all other cases, under Ind. Code Ann. § 34-20-3-1, plaintiffs have two years from the time of cause or within ten years after the asbestos products were delivered to the victim.
Take-Home Duty for Secondhand Asbestos Exposure in Indiana
Secondhand asbestos exposure occurs when someone accidentally brings fibers of asbestos from work into the home. They usually unknowingly carry the fibers on their clothing. Anyone in the home can be exposed. There are many cases of people developing mesothelioma from secondhand exposure.
Some states recognize that companies have a duty of care in these cases. Indiana recognizes this duty. A company has a duty to warn workers and their families of the risks of secondhand asbestos exposure. This means that victims of secondhand exposure can file an asbestos lawsuit in Indiana.
The decision came in a 2002 asbestos case. A woman sued after developing mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos on her husband’s clothing. He worked as an insulation installer. The insulation contained asbestos.
Courts initially dismissed her case, but her legal team pursued it and a higher court. That court ruled that the asbestos insulation manufacturer had a duty to warn the woman that she could be exposed.
What Are Indiana’s Asbestos Safety Laws?
The Indiana Environmental Health Department, along with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), handles and imposes the laws and regulations in the state concerning asbestos.
Indiana has strict compliance laws when it comes to asbestos, which includes notification requirements, demolition and renovation rules, and technical documents.
Licensing requirements must be met before anyone can work on an asbestos abatement project.
Proper inspection staff must be used for all asbestos abatement procedures.
There are several different types of licensing requirements in Indiana concerning working around asbestos, which are determined by the type of job being performed, including disposal handlers, contractors, supervisors, inspectors, and others.
For more detailed information on the legal requirements of licensing as well as any applicable fees, contact the Indiana Asbestos License Program at 317-233-3861.
To learn more about asbestos disposal, emission requirements, and any other asbestos-related questions or concerns, contact the Indiana Department of Environmental Management at 317-232-8941.
Where Can I Find Mesothelioma Treatment in Indiana?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has designated the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center at Indiana University (IU) as a mesothelioma treatment facility.
An NCI-backed medical facility is recognized for its superior physicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals with in-depth knowledge and experience with mesothelioma treatments and research.
Always seek treatment at medical centers with experience and knowledge of this rare disease, as time is critical in getting the best results.
Once victims are diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, they are usually already in the latest stages of the cancer, as the symptoms of mesothelioma typically lie dormant for up to 50 years.
Legal Help in Indiana
If you’ve been injured by asbestos, there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Get our free Financial Compensation Packet for information on the top mesothelioma and asbestos lawyers in your area. For questions and assistance, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.
Paul Danziger grew up in Houston, Texas and earned a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. For over 25 years years he has focused on representing mesothelioma cancer victims and others hurt by asbestos exposure. Paul and his law firm have represented thousands of people diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, recovering significant compensation for injured clients. Every client is extremely important to Paul and he will take every call from clients who want to speak with him. Paul and his law firm handle mesothelioma cases throughout the United States.
