Experienced Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyers help victims of asbestos exposure throughout the state. Many industries and workplaces in Pennsylvania used asbestos over the years, which caused workers to develop mesothelioma and other related illnesses.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Pennsylvania, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file a mesothelioma or asbestos trust fund claim, and much more.
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We assist asbestos victims and their families in all areas of Pennsylvania, including:
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Upper Darby, Scranton, Bensalem, Lancaster,Lower Merion, Bethlehem, Abington, Bristol Township, Millcreek Township, Harrisburg, Haverford, Lower Paxton, Altoona, Middletown Township, York City, Hempfield Township, Penn Hills, State College, Wilkes, Barre, Northampton Township, Manheim Township, Cheltenham, Norristown, Falls Township, Chester,Mount Lebanon, Warminster, Lower Makefield, Bethel Park, Radnor, Lower Macungie, Ross Township, Ridley, North Huntingdon, Tredyffrin, Williamsport, Cranberry Township, McCandless, Shaler, Upper Merion, Monroeville, Hampden, York Township, Plum Borough, Spring Township, Whitehall Township, Easton, Springettsbury, Horsham, Upper Dublin, Exeter Township, Lower Providence, Lebanon, Montgomery Township, Hazleton, Moon, Derry Township, Susquehanna Township, Springfield Township, Upper Moreland, Swatara Township, Bethlehem Township, East Hempfield, Warrington Township, Marple, New Castle,West Goshen, Unity, Pottstown, Upper Providence Township, Peters Township, Upper Macungie, Dover Township, East Pennsboro, Palmer, Johnstown, Coolbaugh, Chambersburg, West Mifflin, Buckingham Township, Murrysville, Manor Township, Penn Township, Baldwin Borough, Muhlenberg, McKeesport, Springfield Township, Bethlehem, Newtown Township, South Whitehall, Upper St. Clair, Stroud, Whitpain, Lower Southampton, West Manchester.
Facts About Asbestos Use in Pennsylvania
By the mid-1800s, Pennsylvania’s economy was largely industrial. Industrial workplaces have been the biggest users of asbestos.
Factories, railroads, and textile mills contributed to the industrialization of Pennsylvania, making the state one of the biggest economic powerhouses in the pre-Civil War U.S. From 1861 until the mid-20th century.
The industrialized economy and strong growth in Pennsylvania over the years has had a serious impact on worker exposure to asbestos, with most workplaces using it.
In recent years, Pennsylvania has consistently ranked in the top five or ten states for deaths related to asbestos and mesothelioma.
The exposure caused 3,257 mesothelioma-related deaths from 1999 to 2017.
Another 14,533 people died from other asbestos illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that Pennsylvania’s mesothelioma death rate is 20.8 per 1 million residents.
Do I Need a Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Lawyer?
Anyone who worked in an industry that used asbestos is now at risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos illnesses. These include lung cancer and asbestosis. If you worked in one of these industries or already have a mesothelioma diagnosis, you need an asbestos attorney.
Top mesothelioma lawyers and law firms serve asbestos exposure victims throughout Pennsylvania. They provide valuable advice, guidance, and resources that help people with mesothelioma get compensation.
Mesothelioma and asbestos law firms offer free initial consultations, so don’t hesitate to reach out and get some information.
Filing a Mesothelioma Claim in Pennsylvania
The most important reason to work with a Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyer is to get compensation for expenses related to your asbestos illness. An experienced asbestos attorney in PA can help you make one or more claims:
Contact a local mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your options. They should be part of a large firm with experience handling these cases and adequate resources to investigate and settle or try your case.
What to Look for in a Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Lawyer
Choosing representation is the most important factor in getting the compensation you deserve. Look for the following characteristics when looking for the right asbestos lawyer:
Experience helping asbestos victims
Proven wins for previous asbestos clients
Experience settling lawsuits and litigating in court
Experience settling mesothelioma lawsuits quickly and for maximum compensation
A free initial consultation
Contingency payment, so you pay nothing until they win
Access to resources, investigators, medical experts, and the time to dedicate to your case
Proving asbestos exposure and its connection to illness is complicated and essential for winning compensation. Your lawyer should have experience finding the evidence to build a strong case and to give you the best chance of recovering maximum damages.
Which Industries Used Asbestos in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has been home to several workplaces that used asbestos and contributed to workers’ illnesses.
Mining
While Pennsylvania is best known for coal mining, there have been several asbestos mines in the state. No longer mined today, asbestos occurs naturally in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Workers extracted large amounts of asbestos before the industry shut down. The area’s workers and residents risked developing deadly illnesses associated with asbestos exposure.
Crocidolite is one of the most dangerous types of asbestos; it was a major product of Pennsylvania asbestos mines.
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding and shipping have long been important industries in Pennsylvania.
Several major shipyards still operate in the state on the Delaware Estuary and Lake Erie:
Penn Shipbuilding
Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
Key Highway Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Sun Shipbuilding
Shipbuilders used asbestos from the 1930s through the 1970s in almost every component and material. Any ship or shipyard workers during those times, and even after, could have been exposed.
Military Bases
Military bases of all types also used asbestos. The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, for instance, likely caused exposure in several seamen and other workers because of the heavy use of asbestos on navy ships.
Other bases and military facilities may have also caused exposure:
Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg
Tobyhanna Army Depot
Carlisle Barracks
Johnsonville Naval Air & Research Center
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Joint Reserve Base (JRB) at Willow Grove
U.S Naval Damage Control Training Center
All of these military facilities operated during the period of peak use of asbestos materials. Many of the veterans stationed there faced the risk of exposure to asbestos fibers.
Plants and Factories
Industrial factories like steel plants, manufacturing facilities, and power stations used asbestos materials. The mineral provided unparalleled heat and fire insulation.
Asbestos contamination has been documented at Alcoa Aluminum, Bethlehem Steel, Electralloy, Ling-Temco Vought (LTV), and U.S. Steel (USX).
BoRit Asbestos Dump
Keasbey and Mattison operated one of the world’s largest asbestos manufacturing plants in Ambler, Pennsylvania, from the early 1900s to the 1960s. Workers in this facility were at high risk for later asbestos illnesses.
The disposal site for the plant continues to be an issue in the area. The company used the BoRit Asbestos Site to dump asbestos waste. It is now a Superfund site with a 25-foot-high pile of asbestos waste that covers more than two acres.
The area was a park for many years after the company stopped dumping asbestos. The park was closed in the 1980s after concerns about asbestos exposure came to light.
The asbestos was not removed from the site but was capped to contain it. Until that happened, all nearby residents were at risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.
Holmesburg Prison
Located in Philadelphia, Holmesburg Prison was a site of intentional asbestos exposure. University of Pennsylvania researchers conducted experiments on black prisoners using asbestos and putting them at risk of later illnesses.
The experiments involved other harmful materials and ran from the 1950s to the 1970s. Approximately 300 prisoners were affected. The city of Philadelphia officially apologized in 2022 for allowing the experiments to be conducted.
Other Sites of Asbestos Exposure in Pennsylvania
If you have mesothelioma, you might have been exposed to asbestos in one of the above locations or one of many other businesses in Pennsylvania that used asbestos:
Allied Chemical, Philadelphia
Alcoa, Pittsburgh
A.P. Green Plant, Philadelphia
Armco Steel, Pittsburgh
Bethlehem Steel Mill, Bethlehem
BP Oil Refinery, Trainer
Bristol Steel Mill, Chester
Carnegie Natural Gas Company, Pittsburgh
General Electric Manufacturing Plant, Philadelphia
Gulf Oil Refinery, Pittsburgh
Hammermill Paper, Erie
H.J. Heinz Manufacturing Plant, Pittsburgh
J & L Steel, Pittsburgh
Jessop Specialty Steel Mill, Washington
Jones and Laughlin Steel Works, Pittsburgh
LTV Steel, Pittsburgh and Aliquippa
Mathis Shipyard, Philadelphia
National Sugar Refinery, Philadelphia
Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plant, Erie
Pennsylvania Railroad, Harrisburg
Quaker State Metals, Lancaster
Reading Iron Works, Reading
Scott Paper Company, Philadelphia and Chester
Sharon Steel Company, Sharon
Standard Oil Company, Philadelphia
Sun Oil, Chester, Hook, and Marcus
Washington Steel Mill, Washington
What Are the Asbestos Laws in Pennsylvania?
State laws dictate how asbestos can be handled to keep people safe. They also direct the process for filing an asbestos lawsuit.
Asbestos Safety Regulations
The Pennsylvania state legislature responded to the dangers of asbestos and passed the Pennsylvania Asbestos Occupations Accreditation Act of 1990.
New rules gave the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) responsibility for regulating the removal, collection, and disposal of ACMs from public and commercial buildings.
The state’s Department of Labor and Industry enforces the law.
It says that any person planning an asbestos reduction or abatement project must notify the department at least five days before beginning.
Pennsylvania’s asbestos abatement rules also follow the federal guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They require any person planning to remove and dispose of asbestos in a public or commercial building to notify the agency in advance.
The EPA guidelines also require that only certified, trained asbestos workers handle asbestos materials.
Pennsylvania bans non-certified individuals from jobs involving asbestos, including workers, supervisors, project designers, inspectors, planners, and contractors.
The Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations on Asbestos Lawsuits
The 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5501 et seq. is the personal injury statute of limitations for the state of Pennsylvania. It applies to mesothelioma cases.
Asbestos-related wrongful death lawsuits follow the same statute. They must be filed within two years of the victim’s death.
Take-Home Duty for Secondhand Asbestos Exposure
Secondhand asbestos exposure occurs when someone inadvertently brings asbestos fibers into the home, exposing members of the household. These other people in the home don’t work around asbestos but sometimes develop mesothelioma decades later.
Pennsylvania does not bar lawsuits citing take-home duty. Take-home duty refers to the responsibility of a company to warn workers of the risks of secondhand exposure.
If you got sick because someone you lived with worked around asbestos, you can file a lawsuit to seek compensation in Pennsylvania.
The Fair Share Act
The Fair Share Act limits the liability of a defendant in asbestos cases. It states that a defendant is only liable for its proportionate share in the damages caused. If there are multiple defendants in an asbestos lawsuit, the court can assign percentages of liability to each one.
Where to Get Mesothelioma Treatment in Pennsylvania
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer. It requires expert care and treatment from specialists. A few cancer centers in Pennsylvania can provide specialist treatment:
Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh
Abramson Cancer Center, Penn Medicine, Philadelphia
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health, Philadelphia
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Health, Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Asbestos Legal Assistance
Keep in mind that if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.
David Halpern
Reviewer and Editor
David Halpern is the founder and head attorney at The Halpern Law Firm, a Pennsylvania mesothelioma law firm. He earned his law degree from the Widener University School of Law in 1987 and is now licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Halpern has dedicated his career to litigating on behalf of victims of asbestos exposure and was part of a 2010 team that won an $18 million-verdict for two victims.
Van Gosen, B.S. (2006). Reported Historic Asbestos Mines, Historic Asbestos Prospects, and Natural Asbestos Occurrences in the Eastern United States. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1189/pdf/Plate.pdf
