Indiana Mesothelioma Lawyers

How to Find and Choose an Indiana Mesothelioma Lawyer

Choose an Indiana mesothelioma lawyer who has tried asbestos cases in Indiana courts and has experience with Indiana exposure sites like U.S. Steel Gary Works and the New Castle plant. The right lawyer works on contingency with no upfront fees, so you can pursue compensation without added financial stress. 

Indiana Mesothelioma Lawsuit Key Facts

• Average settlements and verdicts: $1M to $1.4M nationally with verdicts in Indiana reaching $250M (Whittington v. U.S. Steel)
• Cost: Top firms work on a contingency basis, only collecting fees if they successfully secure compensation for you.
• Filing options: Depending on the details of your case, you may file a personal injury lawsuit, wrongful death claim or asbestos trust fund claim.
• Highest incidence rate: Lake County alone accounted for 10% of Indiana’s mesothelioma incidence between 2018 and 2022, according to the CDC.
• Who can file: Typically patients, spouses, children and dependents can file.

In the U.S., roughly 80% of mesothelioma patients seek compensation with legal help, and the right lawyer makes a significant difference in outcome. The Mesothelioma Center’s Patient Advocates help about half of all patients find that match, connecting them with firms that know their state’s laws and filing requirements. As our legal adviser Joe Lahav puts it: “If you live in the Midwest and your exposure was primarily in the Midwest, we’re going to try to find a law firm that understands Midwest filings.”

For Indiana patients, that means finding a firm that specializes in mesothelioma and asbestos-related injuries and understands Indiana’s complex asbestos laws. Many top nationwide asbestos law firms handle cases across the country and bring that broader experience to every Indiana claim they take on.

Compensation From Asbestos Filings in Indiana 

Asbestos cases in Indiana have led to millions of dollars in mesothelioma compensation. People diagnosed with mesothelioma may be eligible for a personal injury lawsuit against a solvent company or an asbestos trust fund claim against one that has gone bankrupt. When multiple companies share responsibility, one may be sued while another is claimed against through a trust. VA benefits and workers’ compensation may also apply. An experienced lawyer can identify which options apply to your situation.

Notable Indiana Settlements, Verdicts or Trust Funds

• $250 million: Roby Whittington worked for U.S. Steel in Gary, Indiana. He developed mesothelioma and filed an asbestos lawsuit. A jury awarded the former steelworker an immense verdict. To prevent U.S. Steel from delaying and appealing, Whittington’s legal team negotiated a private settlement.
• $34 million: Auto mechanic Arthur Putt worked for Ford Motor Co. in Indiana and California. He developed mesothelioma from asbestos in the company’s brakes. The verdict awarded compensatory and punitive damages. 
• $10.5 million: Katherine Chisholm filed a wrongful death lawsuit against R.T. Vanderbilt Inc. after her husband, Richard, died of mesothelioma in 2012. Talc used at the ceramics company was contaminated with asbestos. A jury awarded $10.5 million to the Chisholm estate in 2015.
• $3.58 million: This settlement involved a pipefitter and plumber from Evansville who developed pleural mesothelioma.
• $2.5 million: A well-known mesothelioma law firm negotiated this settlement on behalf of a woman in Knox. She developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos on her husband’s clothing.

The average mesothelioma settlement amount or verdict varies depending on the individual case. Factors like the severity of your diagnosis, the number of defendants and your history of exposure all influence a final compensation amount.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Indiana?

An Indiana asbestos lawyer handles your claim step by step, from gathering your exposure and work history to identifying responsible asbestos manufacturers, negotiating with trust funds and defendants and settling or taking your case to trial. They also understand the challenges patients and family members face when filing claims. Asbestos lawyers go out of their way to put you at ease.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Personal consultation: A mesothelioma lawyer will meet with you personally for an initial consultation. This provides an opportunity for you to get to know them and their communication style, getting a sense of how comfortable you’ll feel working with them.
2. Explore your history of exposure: Your legal team researches Indiana asbestos exposure sites, including steel mills in Gary, the New Castle brake manufacturing facility that exposed workers to products containing up to 50% asbestos, automobile factories like General Motors and Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis and power plants across the state.

4. Filing your claim: Your attorney prepares and files court documents on time and assesses if your claim should be filed in Indiana or another state based on where you were exposed or where defendants are located.
5. Discovery phase: Your lawyer gathers evidence, manages the discovery process and coordinates witness interviews. Your attorney documents employment records from chemical plants, brake manufacturing facilities like the Nuturn Corporation plant or construction work at older buildings, along with medical details and witness statements.
6. Negotiate a settlement or trial: Negotiating a fair settlement or taking your case to court.

Indiana recognized secondary asbestos exposure claims in a 2002 court ruling under the Indiana Product Liability Act, which the state Supreme Court confirmed. This means family members who were exposed when workers unknowingly brought asbestos home on their clothes can file claims. Lake County, home to Gary’s steel mills, has the highest incidence rate for asbestos-related diseases in Indiana.

Your Indiana mesothelioma attorney stays in touch through personal visits or video chats, updating you regularly and ensuring you never miss a critical filing date. They’ll work to maximize your mesothelioma compensation.

$30B+ IN TRUST FUNDS AVAILABLE

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Asbestos Exposure Risks in Indiana 

Past asbestos litigation in Indiana highlights the state’s extensive use of asbestos in its industrial sites. The toxic mineral showed up in automobile factories, steel mills, chemical plants, power plants and countless other locations.

Companies preferred asbestos because of its insulating capabilities, heat resistance and low cost. Workers in many industries faced repeated asbestos exposure at jobsites and inside manufacturing facilities.

Sites in Indiana Known for Asbestos Exposure

• Federal Office Building in Evansville: According to the CDC, testing in the late 1980s showed the office building contained several types of asbestos.
• Lake County: With contamination sites like U.S. Steel Gary Works and other industrial corridor exposures, this helps explain why Lake County has the highest mesothelioma incidence rate in the state.
• General Motors: In the past, GM used asbestos extensively in many auto parts and products, including brakes, clutches, hood liners, gaskets and heat shields.
• Nuturn Corporation: After a union member raised concerns in 1984, OSHA surveyed Nuturn’s brake manufacturing plant in New Castle and found asbestos concentrations far exceeding legal limits.
• Rolls-Royce: A $600 million, 6-year renovation of Rolls-Royce’s World War II-era Indianapolis facilities, completed in 2021, required removing 2 million pounds of asbestos from buildings that had housed aerospace manufacturing for decades.

In September 2018, the EPA’s internal watchdog released a report about the agency’s failure to inspect schools for asbestos, finding that Indiana’s EPA Region 5 conducted fewer compliance inspections than other regions. Half of all EPA regions only inspected after receiving a complaint, leaving asbestos exposure an ongoing risk in Indiana’s oldest buildings.

The consequences of inadequate oversight show up in cases like Nuturn Corporation’s New Castle brake plant, where pulmonary function tests and chest X-rays of 170 workers revealed obstructive and restrictive breathing patterns. 5 workers showed X-ray abnormalities and one showed signs of asbestosis, a fatal lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.

Indiana’s Most Well-Known Exposure Site: New Castle 

The New Castle asbestos site in Henry County was the location of a large manufacturing facility for car parts, especially brake linings. These products contained up to 50% asbestos, exposing employees to toxic fibers and dust, and leading to an OSHA fine in 1974.

World Bestos used the site from 1942, a subsidiary of Firestone Tire & Rubber. In 2012, a large fire broke out on the property, and the structure was subsequently demolished, exposing additional asbestos from the building materials.

During cleanup operations in 2017, EPA contractors removed more than 6,900 tons of loose asbestos, brake linings, waste materials, contaminated soil and debris. The project cost nearly $2 million.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Indiana

Occupational asbestos exposure was common in factories. Asbestos was used directly in some products, such as rubber gaskets and brake pads. Production processes for steel, petroleum, coal and chemical products also involved asbestos until the 1980s.

Lake County has the highest incidence rate for asbestos-related diseases in Indiana. It’s home to Gary, a city known for its steel mills.

Higher-Risk Jobs in Indiana

• Automobile manufacturing
• Chemical manufacturing
• Coal mining
• Electrical equipment manufacturing
• Metalworks
• Oil and gas
• Rubber manufacturing

Some U.S. veterans in Indiana were also exposed to asbestos on military bases. Air Force veterans may have been exposed at Grissom Air Reserve Base near Kokomo. Army veterans may have been exposed at Camp Atterbury Army Base in Edinburgh.

How Your Lawyer Supports You in Indiana’s Changing Asbestos Litigation

Indiana laws regarding asbestos exposure, liability and damage caps have changed over the years. For example, in a 2005 ruling, the state Supreme Court significantly limited the liability of building owners for independent contractors who develop mesothelioma, potentially hurting the ability of janitorial or construction workers at old worksites. However, the 2025 version of Indiana’s code doesn’t include this premises liability standard.

Key Indiana Asbestos Litigation Rulings

• Indiana Product Liability Act, 2002: Indiana courts extended the Act to secondary asbestos exposure cases, treating the wife of an asbestos insulator as a “consumer” or bystander with the right to file a claim.
• Building-owner ruling, 2005: The Indiana Supreme Court limited building-owner liability for independent contractors who develop mesothelioma. The 2025 Indiana code no longer includes this premises liability standard, restoring one route of recovery for janitorial and construction workers.
• Ind. Code § 34-31-8-12, 2025: Caps claims against “innocent successor corporations” that inherited asbestos liability through acquisition. Experienced firms can sometimes work around the cap by proving negligence or continued asbestos use after the 1972 cutoff.

An experienced mesothelioma lawyer is valuable in such a changing legal landscape. Asbestos law firms stay up to date with Indiana legislation and help you present your case in the right way and the right place.

Frequently Asked Questions About Indiana Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Who can file a mesothelioma lawsuit in Indiana?

People with a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis can file a personal injury lawsuit. Spouses, children or other dependents who have lost a loved one to mesothelioma can file a wrongful death claim under Indiana law. Family members exposed secondarily, for example through asbestos brought home on a worker’s clothing, may also have a claim under the Indiana Product Liability Act.

How much does an Indiana mesothelioma lawyer cost?

Reputable Indiana mesothelioma lawyers work on contingency, so you pay nothing upfront. The attorney collects a fee only if they recover compensation for you, typically a percentage of the settlement or verdict. Free consultations are standard.

How much is an Indiana mesothelioma settlement worth?

Mesothelioma settlements average $1 million to $1.4 million nationally, while verdicts average $20.7 million in the U.S. Past Indiana recoveries include a $250 million verdict for U.S. Steel worker Roby Whittington in Gary and a $34 million verdict for Ford mechanic Arthur Putt. Asbestos trust fund payments can arrive within 90 days and are separate legal actions from lawsuits.

What asbestos exposure sites in Indiana lead to mesothelioma cases?

Many Indiana mesothelioma cases are connected to U.S. Steel Gary Works in Lake County, the New Castle manufacturing plant in Henry County, General Motors and Ford auto plants, Rolls-Royce Indianapolis facilities, the Federal Office Building in Evansville, Grissom Air Reserve Base near Kokomo and Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh. Lake County leads the state with about 45 mesothelioma deaths per year.

Can my family file a wrongful death claim in Indiana?

Yes. If a loved one has died from mesothelioma in Indiana, their surviving spouse, children or dependents can file a wrongful death claim under Indiana law. A pending mesothelioma lawsuit can also convert to a wrongful death case and continues through their estate.

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