Florida Mesothelioma Lawyers

Filing a Mesothelioma Claim in Florida

Consulting an asbestos attorney about filing a mesothelioma claim in Florida is the first step. It’s important to find a lawyer who has helped families with a mesothelioma diagnosis. They can manage the filing process for you.

Filing allows families to pursue compensation. This can cover expenses such as medical bills and lost wages.

Key Facts About Asbestos Claims in Florida

1. The Florida Senate in 2024 approved a bill requiring courts to dismiss asbestos claims without a completed information form. It could become a new law if the Florida House of Representatives and the governor approve it.
2. In Florida, a claimant with a noncancerous asbestos disease, such as asbestosis, has a limited period to file a lawsuit. But the same person may bring a separate claim if he or she develops an asbestos cancer later.
3. Most states place no limits on punitive damages. They aim to deter a defendant from reoffending and to discourage others from doing so. Florida law prohibits punitive damages in asbestos lawsuits entirely.

Florida has deadlines, or statutes of limitations, for filing. These apply to both personal injury and wrongful death claims.

An experienced mesothelioma attorney can assess how these may apply or if there are exceptions in your case.

Why Should I Hire a Florida Asbestos Lawyer? 

If your exposure was in Florida, it’s important to work with a lawyer experienced in the state. Each state sets its own laws on the litigation process. Florida’s rules on asbestos litigation tend to favor defendants more often than is the case in some other states. A top attorney knows how to navigate complex rules to manage your mesothelioma claim.

For example, Florida allows setoffs when someone files both a lawsuit and asbestos trust fund claims. Florida limits the liability of a company that merges with one that has asbestos liabilities. There’s a cap on any potential liability. It’s based on the value set at the fair market value of the total gross assets of the company holding liability at the time of the merger.

Your lawyer should know the rules for asbestos litigation in Florida. They should also know the asbestos laws in the Florida Administrative Code. Mesothelioma lawyers have helped Floridians get compensation for occupational asbestos exposure and secondary exposure.

Mesothelioma Law Firms Practicing in Florida

Choosing a Florida mesothelioma law firm with a proven track record in is crucial. Experienced firms have secured settlements and verdicts for clients like you.

Top Florida mesothelioma law firms are well-versed in the state’s specific laws and regulations. They can help you explore your legal options. This includes filing claims with asbestos trust funds or filing a lawsuit.

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Outside Florida

Florida residents may also choose a national mesothelioma law firm. These firms have comprehensive knowledge and resources. They can take on large asbestos manufacturers that acted negligently in exposing you or a loved one to asbestos.

Some national asbestos law firms don’t have physical offices in Florida. However, they have asbestos attorneys licensed in the state. They’ll come to you for interviews and depositions at no cost to you. 

Successful Asbestos Litigation in Florida

Florida juries have awarded multimillion-dollar verdicts to plaintiffs with mesothelioma. While these are examples of jury verdicts, most mesothelioma lawsuits are settled out of court. 

• $21 Million: Richard Batchelor was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2015. He worked at power plants in Florida. He and his wife filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against Florida Power & Light Co., Foster Wheeler and Bechtel Corp. In 2016, a Florida jury awarded them $21 million for damages including pain, suffering and disability.
• $18 Million: In March 2025, a Florida jury found that brake dust contributed to Denise Cook’s mesothelioma, holding Hennessy Industries 15% responsible. The company was ordered to pay $2.7 million of the $18 million verdict, while the remaining 85% of liability was assigned to 15 other entities, including auto parts manufacturers and Johnson & Johnson. Cook claims she was exposed to asbestos through her family’s work on car brakes.
• $8.5 Million: In the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, Dennis Britt worked in various facilities as an employee benefits advisor. He developed mesothelioma and sued the companies that owned the facilities. In 2017, a Florida jury awarded his estate $8.5 million in mesothelioma compensation.
• $6.6 Million: From 1972 to 1974, William Aubin was exposed to Union Carbide’s asbestos pellets made of 99.9% asbestos. Aubin developed peritoneal mesothelioma and filed a lawsuit against Union Carbide. A Florida jury issued a $6.6 million verdict in 2016 in his favor.

National mesothelioma law firms regularly secure mesothelioma settlements worth more than a million dollars. Law firms with experience handling asbestos exposure cases also regularly secure 6-figure payouts from asbestos trust funds.

Asbestos Regulations and Laws in Florida

A mix of federal and state laws govern Florida asbestos claims. Florida’s asbestos legislation is outlined in the Florida Administrative Code. For example, all schools in the state manage asbestos under the guidance of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. This is a provision of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.

Federal laws, such as the Clean Air Act, provide a layer of regulation in addition to the state’s asbestos laws. In 1982, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection started its Asbestos Removal Program. The program aims to protect the public from the asbestos released during renovation and demolition.

• Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-257: Defines different types of asbestos work, describes notification procedures and includes information about fees and official forms.
• Florida Administrative Code Chapter 61E1: Contains the laws governing the training, certification and licensure of asbestos workers. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation enforces these laws to protect workers and the public from asbestos exposure.
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection: This department oversees the state’s Asbestos Removal Program. Information about complying with the state’s asbestos regulations is found in DEP’s Asbestos Letters, Determinations and Clarifications.
• Florida Statutes and Constitution Chapter 768: Defines Florida’s negligence laws.
• Florida Statutes and Constitution Chapter 95: Defines statutes of limitations in Florida.

An experienced Florida mesothelioma attorney can navigate these rules to secure the highest level of compensation for you. They have the experience and power to stand up to the companies that caused you or your loved one to develop mesothelioma.

Asbestos Exposure in Florida

Asbestos exposure in Florida doesn’t happen through the environment, but people still get exposed to it on jobsites. Many workers in Florida have breathed in asbestos fibers while on the job. Some retirees moved to Florida after working in other states where they were exposed. They later developed mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Old buildings in Florida may still contain legacy asbestos products such as tiles, cement roofing and other construction materials made with asbestos. Florida has the second-highest number of deaths from mesothelioma and asbestosis in the U.S.

Factories and jobsites across the state used plenty of asbestos. Military bases also exposed service members to asbestos. NASA used asbestos in equipment and building materials, including blocks for soldering and parts of pressurized vessels.

Locations in Florida Linked to Asbestos Exposure

• Atlantic Dry Dock and Offshore Shipbuilding Co.
• Big Bear Powerhouse
• Camp Blanding Army Base
• Crist Power Plant
• Crystal River Nuclear Plant
• Florida State University
• Gulf Marine Repair Corporation
• Kennedy Space Center
• Mayport Navy Station
• Mulberry Phosphate Mine
• Pensacola Naval Air Station
• St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant
• Tampa Bay Shipbuilding
• Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station
• Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant

Florida leaders work hard to manage places where asbestos is known to exist. In 1982, the state started a special program to monitor asbestos removal after the EPA gave Florida the power to enforce the rules. The Florida DEP Asbestos Removal Program aims to stop asbestos fibers from getting into the air.

The program requires people to alert the Florida DEP before they remove asbestos. The program covers certain types of buildings, such as schools, businesses, government buildings and factories. It also includes apartment buildings with 4 or more units, ships and active and inactive waste sites.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Florida

Many people in Florida were exposed to asbestos while working in construction, mining and power plants. The state had 5 asbestos processing plants that put workers at risk. People who worked in shipyards, chemical plants, metal shops and auto repair faced high exposure, too.

Jobs in schools, electrical work, plumbing and home repair also carried risks. Some workers unknowingly brought asbestos dust home on their clothes, which exposed their family members through secondhand exposure. Others were exposed through talc products like makeup and baby powder, which may contain asbestos.

Florida Occupations With Higher Asbestos Risks

• Aerospace workers
• Automotive repair
• Chemical plant workers
• Commercial and residential construction, especially before 1980
• Demolition workers
• Electricians
• Plumbers 
• Phosphate miners
• Power generation workers
• Shipbuilders

Florida laws help protect people from asbestos exposure by ensuring licensed asbestos removal companies eliminate or contain asbestos safely. The state also has rules that let people hold asbestos companies accountable for the diseases their products caused.

Common Questions About Lawsuits in Florida

How much does it cost to hire a mesothelioma lawyer in Florida?

It does not cost anything to hire a mesothelioma attorney in Florida. A mesothelioma attorney represents you on a contingency fee basis (no win, no fee) so that you have no out-of-pocket costs.  The mesothelioma attorney only receives a fee if they obtain compensation for you and your heirs. 

Answered By: Carl Money, Mesothelioma Attorney, Nemeroff Law Firm

What is the process of filing a mesothelioma lawsuit in Florida?

You must find a national firm that specializes in representing mesothelioma cases, and they will determine the best jurisdiction to pursue litigation against the asbestos companies in Florida and to file claims against the asbestos trusts.

Answered By: Carl Money, Mesothelioma Attorney, Nemeroff Law Firm

What is the average payout for mesothelioma victims in Florida?

There is no average payout for mesothelioma victims in Florida or any other state.  Any compensation is determined by the evidence obtained against the asbestos companies pursued in litigation and asbestos companies in which claims were filed against the asbestos trusts. 

Answered By: Carl Money, Mesothelioma Attorney, Nemeroff Law Firm

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