Minnesota Mesothelioma Lawyers

How To Find and Choose a Minnesota Mesothelioma Lawyer

Choosing an asbestos lawyer during a difficult time can feel overwhelming. Look for an attorney who takes time to understand your situation, explains legal processes in clear terms and has meaningful experience with mesothelioma cases in Minnesota. The right lawyer will know the state’s asbestos exposure history, maintain open communication throughout your case and work with medical experts who can strengthen your claim.

Understanding Minnesota’s asbestos exposure landscape helps explain why experienced representation matters. Minnesota has a higher rate of asbestos-related illnesses than many states, with cases usually concentrated around the Twin Cities and mining areas in Northern Minnesota. According to the latest data from the CDC, Minnesota reported 370 new mesothelioma diagnoses from 2018 to 2022, with an incidence rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people.

Several national law firms have extensive experience with mesothelioma cases in Minnesota. For example, Simmons Hanly Conroy has recovered more than $300 million in compensation for local families. Asbestos attorneys have helped local farmers, auto mechanics, drywallers and other laborers.

Weitz & Luxenberg

• $8.5 Billion Recovered
• Serves Clients Nationwide
• Rated #1 by U.S. News & World Report for 2022

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Simmons Hanly Conroy

• $8.9 Billion Recovered
• Serves Clients Nationwide
• Rated a Tier 1 Law Firm in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report

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Compensation From Asbestos Filings in Minnesota

Mesothelioma attorneys have filed cases against asbestos product manufacturers in Minnesota for decades. Garlock Sealing Technologies, Owen-Illinois Inc., General Electric Company and Rapid American Corporation have each been listed in more than a dozen cases in the state.

Notable Minnesota Settlements, Verdicts or Trust Fund Payouts

• $4.6 million (verdict and settlement): After doctors diagnosed mechanic Dennis Newinski with mesothelioma, he filed a claim against gasket manufacturers John Crane, A.W. Chesterton Co., Garlock Sealing Technologies Inc. and other companies. Several companies settled before trial, and a Minnesota jury found John Crane responsible for $3.7 million in damages.
• $4.5 million (verdict): A Minnesota jury awarded this amount in damages to Neil Humphreys, a former worker of the Taconite Harbor power plant, in 2014. Humphreys developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos in Owens-Illinois’ Kaylo pipe covering in 1957.
• $1.95 million (settlement): This asbestos settlement helped a mill worker and boiler technician who worked in Coon Rapids.

Asbestos law firms have obtained notable asbestos verdicts for mesothelioma patients in Minnesota, along with countless favorable settlements. Experienced lawyers have helped local families secure millions of dollars in mesothelioma compensation to cover medical expenses, ongoing care, loss of income and other needs.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Minnesota?

An experienced Minnesota asbestos attorney will manage every aspect of your mesothelioma lawsuit, handling the legal work so you can focus on your health and family. Your lawyer will investigate your exposure history, collect necessary evidence and navigate Minnesota’s specific legal requirements to build the strongest possible case. Top firms also know which asbestos trust fund options are available for your case.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Confirm diagnosis: Your attorney verifies your mesothelioma diagnosis, gathering and reviewing all relevant medical documentation, including pathology reports, imaging results and treatment plans.
2. Investigate asbestos exposure and gather evidence: Your legal team traces the details of your encounter with asbestos in Minnesota. This includes documenting your complete work history, identifying asbestos products and determining companies involved. Minnesota workers were commonly exposed at sites like the Conwed Corporation plant in Cloquet and other industrial facilities throughout the state.
3. File your claim within Minnesota’s statute of limitations: Minnesota allows 6 years from your diagnosis date to file a personal injury mesothelioma lawsuit and 3 years from the date of death for wrongful death claims. Your attorney ensures all filings meet these deadlines while applying the discovery rule appropriately to protect your rights.
4. Negotiate with defendants and prepare for trial: Your legal team pursues fair settlement negotiations with responsible parties while building a comprehensive trial strategy. This preparation includes identifying expert witnesses and organizing evidence to present a compelling case if litigation becomes necessary.
5. Settlement disbursement process: Your lawyer deposits settlement funds in a secure trust account, deducts legal fees and case costs as agreed, satisfies any medical liens or debts and provides you with your compensation along with detailed documentation of all financial transactions.

Your attorney communicates regularly throughout this process, answering questions and explaining each development. The goal is securing financial compensation for medical expenses, lost income and other damages while making the legal process as manageable as possible during a challenging time.

Unsure About Your Legal Options?

Over $30 billion has been set aside to support those diagnosed with mesothelioma. We’ll help you explore your options and introduce you to the nation’s leading mesothelioma law firms.

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Asbestos Exposure in Minnesota

Minnesota’s history of mining and manufacturing exposed many workers to asbestos on the job. Processing plants, power plants and oil refineries have all put workers at risk of asbestos exposure.

The iron ore industry has played a crucial role in Minnesota’s economy for centuries. The ore mining process can cause asbestos fibers to become airborne. 

Sites in Minnesota Known for Asbestos Exposure

• 3M facility in St. Paul: The company was headquartered in St. Paul and manufactured asbestos products at its facility there from 1935 to 1986, including adhesives, caulk and other materials. 3M has faced numerous asbestos lawsuits from both workers and consumers exposed to these products.
• Conwed Corporation Plant: A Minnesota Department of Health study published as early as 1993 shows approximately 30% of former workers at the plant in Cloquet experienced lung abnormalities that were likely asbestos-related. 
• General Electric Company: The company had manufacturing sites in Saint Paul, Fergus Falls and Minneapolis where various industrial components and electrical products involving asbestos materials were made. The company faces ongoing asbestos litigation through the courts and settlement offers.
• Koch’s Pine Bend petroleum refinery: Koch Industries’ Rosemount (in the Twin Cities metro area) facility has been one of the company’s major refining operations in Minnesota. It’s located along the Mississippi River and has been a significant petroleum processing facility. Asbestos was regularly used in petroleum refineries for insulation and Koch has been a defendant in several asbestos-related lawsuits. 
• Monticello Nuclear Power Plant: Located 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis, this Xcel Energy-operated boiling water reactor has been generating approximately 671 megawatts since 1971. Power plant workers were regularly exposed to asbestos since the material was widely used to insulate and fireproof machinery.
• Taconite mines: Rapid American Corporation, owner of Reserve Mining Company, operated taconite (iron ore) mines in Minnesota that released naturally occurring asbestos-like fibers in tailings contaminating Lake Superior, leading to significant environmental and health litigation. Facing hundreds of thousands of asbestos-related claims, Rapid American filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

These industries led to direct, secondary and environmental asbestos exposure in the state, putting people at risk of mesothelioma. Minnesotan Tami Pream developed mesothelioma and has been undergoing immunotherapy. She advises others, “It’s a tough diagnosis, but don’t give up.” She also tells us she’s joined The Mesothelioma Center’s support group and is enjoying connecting with fellow survivors in Minnesota and across the country.

Western Mineral Products Site

Western Mineral Products was a manufacturing company located in Northeast Minneapolis, only a few miles from the current University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. From the late 1930s until the end of the 1980s, the plant processed asbestos-contaminated vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana.

Western Mineral manufactured insulation and cement products containing asbestos fibers, exposing workers to the toxic material for decades. Families who lived near the plant were also at risk of airborne exposure. When the EPA performed testing and cleanup activities in 2000, it found asbestos in the soil at over 260 private homes.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Minnesota

Common Minnesota occupations during the 1960s and 1970s had an elevated risk for asbestos exposure. Mining, industrial processing, energy generation, oil refining and petrochemical manufacturing are some examples. To this day, municipal and road workers face exposure risks when digging up and replacing older asbestos-containing drainage systems.

Higher-Risk Jobs in Minnesota

• Construction
• Maintenance work
• Military operations
• Mining
• Oil refinery work
• Power generation
• Plumbing
• Teacher

Minnesota courts have a history of holding companies responsible for secondary asbestos exposure. This type of exposure happened when asbestos stuck to the clothing or hair of industrial workers. The hazardous fibers put family members at risk, potentially leading to mesothelioma decades later.

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

Minnesota laws are balanced in terms of evidence requirements and potential compensation. State trials are often favorable to mesothelioma patients and their family members. In a recent case, an appeals court was willing to consider evidence that the state’s normal prohibition on employee vs. employer lawsuits didn’t apply to asbestos exposure once the employment ended.   

Minnesota Legislative Changes

• Palmer v. Walker Jamar Co.: As this 2020 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling explains, even though state laws normally give family members three years after death to file wrongful death claims, they also have to file within 6 years of the original mesothelioma discovery date. An asbestos lawyer can help your family avoid this, managing all filing deadlines for you.
• Section 549.20 Punitive Damages: Minnesota law allows for punitive damages against companies and product manufacturers that act with deliberate negligence, such as knowing the serious dangers of asbestos and still exposing workers in order to save money. This type of jurisdiction can be good for families seeking justice against exploitative corporations.
• Section 604.01 Comparative Fault: In Minnesota, even if a jury finds you partially at fault for the asbestos exposure, you can still recover a percentage of damages from companies that are liable. There is no cap to economic or non-economic damages in Minnesota, so mesothelioma patients can also obtain compensation for pain, suffering and loss of companionship.

Minnesota’s mesothelioma statute of limitations laws are some of the most generous in the country, giving patients up to 6 years from the date of diagnosis to file. Working with an experienced asbestos attorney is still important to avoid trial delays and secure fair compensation in settlements. Unlike many states, Minnesota doesn’t have a centralized “hub” for asbestos cases, so families need legal help to find the right jurisdiction.