Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyers

Choosing an Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyer

Selecting a law firm with extensive Illinois experience means your lawyers understand the unique statutes, deadlines and local trends that shape asbestos claims. Illinois courts require proof of repeated exposure to specific asbestos-containing products, and the filing strategy in Madison and St. Clair counties is unlike anywhere else in the country. An attorney who knows these courts knows how to build the strongest possible case for you.

Why Experience Matters in Illinois Asbestos Cases

• Madison County is the No. 1 jurisdiction in the nation for mesothelioma filings, meaning Illinois courts handle more asbestos cases than anywhere else in the country.
• More than 50% of all U.S. asbestos lawsuits were filed in Illinois courts from 2018 to 2022, giving experienced Illinois lawyers a case knowledge that attorneys practicing elsewhere simply don’t have.
• St. Clair County is the nation’s No. 1 jurisdiction for asbestos-related lung cancer and talc case filings, adding another layer of complexity that requires locally experienced counsel.
• Illinois lawyers have secured some of the largest asbestos verdicts in the country, including a $200 million consolidated asbestos case that Cooney & Conway secured.

Each year, hundreds of families in Illinois seek legal help with mesothelioma lawsuits, pursuing financial assistance for medical bills and lost income. With unique procedures for case management and a history of large settlements, working with an experienced Illinois mesothelioma lawyer gives survivors and their families the best chance of success.

Law firms with national reputations and local Illinois offices such as Simmons Hanly Conroy, Cooney & Conway and Meirowitz & Wasserberg are known for securing multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. Simmons Hanly Conroy has secured more than $11 billion in asbestos verdicts and settlements against responsible companies for clients nationwide.

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Helping Clients in Illinois

Many nationwide asbestos law firms work directly with Illinois clients, visiting them at home and partnering with local attorneys who know the state’s courts. This combination gives families access to both the personal attention of a local practice and the resources of a firm that has handled thousands of asbestos cases across the country.

Weitz & Luxenberg, for example, ranked National Tier 1 in Mass Tort Litigation on the 2026 Best Law Firms list, has recovered billions of dollars in asbestos compensation nationwide. In addition to courtroom representation, national firms also handle asbestos trust fund claims for companies that have declared bankruptcy, helping families pursue every available source of compensation.

Illinois Mesothelioma Settlement and Verdict Amounts

Illinois residents with asbestos-related diseases have received compensation through mesothelioma lawsuits, verdicts and asbestos trust fund claims. Settlements for mesothelioma cases typically range from $1 million to $2 million nationally, with trial verdicts often being significantly higher. Some cases have resulted in multimillion-dollar awards, helping families cover medical costs and lost income.

People diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families may be eligible to file. If a family has lost a loved one to mesothelioma, a spouse, child or estate representative can often file a wrongful death claim instead.

Compensation amounts for mesothelioma vary depending on disease severity, exposure history and the number of defendants involved. Most cases settle before trial, and asbestos trust fund claims offer additional opportunities for financial recovery for those who are eligible to file a claim.

Notable Compensation Amounts and Verdicts

$30B+ IN TRUST FUNDS AVAILABLE

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How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Illinois?

When you hire a mesothelioma lawyer in Illinois, they guide you through every step of the legal process. Illinois attorneys understand the state’s unique legal landscape, including recent changes like Senate Bill 328 that expanded jurisdiction over out-of-state corporations and the Illinois Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling allowing workers to sue employers for occupational diseases like mesothelioma.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

• Personal consultation: A mesothelioma lawyer will meet with you personally for an initial consultation. This provides an opportunity to get to know them and their communication style, getting a sense of how comfortable you’ll feel working with them.
• Explore your asbestos exposure history: Your legal team investigates Illinois asbestos sites like the Johns Manville Superfund Site in Waukegan, Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul and A.E. Staley Manufacturing in Decatur. They connect these locations to your job records and service history to support your case.
• Discovery phase: Illinois courts require proof of repeated exposure to specific asbestos-containing products, known as the frequency, regularity and proximity standard. Your attorney must collect testimony and expert opinions to show you worked around asbestos products consistently enough and closely enough to have inhaled the fibers.
• Settlement talks or trial: Your attorney will negotiate a fair settlement. If an agreement can’t be reached, they’re prepared to  represent you in court.

Your attorney may investigate additional exposure sites like Kentile Floors in Chicago, power plants such as Zion Nuclear Power Station and the 30 vermiculite processing locations across Illinois that received asbestos-contaminated material from Libby, Montana. They’ll communicate throughout each step, helping you and your family make informed decisions about your case.

“My Illinois-based lawyers didn’t do it by phone. They came and saw me and talked to me personally. They understood me and how involved I was with my job in the Navy.”

Walter T. , mesothelioma survivor

Asbestos Exposure in Illinois

The CDC received reports of 97 new cases of mesothelioma in Illinois in 2022, which is the most recent CDC cancer data available. The state ranks No. 7 in the U.S. for mesothelioma deaths because of its extensive asbestos exposure history in cities such as Chicago, Peoria and Alton.

Sites in Illinois Known for Asbestos Exposure

• A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company: The local union requested an evaluation of asbestos hazards at the facility in Decatur, Illinois, in 1989. The Health Hazard Evaluation report found excess cases of related diseases.
• Caterpillar: Staff at Caterpillar’s Peoria manufacturing facilities encountered asbestos in equipment insulation and building materials.
• Chanute Air Force Base: Veterans received exposure at this base in Rantoul, Illinois. An asbestos removal project abated the mineral from 17 facilities on the base in 2015.
• Illinois Beach State Park: The Johns Manville’s Superfund Site in Waukegan, Illinois, spans 150 acres with approximately 3 million cubic yards of wastewater sludge containing asbestos and other toxins. Lake Michigan and Illinois Beach State Park border the site.
• Illinois Central Railroad: Workers at the Peoria rail operations received asbestos exposure from locomotive components and maintenance facilities.
• Kentile Floors: Workers at the Chicago plant handled asbestos-containing floor tile products.
• Laclede Steel: Workers at this Alton steel mill handled asbestos-insulated pipes, boilers and equipment throughout the facility’s decades of operation.
• Mobil Oil Refinery: Workers at this Joliet refinery handled asbestos-insulated pipes, boilers and valves throughout operations.
• Power plants: Exposure occurred at Zion Nuclear Power Station, Powerton Generating Station, Dresden Generating Station and Quad Cities Generating Station. Power generation plants used asbestos primarily for its insulating capabilities.
• Schools: Many of Illinois’ schools and administrative buildings contained asbestos construction materials. Disease risk depends on when schools discovered the asbestos exposure and how each facility handled the problem.
• U.S. Steel South Works: Workers at this massive steelmaking facility on Chicago’s Southeast Side encountered asbestos in insulation, pipe covering and refractory materials throughout its operation from 1882 to 1992.
• Vermiculite Processing: Illinois is home to 30 locations that received at least 372,776 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby, Montana. Chicago, Calumet City and Cicero had processing sites. The soil around these facilities has tested positive for asbestos.
• Western Electric Hawthorne Works: Workers at this large Cicero manufacturing complex encountered asbestos in building materials and equipment insulation.

Shipbuilding, manufacturing and construction in Illinois heavily used asbestos. Military bases also used many asbestos products. Asbestos exposure in Illinois also occurred during insulation installation, oil refining, farming, food production and power generation.

Today asbestos exposure often occurs because of legacy asbestos in old buildings. Exposure can also happen at home when asbestos products in older homes are disturbed or when workers inadvertently brought fibers home on their clothes, skin or hair from the jobsite. Secondhand exposure among family members also causes mesothelioma.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Illinois

Chicago is the largest rail hub in the United States, and railroad workers faced significant asbestos exposure in maintenance yards and locomotive shops throughout the state. Oil refinery workers at Amoco, CITGO, Mobil, Shell and Standard also faced significant risk, handling asbestos-insulated pipes, boilers and valves. Boilermakers at Crawford Station Power Plant in Chicago handled asbestos-containing insulation through the 1980s.

Jobs With Higher Risks of Asbestos Exposure

• Factory workers
• Farmworkers
• Manufacturing workers
• Military veterans
• Oil refinery workers
• Power generation workers
• Railway workers
• Teachers

Veterans exposed at Chanute Air Force Base or other Illinois installations may qualify for both VA benefits and a separate legal claim. A DD-214 form and duty station history establish exposure.

Employer records, work dates and union membership are key starting documents your lawyer will gather when documenting occupational asbestos exposure. Employment records and district inspection reports as supporting evidence help Illinois mesothelioma lawyers build cases for teachers, custodians and maintenance workers exposed while working in pre-1980 Illinois schools containing asbestos ceiling tiles, floor tiles and pipe insulation.

Recent Illinois Asbestos Law Changes That May Affect Your Mesothelioma Claim

Three asbestos litigation developments in Illinois have expanded who can file and where. This affords more people exposed to asbestos in Illinois ways to pursue compensation to help cover diagnosis-related expenses.

Illinois Legislative Changes

• Asbestos abatement regulations: The Illinois EPA is pushing for stricter rules to address asbestos hazards, including high-profile cleanup actions. This can affect legal cases, reinforcing public awareness and regulatory compliance.
• Illinois Senate Bill 328: Expands personal jurisdiction statewide to include out-of-state corporations registered to do business in the state. This means a company responsible for your asbestos exposure before it moved its operations out of the state can still face lawsuits in Illinois courts if it remains registered to do business here.
• Illinois Supreme Court ruling in Martin v. Goodrich Corp.: On Jan. 24, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the 2019 Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act legislative amendment. The ruling allows employees to sue employers for occupational diseases like mesothelioma, even if the disease develops more than 25 years after the initial exposure.

Your Illinois lawyer will meticulously gather evidence and help you file your lawsuit on time. This expert guidance enhances your chances for a favorable claim resolution amid an aggressive litigation environment.

Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyer FAQs

Why are so many mesothelioma lawsuits filed in Madison County, Illinois?

Madison County was the No. 1 U.S. jurisdiction for mesothelioma filings in 2025, according to KCIC’s new report. The county has a dedicated asbestos docket, experienced judges and a long history of holding negligent companies accountable.

How much does it cost to hire an Illinois mesothelioma lawyer?

Reputable Illinois mesothelioma firms work on contingency, meaning there are no upfront fees. Attorneys typically collect 33% to 40% of the compensation they recover. If there’s no recovery, there’s no fee. Most firms also advance case expenses on your behalf.

What is the largest mesothelioma settlement in Illinois history?

Cooney & Conway secured the largest consolidated asbestos settlement in Illinois history, $200 million, in Madison County courts. It was a consolidated asbestos case involving thousands of workers exposed across multiple job sites and defendants. The county also has a history of significant trial verdicts.

Does Illinois Senate Bill 328 affect my mesothelioma claim?

Yes. Senate Bill 328, which took effect in 2025, expands personal jurisdiction to include out-of-state corporations registered to do business in Illinois. This means patients can sue companies that exposed them to asbestos in Illinois even if those companies have since moved operations elsewhere. The Jan. 24, 2025, Illinois Supreme Court ruling in Martin v. Goodrich Corp. further strengthened patients’ rights to pursue claims for occupational diseases like mesothelioma.

Can I file an Illinois mesothelioma claim if I no longer live in Illinois?

Yes, if your asbestos exposure occurred in Illinois. Illinois venue rules allow patients to file in the state where the exposure happened, regardless of where they live now. Senate Bill 328 further expanded these options. Illinois attorneys will travel to meet you wherever you are, so there’s no need to return to the state to get started.

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