Iowa Mesothelioma Lawyers

How to Find and Choose an Iowa Mesothelioma Lawyer

When choosing a mesothelioma attorney in Iowa, you’ll want to evaluate their specialization in asbestos litigation and track record of securing sizeable settlements and verdicts. The attorney should also have access to medical experts who can help link asbestos exposure to your diagnosis.

Experienced mesothelioma lawyers can meet with you in your home, help you organize evidence, prepare your case and seek compensation. More than 30 Iowa residents received a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2023, and 25 patients passed away. When someone develops mesothelioma, acting quickly to pursue substantial compensation is crucial, both for the patient and their family members.

One well-known law firm in mesothelioma cases, Simmons Hanly Conroy, has recovered more than $190 million for families in Iowa. Nationwide law firms have experience with diverse asbestos cases in different jurisdictions throughout Iowa.

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 Iowa 

In Iowa, many cases result in a mesothelioma settlement. Jury trials are less frequent in the state, although they can result in substantial financial awards.

Notable Iowa Asbestos Settlements, Verdicts or Trust Funds 

• $6.5 million (verdict): An Iowa jury awarded the family of a worker damages in 2014 after his death from an asbestos-related illness. Boiler maker Weil-McLain was found 25% liable.
• $6.37 million (settlement): This settlement helped a Spirit Lake worker responsible for mixing asbestos products.
• $4.97 million (settlement): A union worker from Sioux City who regularly handled asbestos products received this settlement.
• $3.7 million (settlement): This settlement involved secondhand asbestos exposure. A woman from Cedar Rapids developed mesothelioma from washing her husband’s asbestos-covered clothing.
• $2.9 million (verdict): After an appeal, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld damages awarded to a mesothelioma patient’s surviving family members. The original jury had also ruled against Owens-Corning Fiberglas.

Settlements provide faster access to mesothelioma compensation, which is exactly what many patients want. Settlements can help you cover medical expenses, ongoing care costs and other needs.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Iowa?

Your Iowa mesothelioma attorney guides you through the state’s legal requirements, including evidence disclosure laws and trust fund payment reporting. Iowa requires plaintiffs to disclose all payments received from bankruptcy trust funds and provide evidence connecting specific defendants to your asbestos exposure when filing mesothelioma lawsuits.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Initial consultation: Your attorney visits you to discuss your diagnosis and work history in Iowa. This meeting helps clarify how Iowa laws may affect your case and whether you qualify to file a claim.
2. Investigate exposure history: Your legal team investigates Iowa asbestos exposure sites such as John Deere Dubuque Works, Alliant Energy Corporation power plants and United States Gypsum Company facilities. They connect these locations to your diagnosis.
3. Filing your claim: Your lawyer handles the filing process and gathers evidence connecting specific defendants to your exposure. They ensure your claim meets Iowa’s 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims from diagnosis and wrongful death claims from the date of death.
4. Discovery phase: Your attorney gathers employment records from sites like Fort Dodge manufacturing facilities, food processing plants or tire manufacturing operations. Your lawyer collects company documents and conducts witness interviews to build your case.
5. Settlement negotiations or trial: Your lawyer negotiates with defendants to pursue fair compensation for your medical expenses and lost income. If settlement discussions don’t result in adequate compensation, your attorney takes your case to trial.

Iowa courts hold businesses responsible for asbestos exposure to workers, not just to their own employees. A 2024 Iowa Supreme Court decision confirmed that manufacturing companies are liable for exposing independent contractors to asbestos. 

Your attorney investigates both direct employment and contractor relationships to identify all responsible parties. Iowa asbestos cases typically involve more than 50 companies on average, and experienced legal teams handle the complex evidence gathering process while you focus on treatment.

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Asbestos Exposure in Iowa

Residents in Iowa faced exposure to asbestos working in energy production, agricultural manufacturing, technology and food manufacturing. Limestone mining, drywall manufacturing and gypsum mining in Iowa all used asbestos products.

Sites in Iowa Known for Asbestos Exposure

• Food manufacturing: Workers at Clinton Corn Processing Plant, Quaker Oats facilities and Wilson Foods Corporation meatpacking plants faced asbestos exposure.
• Fort Dodge: This town is known for mining, manufacturing and construction. The city is home to many companies that have used asbestos in the manufacturing of their products.
• Gypsum jobsites: Before the 1980s, manufacturers of gypsum and drywall products included asbestos for strength. United States Gypsum Company, Celotex Corporation, Georgia Pacific Corporation and National Gypsum Company all had gypsum operations in Iowa.
• Power plants: Power generation plants were leading sources of asbestos exposure in Iowa. Asbestos was used in insulation and electrical equipment. Examples include Alliant Energy Corporation, Duane Arnold Alliant Energy and Sioux City Coal and Gas.
• Tire manufacturing: The industrial talc used in tire manufacturing often contained asbestos. Workers faced exposure at Bridgestone, Firestone and Pirelli facilities in Iowa.

The state’s manufacturing sector accounts for the largest part of Iowa’s economy, and industrial workers often remain in similar sectors throughout their careers. This increases the chances of harm from long-term asbestos exposure. 

Asbestos use was phased out in the 1980s, but there are still legacy products like flooring, insulation and construction materials in Iowa. When asbestos-containing materials crumble or are disturbed, nearby people can inhale the toxic airborne fibers.

Iowa’s Most Well-Known Exposure Site: John Deere Dubuque Works

The John Deere Dubuque Works facility has been in operation since 1947, initially manufacturing tractors and farm equipment. In the 1970s, the plant transitioned to construction machinery and forestry equipment. For decades, machinists, mechanics, and other workers on the site were exposed to asbestos from brake pads, gaskets, clutch facings, machinery parts and grinding equipment. The foundry also used asbestos insulation and building materials for high-heat operations, potentially releasing toxic fibers during maintenance.

An EPA risk assessment at one of the site’s landfills in 1988 identified asbestos waste, heavy metals, cyanide and caustic chemicals. After a request by local officials, John Deere relocated these wastes to another area of the landfill that was farther away from groundwater sources. Deere & Company’s manufacturing operations in Iowa also include the Ottumwa Works Superfund site, Waterloo Works, and Davenport Works.

Expert Take

Kevin Paul: Fighting for Justice for Mesothelioma Survivors

View Transcript

Being part of the fight for justice, being part of the fight for the little person. It’s something special, and you don’t realize it until you actually get into the deposition room with your client or in the trial room. Fighting for a real person is inspiration. Fighting for a real person is what makes you work the extra three days that you need to do without sleep when you’re not billing by the hour, standing up for the little guy and girl, but most importantly, being able to hug your client.


At the end of a deposition, every single defense lawyer’s jealous of that moment. They wish they had that moment, but they don’t.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Iowa

Occupational exposure to asbestos was prevalent at commercial and industrial businesses in Iowa. Workers in construction, manufacturing and power plants had an especially high risk, along with military personnel.

Higher-Risk Jobs in Iowa

• Construction workers
• Food processing plant workers
• Gypsum workers
• Manufacturing plant workers
• Miners
• Power generation workers
• Tire plant workers

Iowa courts have held businesses responsible for using asbestos products that expose workers to the toxic material. Workers who develop mesothelioma can file a claim against the factories where asbestos insulation was present, not just the insulation manufacturers themselves. MidAmerican Energy Company and Iowa Electric Light & Power Company are some examples.

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

Skilled asbestos lawyers know how to navigate Iowa’s complex and changing laws skillfully. In 2024, a law firm representing a mesothelioma patient’s family members convinced the Iowa Supreme Court that manufacturing companies are responsible for exposing independent contractors to asbestos, not just their own employees.

Iowa Legislative Changes

• SF 2337: This 2020 bill requires people filing asbestos claims to include evidence when choosing defendants in the lawsuit. Mesothelioma lawyers gather documents that connect specific defendants or products with your asbestos exposure.
• SF 376: Iowa requires anyone filing an asbestos or mesothelioma claim to disclose all payments they have received from bankruptcy trust funds. This can cause trials to take longer and prevent families from receiving vital compensation promptly. When choosing a state to file in, caring mesothelioma lawyers take into account their client’s financial needs, treatment costs and age.
• Code 614.2A: Normally, the maximum time to sue for product-related injuries is 15 years, but people exposed to asbestos get an exception. Iowa laws let you wait to file a product liability claim for mesothelioma and other asbestos injuries up to two years after you receive a medical diagnosis.
• Code 614.9: Iowa’s statute of limitations for asbestos claims when a patient passes away during the process can be confusing. The length of time surviving families have to continue the claim depends on the original deadline. An Iowa asbestos law firm can help you manage filing limits smoothly.

The way Iowa pressures patients to spend time gathering documents and proof before even filing a claim can feel exhausting. Asbestos exposure cases in the U.S. typically involve more than 50 companies on average, making it a challenging task to gather evidence. Having a capable legal team handle this part of the process is an enormous relief for mesothelioma survivors and their families.