Louisiana Mesothelioma Lawyers

How to Find and Choose a Louisiana Mesothelioma Lawyer

When choosing a mesothelioma lawyer in Louisiana, look for attorneys with experience navigating the state’s unique legal landscape and a proven track record in jurisdictions like Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette and St. Tammany Parish. These areas have significant asbestos litigation activity linked to industrial exposure in oil refineries, shipyards and chemical plants.

Louisiana mesothelioma claims require attorneys who understand state-specific laws, including the comparative fault system and strict statute of limitations. Local firms like Nemeroff Law have secured multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. Your lawyer will thoroughly investigate your asbestos exposure, gathering evidence and managing your claim, following Louisiana statutes.

In 2022, Louisiana reported 52 new diagnoses with a mesothelioma incidence rate of 1 in 100,000 people, among the highest rates in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2024, Orleans Parish ranked eighth nationwide for lung cancer lawsuit filings and twelfth for asbestos-related personal injury lawsuits, according to KCIC’s 2025 report. Finding a mesothelioma lawyer with extensive knowledge of Louisiana’s courts and legal requirements is crucial for maximizing your compensation.

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Serving Clients in Louisiana 

Nationwide asbestos law firms support those diagnosed with mesothelioma across Louisiana. Many national firms maintain licensed attorneys in Louisiana who travel to clients at no additional cost, making expert legal assistance accessible no matter where you live in the state.

Leading nationwide firms such as Simmons Hanly Conroy and Weitz & Luxenberg have a long history of success in Louisiana courts, securing multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. For example, Simmons Hanly Conroy helped former Louisiana longshoreman Henry Pete, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma, secure $10 million in a case against 2 stevedoring (the process of loading and unloading ship cargo) companies and a shipping company. 

Nationwide firms have extensive resources to serve people with mesothelioma in Louisiana. Their commitment to traveling to client meetings, preparing robust legal strategies and navigating Louisiana’s evolving asbestos litigation landscape helps secure full compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Compensation From Asbestos Filings in Louisiana

Louisiana courts have awarded significant mesothelioma compensation in some mesothelioma cases while ruling in favor of defendants in others. These varying outcomes underscore the importance of working with a Louisiana law firm experienced in navigating state courts and asbestos litigation.

Notable Louisiana Settlements and Verdicts

• $10.3 million: After a 6-week trial, a New Orleans jury awarded these damages to Henry Pete in 2020. He developed mesothelioma after working as a longshoreman. Simmons Hanly Conroy represented him.
• $8.2 million: A Louisiana jury awarded these damages to Steven Aaron Sr in 2021. He worked as a mechanic on asbestos brakes and clutches found on vehicles the Ford Motor Company manufactured and developed mesothelioma.
• $7.55 million: Thomas Kenney, who developed mesothelioma, was awarded these damages in 2011 after exposure to John Crane’s asbestos gaskets and Haveg’s asbestos pipes while working at Tenneco.
• $6 million: A jury in a wrongful death lawsuit awarded these damages in 2006 to the surviving family of an insulation worker who had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
• $4.5 million: Walter Graves’ mesothelioma personal injury lawsuit became a wrongful death suit. His family was awarded these damages in 2007. Graves was a millwright at a paper mill in West Monroe, Louisiana. 
• $4.35 million: These damages were awarded in 2013 in a mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit regarding a mechanic who worked at 3 Entergy facilities in Louisiana from 1967 through 2005.
• $3.6 million: The family of Alfred Watts, who was diagnosed with asbestos-related laryngeal cancer, received this award in their wrongful death lawsuit. Watts worked for Hebert Brothers Engineers from 1963 to 1994, performing contract work at The Dow Company.

Nemeroff attorneys, for example, have argued many cases in Louisiana courts that resulted in multimillion-dollar mesothelioma verdicts. They secured a $12 million verdict for an industrial worker in 2016, won another $12 million verdict in 2012 for a shipyard worker and secured a $9.25 million verdict for two families of oil refinery workers in 2011. They also secured a $7.5 million verdict from a New Orleans jury in 2011 for a pipefitter exposed to asbestos in the 1970s and 1980s.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Louisiana

An asbestos lawyer in Louisiana handles your mesothelioma claim through a clear and comprehensive process designed to secure compensation and protect your rights. Experienced Louisiana mesothelioma lawyers will guide you and your family through the entire process.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Initial Consultation and Case Review: Your lawyer reviews your medical records, diagnosis and asbestos exposure history to develop a tailored legal strategy.
2. Evidence Gathering: They’ll collect medical documentation, work histories at sites like the Johns Manville facility and any relevant testimony or expert opinions to build a strong case linking your mesothelioma to asbestos exposure.
3. Claim Filing: Your attorney files the appropriate claims, whether a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, on time. Louisiana’s statute of limitations is 1 year from a mesothelioma diagnosis or death of a loved one.
4. Discovery Phase: Both sides exchange evidence, conduct deposition interviews and gather witnesses. Your lawyer manages this phase meticulously to strengthen your case.
5. Negotiation and Settlement or Trial: Most Louisiana mesothelioma cases settle before trial. Your lawyer will prepare for trial if necessary.

They’ll handle paperwork and communicate with defendants and insurance companies. They often utilize expedited court processes for terminal cases. Their goal is to maximize compensation while allowing you to focus on treatment and recovery.

Asbestos Exposure in Louisiana

With no naturally occurring asbestos within the state, occupational exposure is the main source of asbestos exposure in Louisiana. The industries in Louisiana most known for asbestos exposure include oil refining and shipbuilding. Workers have also been exposed in power plants, chemical plants and schools. 

Sites in Louisiana Known for Asbestos Exposure

• Baker High School: In 2022, the discovery of asbestos at Baker High School halted a demolition project to prevent exposure at the school. Schools across the country used asbestos-containing construction materials through the 1980s.
• Baton Rouge and New Orleans Seaports: Port workers often encountered asbestos on ships and at the docks. Ports in key port cities exposed workers to asbestos fireproofing and insulation materials. 
• Johns Manville facility: Johns Manville operated an asbestos product manufacturing facility just south of New Orleans in Marrero. About 950 workers made asbestos products at the facility from the 1930s to the 1980s.  
• Military bases: Veterans of the U.S. armed forces have been exposed to asbestos at Louisiana shipyards and military bases. For example, veterans may have been exposed at NSA New Orleans Navy Base, Marine Corps Support Facility in New Orleans and Camp Beauregard Army Base in Pineville, Louisiana.
• Oil Refineries: Asbestos was the material used to insulate pipelines in oil refineries in Shreveport, Princeton and Lake Charles. Asbestos insulated tanks, reactors, pumps and furnaces.
• W.R. Grace facility: From 1965 to 1985, W.R. Grace operated a vermiculite processing facility in New Orleans. The vermiculite was contaminated with tremolite asbestos. Jefferson Parish, where the facility is located, ranked 19th among all U.S. counties for mesothelioma deaths. 

Until Aug. 29, 2008, the EPA allowed debris that could have contained asbestos to enter landfills not approved for such waste. This action helped to clean up debris from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in a timelier manner but may have exposed people to asbestos in the process. The state issued 7 air quality violations by the end of 2008 relating to the handling of asbestos materials in landfills.

Avondale Shipyard

From the 1930s through the early 1980s, asbestos was widely used throughout the Avondale Shipyard and aboard ships built and repaired there. Because asbestos is fire-resistant and durable, it was applied extensively to insulation, boilers, pipes, gaskets, valves and other ship components. Workers who installed, maintained or disturbed these materials were at high risk of inhaling harmful asbestos fibers. 

Beyond direct workers, families of shipyard employees were also at risk through secondary exposure when asbestos fibers clung to clothing or tools brought home. Many exposed workers have since been diagnosed with serious asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Despite asbestos restrictions starting in the 1980s, older ships containing asbestos continued to pose exposure risks, contributing to ongoing health concerns for workers and veterans linked to Avondale Shipyard. 

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Louisiana

Louisiana residents face exposure risks in certain occupational settings like power plants, oil refineries, shipyards and industrial plants. Some companies dumped asbestos waste throughout Louisiana that contaminated the soil and groundwater.

Higher-Risk Occupations in Louisiana

• Chemical plant workers
• Demolition workers
• Firefighters
• First responders
• Manufacturing plant workers
• Military veterans
• Power plant workers
• Oil refinery workers
• Port workers
• Salt miners
• Shipbuilders

First responders are also at significantly higher risk of asbestos exposure. Police, firefighters and volunteers who responded to Hurricane Katrina, for example, were exposed to asbestos. Demolition crews who worked on homes and buildings the hurricane damaged were exposed to asbestos through cleanup efforts. 

Asbestos companies have been held liable in Louisiana for the diseases their products cause. For example, Louisiana courts have held Tenneco, Entergy and W.R. Grace responsible for cases of mesothelioma among the state’s residents.

How Your Attorney Supports You in Louisiana’s Changing Asbestos Litigation

Lawyers supporting you in Louisiana’s changing asbestos litigation play an essential role as new laws reshape the legal landscape. Attorneys track and manage every new law while gathering extensive evidence to meet Louisiana’s evolving standards.

Louisiana Legislative Changes

• Civil Justice Reform Act of 2020: Introduced significant tort reform measures to reduce litigation costs and change the state’s legal landscape. These reforms can affect claims for asbestos lawsuits, making it easier to obtain a jury trial in lower-value cases, potentially benefiting plaintiffs. However, the limitation on medical expense recoveries and restrictions on insurance evidence introduce added complexities that could limit compensation amounts. 
• House Bill 302: Passed in 2025, the law significantly impacts asbestos claims, requiring detailed disclosures early in litigation. Claimants must provide comprehensive information about all asbestos trust claims related to their exposure within 30 days of filing. This transparency aims to reduce over-naming of defendants and streamline the litigation process.

Understanding Louisiana’s specific asbestos statutes and processes, lawyers navigate procedural challenges, discovery rules and defense strategies. Their proactive approach helps maintain your case’s strength amid shifting rules and legislative reforms. With experienced counsel, you receive personalized legal support designed to maximize compensation and ease the burden of asbestos litigation in Louisiana.​

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