Written by Joe Lahav, Esquire | Legally Reviewed By Samuel Meirowitz | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: May 31, 2024

How to File a Legal Claim in Wisconsin

Wisconsin residents can file a mesothelioma claim or lawsuit within the Wisconsin circuit court system. Residents with mesothelioma likely developed cancer because of asbestos exposure. A mesothelioma lawyer with experience in the state can help you file a large claim civil lawsuit. They’ll help you secure compensation from the groups responsible for your asbestos exposure.

Wisconsin Legal Statistics for Asbestos
  • Highest Verdict: $26.5 Million
  • Average Verdict: $5 Million to $11.4 Million
  • Number of Claims Filed: 183
  • Ranking for Plaintiff Favorability: 13th
  • Ranking in Mesothelioma Deaths: 8th

You can take legal action against the guilty parties by filing a claim with a mesothelioma lawyer. A lawyer experienced with mesothelioma cases in Wisconsin will make the process easier. Examples of claim types include personal injury and trust funds. There is also a deadline to file called a mesothelioma statute of limitations.

Common Sources of Asbestos Exposure in Wisconsin

High-risk asbestos sites in Wisconsin include automotive plants, metal factories and shipyards. Companies like Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble and Georgia-Pacific led the state’s paper industry. They used asbestos in their manufacturing and put their workers at risk. 

Many of these companies had locations throughout Wisconsin, including Green Bay and Milwaukee. Veterans may have encountered exposure at military bases in Madison, Milwaukee and Fort McCoy. Job sites with occupational asbestos exposure risk include:

  • American Can Company
  • Badger Paper Mills, Inc.
  • Foster-Forbes Glass Company
  • Georgia-Pacific
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Riverside Paper Corporation
  • Scott Paper Company
  • W.R. Grace
  • Western Mineral Products

In 2021, a Milwaukee jury awarded $26.5 million in a wrongful death verdict on behalf of a Wisconsin grandfather who died from mesothelioma. He faced exposure to asbestos while working at Pabst’s Milwaukee brewery in the 1970s.

Departments Overseeing Wisconsin Asbestos Law

Wisconsin has specific rules to protect people from asbestos. The state agencies include the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health Services. These departments ensure public safety through rules and regulations. The city of Milwaukee also has a municipal code of ordinances to regulate asbestos.

Wisconsin’s asbestos regulations are in Chapter 254 of the Wisconsin Environmental Health Statutes. This chapter tells people how to remove and handle asbestos. Those who manage it in buildings and schools must have training and certification. 

Going against these rules can result in hefty fines. The state’s DHS Asbestos Program ensures workers have the proper training and licensing to remove asbestos. Contractors must tell the DHS 10 days before starting asbestos work. Anyone who observes unsafe work with asbestos can report it to the DHS.

Mesothelioma Law Firms in Wisconsin

Mesothelioma law firms assist with legal claims for people exposed to asbestos. These law firms can help determine if you can file a lawsuit in Wisconsin. They can also help you decide whether to file a claim in another state. Choosing a law firm with years of experience in mesothelioma cases is best. 

These law firms have the skills and resources to build a strong case against big asbestos companies. They work hard to make the legal process as easy as possible. Their lawyers can travel to meet with clients and answer questions. The law firm’s primary goal is to get the best financial outcome for its clients and their families.

Weitz and Luxenburg
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
  • $8.5 Billion Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated #1 by U.S. News & World Report for 2022
Simmons Hanly Conroy Logo
1 Court Street
Alton, Illinois 62002
  • $8.9 Billion Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated a Tier 1 Law Firm in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report
meirowitz & wasserberg logo
1040 Sixth Avenue 12B
New York, NY 10018
  • $200 Million Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated in the Top 10 Asbestos and Mesothelioma Trial Lawyers
Nemeroff Law Firm Logo
8226 Douglas Avenue Suite 740
Dallas, TX 75225
  • $500 Million Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated a “Hall of Fame” law firm by The Legal 500
Cooney & Conway Logo
120 N Lasalle Street Suite 3000
Chicago, IL 60602
  • $7 Billion Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated a National Tier 1 Firm by U.S. News & World Report in 2022
Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman
820 Mililani Street Suite 505
Honolulu, HI 96813
  • $600 Million Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • 30+ Years Experience
The largest cities in Wisconsin with asbestos law firms:
  • Appleton
  • Eau Claire
  • Green Bay
  • Janesville
  • Kenosha
  • Madison
  • Milwaukee
  • Oshkosh
  • Racine
  • Waukesha

Asbestos Verdicts Awarded in Wisconsin Courts

People in Wisconsin have received millions of dollars in mesothelioma settlements and verdicts. Examples of compensation paid to Wisconsin workers include:

  • $26.5 million to a Milwaukee brewery worker
  • $4.7 million to a laborer in the U.S. Navy
  • $4.6 million to a welder
  • $4.2 million to a Navy electrician
  • $3.5 million to a Navy mechanic
  • $3.4 million to a maintenance worker

The funds from asbestos lawsuits come from settling a case or a jury decision. Winning a lawsuit can help you pay for medical bills, living costs and lost wages.

Asbestos Litigation and Regulations in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, anyone who works with asbestos must have training in safe practices. They must also carry proof of that training. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services supervises asbestos-related activities in the state. Other agencies that administer asbestos regulations include:

  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services

The owner of a closed foundry in Wisconsin was found guilty of exposing workers to asbestos. He paid over $500,000 in fines and medical expenses in 2018.

In 2018, a Wisconsin court fined the owner of Grede Foundry in Berlin. Grede LLC paid more than $340,000 to 11 workers and a $200,000 fine. Supervisors had failed to provide protective gear for employees removing asbestos.

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