How to Find and Choose an Indiana Mesothelioma Lawyer

When choosing an experienced Indiana mesothelioma lawyer, find one who can manage every step of filing an asbestos claim for you because the filing process in Indiana is complicated. They help you collect the necessary documentation and manage your case from start to finish. This takes the weight off your shoulders and allows you to pursue compensation even if you’re preoccupied with treatment.

It’s normal to need help with legal matters, especially when it’s something as serious as mesothelioma. In the U.S., there are about 2,500 new cases of mesothelioma each year and almost 2,000 asbestos lawsuits. This suggests that some 80% of patients seek compensation with the help of a lawyer. In Indiana, nearly 60 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year. 

Indiana residents with asbestos-related diseases can benefit from the expertise and resources of a nationwide asbestos law firm. Some top firms focus extensively on clients who have mesothelioma or asbestos-related injuries. They know Indiana’s complex asbestos laws and can also help you litigate in other states if they’re more appropriate for your specific case.

Weitz and Luxenberg
  • $8.5 Billion Recovered
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  • $8.9 Billion Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated a Tier 1 Law Firm in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report

Compensation From Asbestos Filings in Indiana 

Asbestos cases in Indiana have led to millions of dollars in mesothelioma compensation. Patients with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses can file a personal injury lawsuit or asbestos trust fund claim. Family members who have lost loved ones can file wrongful death claims.

Notable Indiana Settlements, Verdicts or Trust Funds

  • $250 million: Roby Whittington worked for U.S. Steel in Gary, Indiana. He developed mesothelioma and filed an asbestos lawsuit. A jury awarded the former steelworker an immense verdict. To prevent U.S. Steel from delaying and appealing, Whittington’s legal team negotiated a private settlement.
  • $34 million: Auto mechanic Arthur Putt worked for Ford Motor Co. in Indiana and California. He developed mesothelioma from asbestos in the company’s brakes. The verdict awarded compensatory and punitive damages. 
  • $10.5 million: Katherine Chisholm filed a wrongful death lawsuit against R.T. Vanderbilt Inc. after her husband, Richard, died of mesothelioma in 2012. Talc used at the ceramics company was contaminated with asbestos. A jury awarded $10.5 million to the Chisholm estate in 2015.
  • $3.58 million: This settlement involved a pipefitter and plumber from Evansville who developed pleural mesothelioma.
  • $2.5 million: A well-known mesothelioma law firm negotiated this settlement on behalf of a woman in Knox. She developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos on her husband’s clothing.

The average mesothelioma settlement amount varies depending on the individual case. Settlements can range from $1 million to $2 million. The national average asbestos lawsuit trial verdict is $20.7 million.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Indiana?

Mesothelioma law firms don’t just understand the law; they also understand the challenges patients and family members face when filing claims. Asbestos lawyers go out of their way to put you at ease.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

  1. Visiting you in person to evaluate your case and let you know if you qualify to file a claim
  2. Answering your questions and helping you take the next steps
  3. Preparing and filing court documents on time
  4. Keeping in contact through personal visits or video chats
  5. Gathering evidence, managing the discovery process and coordinating witness interviews
  6. Negotiating a fair settlement or taking your case to court

Caring asbestos lawyers try to help you get as much mesothelioma compensation as possible in the time frame that fits your family’s needs. This may include finding additional defendants or applying for trust fund payments after securing a verdict.

Asbestos Exposure Risks in Indiana 

Past asbestos litigation in Indiana highlights the state’s extensive use of asbestos in its industrial sites. The toxic mineral showed up in automobile factories, steel mills, chemical plants, power plants and countless other locations.

Companies preferred asbestos because of its insulating capabilities, heat resistance and low cost. Workers in many industries faced repeated asbestos exposure at job sites and inside manufacturing facilities.

Sites in Indiana Known for Asbestos Exposure 

  • Federal Office Building in Evansville: According to the CDC, testing in the late 1980s showed the office building contained several types of asbestos.
  • General Motors: In the past, GM used asbestos extensively in many auto parts and products, including brakes, clutches, hood liners, gaskets and heat shields.
  • Nuturn Corporation: OSHA found asbestos concentrations far above legal levels at Nuturn’s brake plant. More than 150 workers experienced complications from asbestos exposure, including abnormal pulmonary function.
  • Rolls-Royce: In 2021, Rolls-Royce completed a $600 million renovation of its Indianapolis facilities. The project required neutralizing two million pounds of asbestos.

In September 2018, the EPA’s internal watchdog released a report about the agency’s failure to inspect schools for asbestos. Asbestos exposure is an ongoing risk in Indiana’s oldest buildings.

Indiana’s Most Well-Known Exposure Site: New Castle 

The New Castle asbestos site in Henry County was the location of a large manufacturing facility for car parts, especially brake linings. These products contained up to 50% asbestos, exposing employees to toxic fibers and dust, and leading to an OSHA fine in 1974.

World Bestos used the site from 1942, a subsidiary of Firestone Tire & Rubber. In 2012, a large fire broke out on the property, and the structure was subsequently demolished, exposing additional asbestos from the building materials.

During cleanup operations in 2017, EPA contractors removed more than 6,900 tons of loose asbestos, brake linings, waste materials, contaminated soil and debris. The project cost nearly $2 million.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Indiana

Occupational asbestos exposure was common in factories. Asbestos was used directly in some products, such as rubber gaskets and brake pads. Production processes for steel, petroleum, coal and chemical products also involved asbestos until the 1980s.

Lake County has the highest incidence rate for asbestos-related diseases in Indiana. It’s home to Gary, a city known for its steel mills.

Higher-Risk Jobs in Indiana

  • Automobile manufacturing
  • Chemical manufacturing
  • Coal mining
  • Electrical equipment manufacturing
  • Metalworks
  • Oil and gas
  • Rubber manufacturing

Some U.S. veterans in Indiana were also exposed to asbestos on military bases. Air Force veterans may have been exposed at Grissom Air Reserve Base near Kokomo. Army veterans may have been exposed at Camp Atterbury Army Base in Edinburgh.

Continued Learning

Asbestos Exposure

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

Indiana laws regarding asbestos exposure, liability and damage caps have changed over the years. For example, in a 2005 ruling, the state Supreme Court significantly limited the liability of building owners for independent contractors who develop mesothelioma, potentially hurting the ability of janitorial or construction workers at old worksites. However, the 2025 version of Indiana’s code doesn’t include this premises liability standard.

Indiana Legislative Changes

  • Indiana Product Liability Act: In 2002, an Indiana court ruled that the Indiana Product Liability Act also applies to secondary asbestos exposure cases. The state Supreme Court confirmed the ruling, considering that the wife of an asbestos insulator was a “consumer” or bystander, giving her the legal right to file an asbestos exposure claim in Indiana.
  • Title 34-20-3-1 (2025): In 2016, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state’s 10-year statute of limitations was unconstitutional for product liability cases involving asbestos. Now, patients have two years from the date an asbestos-related illness is diagnosed.
  • Title 34-31-8-12 (2025): Indiana laws severely cap claims against “innocent successor corporations,” or organizations that ended up with asbestos liability after buying another company. This law unfairly protects some large corporations that were aware of the dangers of asbestos. Experienced law firms can sometimes get around this limitation by proving negligence or continued asbestos use after the 1972 cutoff date.

An experienced mesothelioma lawyer is valuable in such a changing legal landscape. Asbestos law firms stay up to date with Indiana legislation and help you present your case in the right way and the right place.

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