Michigan Mesothelioma Lawyer

How to Find and Choose a Michigan Mesothelioma Lawyer

In Michigan, it’s important to look for a law firm that has many years of experience with local courts and extensive resources. Working with an asbestos lawyer with a history of successfully going up against major corporations, such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Dow Chemical Company can help improve your chance of securing compensation.

The mesothelioma incidence rate in Michigan underscores the importance of finding an attorney who understands this cancer and how asbestos exposure causes it. The latest data from the CDC reports from 2018 to 2022, the rate of mesothelioma was 0.80 per 100,000 people and

500 new mesothelioma diagnoses were reported. Wayne County is also one of the top 10 jurisdictions for mesothelioma cases in the U.S. In 2024, nearly 150 asbestos-related personal injury cases were filed in this jurisdiction.

Hiring a local mesothelioma lawyer ensures your claim moves quickly through Michigan’s legal system. Weitz & Luxenberg has an office in Detroit and offers free case reviews. Local expertise familiar with local judges, jury pools and court officials can make a big difference in securing the compensation you deserve. 

Nationwide Asbestos Law Firms Helping Clients in Michigan

National firms can be a good choice for Michigan residents with mesothelioma. Established mesothelioma law firms have significant experience litigating asbestos cases. National firms like Simmons Hanly Conroy also have a history of notable verdicts and settlements in Michigan, securing more than $350 million for local families.

Asbestos Settlements and Verdicts Awarded in Michigan

There have been many asbestos verdicts and settlements in Michigan. Past cases have led to millions of dollars in mesothelioma compensation. 

Notable Michigan Settlements and Verdicts

• $6.9 million: A plant worker from Flint, Michigan, reached this settlement agreement with GM. The company was responsible for exposing the man to asbestos at various plants.
• $1.9 million: A wrongful death lawsuit claimed the steelworker plaintiff’s 30-year career at the Ford Rouge Steel Mill caused his lung cancer and death from asbestos exposure. The case concluded with a successful jury verdict in Saginaw County, Michigan.
• $1.8 million: A Michigan jury awarded $1.8 million in 2018 to the family of James Parrot after a 2-week trial. Parrot’s surviving family claimed their loved one died of lung cancer following asbestos exposure he experienced as a steelworker. 
• $1.5 million: A Detroit jury awarded $1.5 million to the family of a man who died from mesothelioma. His asbestos exposure occurred while working as a pipe fitter for Buick in Flint, Michigan.
• $1.2 million: This lawsuit involved the family of a millwright and blacksmith diagnosed with lung cancer. He worked at GM’s Detroit Cadillac plant in the 1960s and 1970s.

Nationally, mesothelioma settlement amounts range from $1 million to $2 million on average. Trust funds offer lower payouts, but multiple national companies may be responsible for your asbestos exposure, increasing the total compensation.

People who worked in Michigan industries may qualify for trust fund payouts from GM’s Motors Liquidation Company Asbestos PI Trust, brake manufacturer Raytech Corporation and asbestos products maker Johns-Manville.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in Michigan?

Michigan mesothelioma firms have experience working with the state’s courts, judges and jury pools. They can gather evidence of asbestos exposure at sites across the state. In Michigan, evidence is critical in building your case successfully.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim

1. Interview: A lawyer travels to where you live to record the details of your case and explain your filing rights.
2. Filing: Your lawyer will file your claim properly and on time. Michigan’s statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit is 3 years from diagnosis. People also have 3 years from the death of a loved one to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Michigan.
3. Discovery: In addition to the evidence you already have, such as medical records, your lawyer also obtains evidence from the defendants.
4. Testimony: Asbestos lawyers locate and interview available witnesses familiar with Michigan industrial sites, including former employees from facilities like the Zonolite plant in Dearborn and other known asbestos exposure locations throughout the state.
5. Negotiations: Many asbestos cases end in a settlement. Michigan mesothelioma lawyers negotiate fair compensation based on their understanding of local case precedents and jury award patterns.
6. Trial: If a settlement can’t be reached, your attorney will represent you in court. They’ll present your case before a judge and jury, arguing for your right to compensation under Michigan law.

Sometimes, depending on where your exposure occurred or which companies were involved, your lawyer may recommend filing your case in a different jurisdiction. National law firms can file in other states for you. They’ll provide personalized recommendations based on your specific Michigan exposure history.

Asbestos Exposure in Michigan

The state’s many automotive factories, manufacturing plants and refineries contributed to major workplace asbestos exposure. As of 2023, Michigan was ranked fifth for mesothelioma or other asbestos-related deaths. 

Sites in Michigan Known for Asbestos Exposure 

• Defoe Shipyard: The Bay City shipbuilding company frequently used asbestos products in the shipbuilding process.
• Detroit Edison Power Plants: The facilities used asbestos for insulation in boilers, turbines and other equipment.
• Dow Chemical: This Midland company exposed employees to asbestos insulation and equipment parts. Many Michigan workers have filed asbestos claims against Dow. 
• McLouth Steel: This former steel company in Trenton used asbestos as insulation to protect against high temperatures. The facility is now an EPA Superfund site.
• University of Michigan: The University of Michigan warns students of the likely presence of asbestos insulation and building materials in older campus buildings.

Automotive manufacturing plants were major sources of asbestos exposure in the state. Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Oldsmobile, Plymouth and Pontiac facilities in Michigan used asbestos during production and in vehicle parts, especially braking systems.

Zonolite Manufacturing Site

The Zonolite Company manufacturing plant in Dearborn began processing asbestos-contaminated vermiculite ore in the early 1950s. This ore came from the notorious vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, that is linked to countless mesothelioma cases around the country. In 1963, W.R. Grace purchased the Zonolite Company.

For more than 25 years, the Dearborn plant processed at least 200,000 tons of ore. Workers were exposed to asbestos nearly constantly, offloading the hazardous ore from train cars, creating and handling asbestos-containing insulation and adding the toxic material to concrete products. An air quality analysis in 1976 found asbestos levels at least 40 to 60 times higher than current OSHA “safe” levels.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Michigan

In Michigan, many occupations have an increased risk of developing asbestos-caused health conditions. Families were also exposed when workers came home with asbestos on their work clothes and gear.

Higher-Risk Jobs in Michigan 

• Automobile manufacturing
• Assembly line work
• Chemical production
• Construction workers
• Electricians 
• Industrial milling
• Manufacturing
• Mechanical engineering
• Military personnel
• Oil refining
• Pipefitting 
• Power generation
• School workers
• Vermiculite processing

Companies in Michigan can be held responsible for secondhand asbestos exposure. An experienced asbestos attorney can help you determine if your secondary exposure case qualifies for a lawsuit.

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

Even though Michigan sees a high volume of lawsuits for asbestos-related injuries, its legislation isn’t very friendly to mesothelioma patients. An experienced asbestos lawyer knows the challenges of Michigan laws and uses that information to prepare your case effectively.

Michigan Legislative Changes

• House Bill 5456: The Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims Transparency Act is a thinly veiled attempt to delay asbestos trials, forcing families to apply for every potential bankruptcy trust. Asbestos law firms get around this hurdle because they know exactly which asbestos trust funds to use.
• MCL 418.131: In Michigan, employees generally can’t take an employer to court for occupational diseases, which may include asbestos-related illnesses. An asbestos lawyer can help you choose the right legal strategy based on the circumstances of your exposure.
• MCL 600.2946a: Unless the defendants acted with deliberate negligence, noneconomic damages are capped in Michigan. You can recover for pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of companionship, but only up to $280,000, or $500,000 for wrongful death. There is no limit to economic damages like medical bills.
• MCL 600.2959: Michigan courts can reduce your total compensation if the jury finds you partially at fault for the asbestos exposure.

Some Michigan laws favor profit-seeking corporations instead of the workers they exposed to asbestos. Without legal help, it’s difficult to get the justice you deserve. Skilled asbestos attorneys have continued to win trials in the state and negotiate fair settlements. The large body of evidence that mesothelioma law firms have can be a deciding factor in case outcomes. 

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