How to Find and Choose a North Dakota Mesothelioma Lawyer

Finding the right mesothelioma lawyer in North Dakota starts with understanding your options. Look for a lawyer who is familiar with the state’s unique asbestos laws and filing deadlines. Experience with mesothelioma cases in North Dakota ensures they understand local exposure risks and legal hurdles.

Many top law firms serve clients nationwide and will come to your home to make the process easier. These firms have robust teams of investigators and medical experts who know how to prove the connection between asbestos exposure and your diagnosis. They know how to handle claims across different states, which helps if your exposure happened in several places.

Working with a national law firm gives you access to more resources, while local lawyers provide in-depth knowledge of North Dakota laws. Together, they can build a strong case and help you make empowered decisions about how you and your family wish to proceed. National law firms like Simmons Hanly Conroy have helped North Dakotans secure more than $48 million in compensation. Choose an asbestos lawyer who listens, explains things clearly and supports you through this challenging time.

Weitz and Luxenberg
  • $8.5 Billion Recovered
  • Serves Clients Nationwide
  • Rated #1 by U.S. News & World Report for 2022
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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 North Dakota

North Dakotans diagnosed with mesothelioma have secured substantial mesothelioma compensation through lawsuits and asbestos trust fund claims. One notable case involved Richard Anderson, a boiler worker at Minot Air Force Base who sued Owens-Corning after developing asbestosis from working with the company’s asbestos-containing insulation. A jury awarded Anderson $340,000. 

In 2024, North Dakota joined 42 other attorneys general in a $700 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over allegations the company deceptively marketed talc-based products contaminated with asbestos. North Dakota received approximately $3.2 million from the settlement for consumer protection efforts. 

Mesothelioma settlements in North Dakota typically range from $1 million to $2 million, with some cases exceeding $5 million. Trial verdicts nationally average between $5 million and as much as $20.7 million in 2024, according to Mealey’s. 

Compensation amounts depend on factors such as the extent and duration of asbestos exposure, the severity of illness, and the liability of responsible companies. Experienced attorneys also help clients secure 6-figure payments from asbestos trust funds established for bankrupt companies that manufactured or used asbestos-containing products.

How Does an Asbestos Lawyer Handle Your Claim in North Dakota

Working with an asbestos lawyer in North Dakota means having expert help, managing every detail. Your lawyer will gather your medical records and proof of asbestos exposure. Then, they’ll file your mesothelioma claim in the best place to get you fair compensation. While claims often settle outside court, your lawyer prepares your case if a trial is needed.

Steps to a Mesothelioma Claim in North Dakota:

  1. Gather medical records: Your asbestos attorney collects documentation to confirm your mesothelioma diagnosis and link it to asbestos exposure.
  2. Investigate exposure history: Your legal team investigates the products and exposure sites in North Dakota responsible for your diagnosis, such as Grand Forks Air Force Base where asbestos was used in various structures and facilities, exposing military personnel and workers to toxic fibers.
  3. Work with experts: Your mesothelioma legal team consults medical and occupational experts to strengthen evidence and build the strongest possible case.
  4. File your claim: Your asbestos lawyer files claims with asbestos trust funds and personal injury lawsuits in North Dakota courts, adhering to the state’s 6-year statute of limitations from diagnosis for personal injury or 2 years from death for wrongful death claims. North Dakota’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Transparency Act requires plaintiffs to disclose trust claims during litigation.
  5. Manage legal procedures: Your mesothelioma attorney handles paperwork, court filings, procedural requirements and your testimony throughout your case.
  6. Negotiate or litigate: Your attorney negotiates settlements with defendants or prepares for trial if needed to maximize your compensation.

Most claims settle within 12 to 18 months, but your lawyer stays with you throughout, managing deadlines and ensuring evidence meets legal standards. This process lets you focus on treatment and family while your lawyer fights for your compensation.

Asbestos Exposure in North Dakota

With a small state population and limited industrial sites, North Dakota has a low asbestos-related death rate. There are potential risks from natural asbestos deposits, job sites where asbestos products were used and older buildings that contain legacy asbestos materials.

Sites in North Dakota Known for Asbestos Exposure

  • BP Amoco oil refinery: The facility in Mandan is likely to have exposed workers to asbestos. Oil refineries used asbestos to insulate machinery and equipment from extreme heat.
  • Grand Forks Air Force Base: Asbestos was used in various structures and facilities on the base. 
  • Minot flooding: In the summer of 2011, agencies warned Minot-area homeowners about the risk of asbestos exposure after severe flooding damaged thousands of homes and more than 11,000 people were evacuated. Many of these homes likely contained asbestos products used in construction materials like attic insulation. 
  • Power stations: The Milton R. Young Station, Stanton Power Station, Coyote Station, United Power, Northern States Power Company, Grand Forks Gas and Electric Company power stations have a history of asbestos exposure. Power plant workers are at a higher risk of being exposed since the material was used to insulate the machinery.
  • Robinson Insulation Plant: The Minot plant exposed workers and nearby residents to asbestos from 1967 to 1983 through more than 16,000 tons of contaminated vermiculite. Some of the asbestos came from Libby, Montana, and much of it also went to other cities in North Dakota.
  • Selfridge abandoned buildings site: The EPA has been involved in cleaning up asbestos at this site, which includes abandoned and vandalized buildings.

Many older buildings in North Dakota may still have legacy asbestos. Builders used asbestos products in walls, floors, ceiling and insulation. Most schools built before the 1980s likely still contain asbestos materials.

Robinson Insulation Company

The Robinson Insulation Plant in Minot operated from 1945 to 1983, processing more than 16,000 tons of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos from Libby, Montana. During processing, asbestos fibers such as tremolite and actinolite were released, exposing workers and nearby residents to serious health risks. Hazardous asbestos levels were found in soil and dust at the site, leading to cleanup efforts that included demolition of buildings and removal of contaminated soil. 

After the plant closed, the city acquired the property, but asbestos contamination remained a concern, especially after flooding spread asbestos fibers into surrounding areas. The Robinson plant’s history underscores the dangers of asbestos exposure from vermiculite processing and its enduring impact on worker and community health.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in North Dakota

Many industries in North Dakota resulted in occupational asbestos exposure. Higher-risk job sites in the state include power plants, oil refineries, military bases and insulation plants. Jobs like construction, maintenance and factory work often involved handling asbestos materials.

Higher-Risk Jobs in North Dakota

  • Agricultural workers and farmers
  • Construction workers
  • Industrial plant workers
  • Insulators
  • Maintenance workers
  • Military member
  • Oil refinery workers
  • Power generation workers

In North Dakota, it can be difficult to hold companies responsible for secondhand asbestos exposure. Courts usually don’t allow these secondary exposure cases unless the person filing the claim proves the company had a duty to protect their family, the risk was clear or there was a special relationship between the defendant and a family member. Secondhand exposure happens when a worker brings toxic asbestos dust home on their clothes, skin or hair, and a family member breathes it in.

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Asbestos Manufacturers

How Your Lawyer Supports You in North Dakota’s Changing Asbestos Litigation

North Dakota’s laws make mesothelioma lawsuits more challenging than in other states. Your attorney reviews every new rule that affects your case, including stricter rules for naming defendants and tighter evidence standards. For example, lawyers must give the court a sworn statement naming all companies you plan to sue, proof for each claim and full details on asbestos exposure.​

North Dakota Legislative Changes

  • Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Transparency Act of 2017: Requires plaintiffs to disclose all asbestos trust claims before proceeding with lawsuits, aiming to improve transparency and reduce over-naming of defendants. It mandates filing quarterly reports with the bankruptcy courts, publicly available and disclosures upon request, to prevent duplicative recoveries and ensure fair liability allocation. 
  • North Dakota House Bill 1207: Effective August 1, 2021, requires plaintiffs in asbestos lawsuits to file sworn affidavits detailing specific evidence supporting each claim against every named defendant. The affidavit must include information about exposure sources, asbestos-containing products, employers and medical diagnoses confirming the asbestos-related disease. 

A lawyer who focuses on these cases tracks every deadline, works with medical experts and makes sure all your evidence meets North Dakota’s requirements. Attorneys can also help you decide whether to file in North Dakota or another state where your case may have a stronger chance. With rapid legal changes, a good lawyer protects your options and keeps your claim on track from start to finish.

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