Wisconsin mesothelioma lawyers help these victims and their families get justice and compensation from the companies responsible. Wisconsin ranks high among states for asbestos-related deaths.
If you or a loved one suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, awaiting those who’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos illness. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about experienced mesothelioma lawyers in Wisconsin, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file an asbestos trust fund claim, and much more.
FREE Financial Compensation Packet
- Info on law firms that will recover your HIGHEST COMPENSATION
- Learn how to get paid in 90 days
- File for your share of $30 billion in trust funds
We are pleased to offer assistance to residents in all Wisconsin cities and towns, including:
Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Oshkosh, Eau Claire, Janesville, West Allis, Appleton, La Crosse, Sheboygan, Wauwatosa, Fond Du Lac, New Berlin, Wausau, Brookfield, Greenfield, Beloit, Franklin, Menomonee Falls, Oak Creek, Manitowoc, West Bend, Sun Prairie, Superior, Stevens Point, Mount Pleasant Village, Fitchburg, Neenah, Caledonia Village, Muskego, De Pere, Mequon, Grand Chute, South Milwaukee, Pleasant Prairie, Germantown Village, Menasha Town, Onalaska, Cudahy, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Onalaska, Howard Village, Middleton, Ashwaubenon, Beaver Dam, Menomonie, Kaukauna, Watertown, Menasha, Weston Village, Bellevue, Hartford, Greendale, Whitefish Bay, Allouez, Chippewa Falls, Pewaukee, Shorewood, Glendale, Hudson, Stoughton, Fort Atkinson, Waunakee, Plover Village, Salem, Baraboo, Brown Deer, River Falls, Two Rivers, Grafton Village, Suamico, Cedarburg, Whitewater, Richfield Village, Port Washington, Platteville, Appleton, Verona, Marinette, Harrison, Monroe, Greenville, Sussex, Burlington, Little Chute, Portage, Lisbon, Elkhorn, Sparta, Merrill, Somers, St. Francis, Oregon Village, Reedsburg, Shawano, Tomah, and more.
Wisconsin Asbestos Facts and Statistics
- Between 1999 and 2017 there were 6,815 asbestos-related deaths in Wisconsin.
- The majority of these were in urban areas, with Milwaukee and its surrounding areas having the most fatalities.
- The majority of asbestos-related deaths in Wisconsin were mesothelioma victims, followed by asbestosis victims.
- Per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, pipefitters, plumbers, and steamfitters are the most frequently recorded occupations that led to asbestosis deaths.
- Almost 90% of all Wisconsin mesothelioma cases are caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos.
What Is Asbestos and Mesothelioma?
Asbestos is a natural mineral once used heavily in many industries like construction and manufacturing. It is fibrous and can shed tiny fibers when handled or as it deteriorates.
In the past, most companies failed to protect workers from these fibers. When workers without safety gear worked near asbestos, they were at risk of inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. Inside the body, the asbestos fibers cause damage that can lead to illnesses decades later:
Do I Have a Case for a Mesothelioma or Asbestos Claim?
The best way to determine if you have a valid mesothelioma case is to talk to an expert Wisconsin asbestos attorney. They can provide a free initial consultation to review your work and medical history.
If you have a diagnosis of mesothelioma, you are probably eligible to seek compensation. Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by negligent asbestos exposure. You could be eligible for:
How Much Is My Mesothelioma Claim Worth?
Your claim’s value depends on individual factors. An experienced asbestos law firm can make a reasonable estimate of what you can expect based on:
- The severity of your illness
- Your past and current medical expenses
- Future expected medical expenses
- Home care costs
- Medical equipment costs
- Emotional and physical pain and suffering
Compensation also depends on the defendants involved and their degrees of liability. Most asbestos lawsuits end in settlements, which average $1 million to $1.4 million.
Where Was I Exposed to Asbestos in Wisconsin?
The vast majority of cases of prolonged exposure to asbestos come from workplaces. Many of Wisconsin’s industries used asbestos for decades and put workers at risk. These are some examples of industries and specific workplaces that harmed workers.
Automotive
The automotive industry long used asbestos in friction products, like brakes and clutches.
One of Wisconsin’s most prominent asbestos exposure cases occurred at Four Wheel Drive, a brakes manufacturing company in Clintonville. Several workers became ill in the early 80s, which resulted in a complaint call to the National Institute for Occupational Safety (NIOSH).
In 1987, NIOSH evaluated the facility and found asbestos in the brake products and all over the machinery and equipment.
Metal Manufacturing
The Ladish Company in Milwaukee was also associated with asbestos. As a metal manufacturer, numerous furnaces containing asbestos were in operation every day for years.
In addition, most of the pipes, machinery, and other equipment contained asbestos. Several workers at the Ladish company ended up with mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related illnesses.
Paper Manufacturing
Several paper manufacturing companies also exposed workers to asbestos. Paper manufacturing companies placed some of the highest risks for workers in Wisconsin.
Decades ago, Wisconsin was one of the leading paper manufacturing states. Wisconsin was home to several branches of leading paper manufacturing companies, such as Georgia-Pacific and Charmin.
Vermiculite Processing
Vermiculite is a natural, mined material that is processed into numerous products. Vermiculite is not harmful, but it is often found in deposits with asbestos.
The W.R. Grace vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, notoriously shipped hundreds of thousands of tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite to processing plants nationwide. This lasted until approximately the 1990s.
At least two Wisconsin vermiculite plants received these asbestos-contaminated shipments. Workers at Koos processing plants in Kenosha and Racine risked asbestos exposure as a result. Nearby residents were also at risk of exposure. Today, the sites are considered safe.
Additional Wisconsin Workplaces That Used Asbestos
Other examples of specific workplaces that used asbestos and put workers at risk of exposure and illness include:
- Falls Paper and Power Company
- Kimberly-Clark Corporation
- Oconto Falls Tissue Inc.
- Scott Paper Company
- Scott Paper Mill
- Gardner Machine Company
- Hydro-Blast Corporation
- P. B. Yates Machine Company
- Rock River Generating Station
- Wisconsin Construction Company
- Wisconsin Power & Light Company
- Yates-American Machine Company
- Burlington Junior High School
- Carbonite Metal
- Helene Curtis
- Murphy Products
- Nestle Company Inc
- Nestle Usa, Inc.
- Case Threshing Machine Company
- Chicago Rubber Clothing Company
- Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Horlick High School
- J I Case Threshing Machine Company
- J. Bashaw, Inc.
- J.I. Case Company
- J.I. Case Senior High School
- Jacobson Thomas Tire Company
- Lakeside Malleable Castings Company
- Mosinee Paper Mill
- Industrial Insulation Corporation of Wisconsin
- Valley Ready Mixed Cement Company
- Wisconsin Cabinet and Panel Company
- Falls Paper and Power Company
- Wisconsin Power and Light
- Wisconsin Construction Company
Wisconsin’s Asbestos Laws
Wisconsin’s asbestos laws include safety regulations and laws that impact how lawsuits proceed.
Asbestos Safety Regulations
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services enforces asbestos policies and laws in the state.
- Under Chapter 254 of the Wisconsin Environmental Health laws, prior to beginning an asbestos abatement project in Wisconsin, written notification must be provided to the state.
- Anyone working on an asbestos abatement project must be state-certified.
- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services can enter the area of an asbestos abatement project at any time to ensure that only qualified individuals are working on the project. Proof of qualification, such as a certification card, may also be asked for and must be produced.
- Public schools and buildings that were built using asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) must have an asbestos management plan in place at all times.
For more in-depth, detailed information and additional asbestos rules and regulations in Wisconsin, please contact the Wisconsin Department of Health Services at 608-266-1865.
Wisconsin Statute of Limitations on Mesothelioma Lawsuits
The statute of limitations places a time limit on filing mesothelioma and asbestos lawsuits:
- The statute of limitations when filing an asbestos-related lawsuit in Wisconsin starts within three years from the time the illness is first discovered or within three years from the date that it should have been reasonably discovered.
- Wrongful death lawsuits must also be filed within three years; however, the time starts according to the date of the victim’s death.
Construction Statute of Repose
The construction industry used asbestos more than almost any other in Wisconsin and other states. Unfortunately, a Wisconsin law limits asbestos lawsuits related to construction exposure.
Wisconsin has a construction statute of repose that places a hard limit of ten years for filing a personal injury lawsuit. It applies to any case in which the injury resulted from structural defects.
A court in 2020 interpreted this as applying to asbestos in some situations. A woman sued when her husband died from mesothelioma after working as a pipefitter building power plants. The Court of Appeals ruled that the statute of repose applied in her case.
Asbestos Claims Transparency Law
In May of 2013, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a new bill that requires plaintiffs who file an asbestos lawsuit to reveal any other companies they have sued. This is supposed to limit attorneys maximizing awards on several claims.
Supporters of the bill claim it’s also a way to allow a jury to understand just how many defendants are at fault for one individual’s asbestos-related illness, which may bring about higher award amounts for plaintiffs.
Those who opposed the bill indicated that it is another attempt to prolong asbestos-related cases until the victim dies.
Mesothelioma Treatment in Wisconsin
Find a physician specializing in asbestos-related diseases, which are still considered relatively rare in the medical world. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) makes the process easier by appointing worthy care centers and hospitals as NCI-designated facilities.
The Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee is an NCI-designated care center with researchers, physicians, cancer experts, and healthcare specialists focusing on mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
The NCI and the National Health Institute (NHI) recommend that asbestos victims seek treatment from a facility specializing in mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases.
Legal Help in Wisconsin
Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. Keep in mind that you may qualify for substantial compensation if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis. For additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.
