Call Us :216-575-0777
Call Us :216-575-0777
A mesothelioma claim in Washington often turns on which companies exposed you to asbestos, sometimes decades ago. Those companies may have nothing to do with your most recent job.
Washington has a long industrial history in shipbuilding, manufacturing, construction, aerospace, and other industries that used asbestos. People who worked or lived near these sites in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Yakima, and other communities may have been exposed without knowing it.
Kelley Ferraro, LLC represents people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Washington and across the United States. We investigate work history, products, job sites, and coworkers to show how the exposure happened.
Reach out to our Washington mesothelioma attorneys to schedule a free consultation. They can review your exposure history and explain which legal options may apply.
Mesothelioma gives no early warning. Asbestos fibers can enter the body decades before the disease is diagnosed.
The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) reports that the time between exposure and disease is measured in decades, and that mesothelioma rates in Washington fell 43% from 2000 to 2021.
That delay makes the source hard to find. You may remember a job from 30 years ago but not the maker of the insulation, brake part, or pipe covering you handled.
Call US 216-575-0777
Kelley Ferraro, LLC has represented asbestos and mesothelioma clients since the firm’s founding in 1997.
A mesothelioma claim may seek compensation for losses including:
The circumstances of each case are different. Our attorneys can review what happened, identify potential sources of exposure, and explain the legal options that may apply.
In July 2021, an Ohio jury returned a verdict of more than $10.6 million for the widow of a mechanic who developed mesothelioma after asbestos exposure from brakes.
Equity Partners John Martin Murphy and James L. Ferraro oversaw the trial team, led by lead counsel Shawn M. Acton.
That verdict does not predict the outcome of another case. You can review additional matters on our case results page.
Washington’s shipyards, industrial plants, construction sites, and other workplaces used asbestos in ship insulation, boilers, pipes, brakes, and building materials. Workers who handled these products, and people working nearby, could breathe in the fibers.
A federal EPA research record describes a study of Puget Sound area death certificates from 1968 through 1976. It found that employees of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton made up a larger share of mesothelioma deaths than expected.
Exposure continues in some jobs today. L&I reports that workers can still encounter asbestos during building maintenance, cleanup, and demolition, including construction workers, firefighters, and home renovators.
Asbestos fibers can also be carried home on contaminated clothing, creating a potential exposure route for family members.
The location of the disease can affect the type of mesothelioma diagnosed.
Pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining around the lungs and is the most common form.
Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the lining of the abdomen.
Our pages on pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma provide additional information. Your medical team can explain your diagnosis and treatment options.
The amount of time available to pursue a mesothelioma claim can depend on when the injury was discovered and other facts surrounding the case.
Washington’s RCW 4.16.080 provides a three-year limitation period for many personal injury actions. Because asbestos-related diseases can remain undiagnosed for decades, Washington’s discovery rule may affect when the limitations period begins.
For mesothelioma claims, the relevant date may involve when you knew or should have known about the injury and its connection to asbestos exposure. A diagnosis is often an important date, but the timeline depends on the facts of each case.
Wrongful death claims carry an added timing issue. The Washington Supreme Court has held that a wrongful death claim requires a claim the deceased person could still have brought at the time of death. If the loved one’s own deadline had already passed, the family’s claim may be barred.
Because missing a filing deadline can affect your ability to pursue compensation, have the facts reviewed promptly.
Washington’s workers’ compensation system provides benefits for covered workplace injuries and generally restricts lawsuits against an injured worker’s own employer. That does not mean every possible claim disappears.
Under RCW 51.24.030, an injured worker or qualifying family member may pursue a claim against a responsible third party that is not in the worker’s same employ.
For an asbestos claim, that could involve a company that manufactured, supplied, or sold an asbestos-containing product rather than the worker’s own employer.
Washington case law recognizes circumstances in which a third-party action may provide a path to damages that are not available through workers’ compensation, including non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
L&I may also assert a lien against part of a third-party recovery. Before you accept a settlement, we review how workers’ compensation benefits and any L&I lien could affect what you receive.
Learn more about the relationship between asbestos exposure and workers’ compensation on our workers’ compensation and asbestos exposure page.
You do not need to reconstruct your entire employment history before speaking with an attorney. Still, anything that shows where you worked and what you encountered can help.
Consider gathering:
Do not sign a release or settlement agreement involving an asbestos claim without understanding what rights you may be giving up.
Identifying the responsible company is often the hardest part of a mesothelioma claim. You may know asbestos was present at a workplace without knowing which manufacturer supplied it.
We look at the products used at a job site, the companies involved in the facility, coworker accounts, employment records, and other historical evidence.
You can learn more about this process through our guide to proving the source of asbestos exposure.
A wrongful death action may be available in appropriate circumstances. The applicable deadline and who may bring the claim depend on Washington law and the facts of the case. We review the deceased person’s potential claim, the circumstances of the death, and the family’s legal rights.
Many Washington personal injury claims must be filed within three years under RCW 4.16.080. The discovery rule may change when that period begins in a mesothelioma case, so have the facts reviewed promptly.
Possibly. Washington law may allow a claim against a responsible third party outside the worker’s employer, though workers’ compensation benefits and any L&I lien can affect the recovery.
A wrongful death claim may be available to qualifying family members. The rules depend on whether the loved one still had a timely claim at death and on other facts of the case.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation may include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. Wrongful death claims may also include funeral and burial expenses.
Kelley Ferraro offers free initial consultations by phone or in person. Information about attorney fees and costs is available on our attorneys’ fees and costs page.
Asbestos exposure is the primary known cause of mesothelioma. Washington L&I reports that mesothelioma is largely attributable to workplace asbestos exposure.
There may still be legal options. Some companies tied to asbestos exposure created trusts to pay claims after entering bankruptcy, and we can investigate whether a trust applies to your work history.
No. Kelley Ferraro represents mesothelioma clients in Washington and throughout the United States.
People who worked around asbestos-containing materials have historically faced significant exposure risks, including shipyard, construction, industrial, and building maintenance workers and mechanics.
If you or a loved one are facing a Washington mesothelioma diagnosis, you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.
You don’t need a complete list of exposures or companies before calling us. We’re here to listen, review your history, and help you navigate the legal timeline with clarity and care.
Contact Kelley Ferraro to arrange a free initial consultation.
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