Mesothelioma Financial Compensation
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, you may be able to receive compensation from a lawsuit, trust funds, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Mesothelioma compensation can provide substantial financial support to those affected by this devastating disease. These funds can help cover transportation, medications, in-home medical care, living expenses, and other costs.
“You need the compensation. You need it for your treatments. You need it for your transportation.”
– Mary Jane Williams, 15-year peritoneal mesothelioma survivor
There are several factors that can affect the amount of compensation you receive from a claim. To learn what your case might be worth, get a free legal consultation with our partner law firm today.
Mesothelioma Settlement Compensation Amounts
You can seek compensation through a mesothelioma settlement after filing a lawsuit against the product manufacturer(s) responsible for your asbestos exposure.
A settlement prevents you from having to go to trial, which means you can receive money faster and avoid the risk of having a judge or jury rule in favor of the defendant (manufacturer).
The average mesothelioma lawsuit settlement is between $1 million and $1.4 million, according to Mealey’s® Litigation Reports, but some families have been awarded more or less than this amount.
Some notable mesothelioma settlements secured by our legal partners include:
- $12 million for a laborer with pleural mesothelioma
- $3.8 million for a restaurant worker with peritoneal mesothelioma
- $9.5 million for a construction worker with pleural mesothelioma
- $3.6 million for a delivery worker with peritoneal mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Verdict Compensation Amounts
If your attorney cannot reach an agreement with the asbestos product manufacturer’s legal team, the lawsuit will proceed to a trial. In a trial, a judge or jury will determine if you are owed compensation and decide on the amount to be awarded.
According to Mealey’s® Litigation Reports, the average mesothelioma trial verdict is between $5 million and $11.4 million. However, there are asbestos victims who have been awarded much more than the national average.
Examples of verdicts recovered for victims and families include:
- $250 million for a steelworker in Indiana
- $60 million for a laborer in New York
- $40 million for a U.S. Navy veteran in Washington
- $20 million for a mechanic in Missouri
Types of Mesothelioma Compensation
There are several different ways to pursue mesothelioma compensation for family members and patients.
Legal claims often lead to larger payouts than mesothelioma workers’ compensation claims. Instead of only covering medical expenses and lost wages, money from a legal claim can also compensate you for pain and suffering.
An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you decide which of the following asbestos compensation options is best for your situation.
Asbestos Trust Fund Claims
After facing a flood of legal claims, many asbestos product manufacturers filed for bankruptcy protection in the early 1980s to try to sidestep their liabilities.
While these bankrupt manufacturers can no longer be sued, they were ordered by courts to set aside significant amounts of money in asbestos trust funds as compensation for mesothelioma victims.
There is more than $30 billion available in asbestos trust funds today. Some people who file asbestos trust fund claims start getting money in as soon as 90 days. According to the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, each asbestos trust fund claim pays out an average of $41,000.
Victims who were exposed to more than one asbestos-containing product can usually file claims with multiple trusts. It’s important to work with an asbestos attorney to make sure your trust fund claim is filed correctly and that you take advantage of as many funds as possible.
We can help you or a loved one file asbestos trust fund claims — call (866) 608-8933 now to see if you qualify.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits
There are two types of mesothelioma lawsuits filed against manufacturers of asbestos products that can help patients and families secure compensation.
The two types of mesothelioma lawsuits include:
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- Personal injury lawsuits: Patients can file this type of lawsuit to pursue compensation for at-home care, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
- Wrongful death lawsuits: Family members who have lost a loved one to an asbestos-related disease can file this type of lawsuit to pursue financial assistance for travel expenses, unpaid medical bills, funeral costs, and other expenses.
If the lawsuit is successful, the product manufacturer will be ordered to compensate the patient or their family. They may also be ordered to pay punitive damages as an additional monetary punishment.
Arthur and Jan Putt’s lives were changed forever after Arthur’s mesothelioma diagnosis in 2018. Thankfully, they found peace of mind by working with Simmons Hanly Conroy, a national mesothelioma law firm. Call (866) 608-8933 today to request your free case review. View Transcript.
Duration: 4 min 21 sec
Arthur Putt:
What we do every night, we sit together and we’ll watch TV, and then at 07:00, we have our ice cream
bar.
Jan Putt:
My name is Jan Putt. I’m married to Art who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in April 2018. Originally,
the doctor said he would have possibly six months to a year, and that was four years ago. So I love him. I
still got him.
Arthur Putt:
I feel sorry for somebody that loses someone and they don’t have that time to say what they think or
last or how they feel. We do it every day, and it has been that way even before this happened. We did
everything together, remodeling our homes and stuff like that, her woodworking.
Jan Putt:
We used to go out for long drives, just go out sightseeing, and we’d be gone for four or five hours.
Arthur Putt:
We never get tired of being together.
Jan Putt:
His very early symptoms were just a very light hacky cough, and I couldn’t get him to go to see the
doctor until it got a little worse one day and he decided maybe he needed to go see somebody. They did
a X-ray and they thought he had pneumonia, but the radiologist wasn’t happy with that and wanted
more tests. So they did some scans, and that was the first time they said he had mesothelioma.
Arthur Putt:
It was kind of good to know that there was no cure for it in a way. I was able to make the best out of my
life from that point on. We just got positive about it, that I was lucky to have time, to spend quality time
with her and say what I wanted to say, and not just all of a sudden be gone. So we cherish every day of
it.
I really wasn’t much of a mechanic at first. I got a job at a service station. We did a lot of brakes. That
was probably our, besides tune-up, that was our next busiest thing. We had done it the old-fashioned
way and we had dust everywhere.
Jan Putt:
We filed a mesothelioma lawsuit because we had family members and stuff that encouraged us to do it.
Our daughter in Indiana knew somebody that had worked with Simmons Hanly Conroy and had had a
very good experience.
Come on in.
John Barnerd:
It’s so good to see you.
Jan Putt:
John first came here and we had several meetings with him and crowds of people at times.
John Barnerd:
Within about nine or 10 months, I think from when we had filed the case-ts
Arthur Putt:
We had four settlement jury verdict, and only one we had to go to court for. The one thing that shocked
and amazed me was when they called me in to see them. I walked in there and it must have been 8, 10
lawyers in there all working on this thing.
What he did for us, made our financial situation a whole lot better. We gave all that money to our kids,
paid our house off. It made our life a little easier. We’ve got no financial worries, and that makes it
easier for me to know that she’s taken care of, and we have John and his firm to thank for all that.
What I tell people, is it’s the one good thing that came out of something bad. I can’t say how miserable
this would be without him and what he did and his firm, and his family as far as we’re concerned.
VA Benefits Claims
Former service members may also be eligible to receive compensation for mesothelioma through veterans benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers mesothelioma a total disability and provides monthly payments to veterans diagnosed with this cancer as part of its VA benefits package.
Additionally, most or all of a veteran’s medical expenses could be covered if they receive treatment through the VA health care system.
Veterans can still pursue legal action and continue to collect VA benefits at the same time. In these cases, no legal action is taken against the U.S. military or government.
A mesothelioma lawyer can help veterans gather the information needed to file a strong VA claim and a lawsuit.
Who Can Receive Compensation for Asbestos Exposure?
Patients and family members affected by mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or other serious diseases linked to asbestos exposure may be able to receive legal compensation.
You do not need to know where or how you were exposed to asbestos to pursue compensation.
A qualified asbestos attorney can help you determine how much compensation you might be able to receive.
Mesothelioma Compensation for Family Members
An experienced lawyer can help obtain mesothelioma compensation for family members. Surviving spouses, children, and estate executors can file for compensation if their loved one died from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.
The best way to see if you can pursue compensation is to schedule a free consultation with a mesothelioma lawyer.
How Long Does It Take to Get Compensation?
Each case is different, but some claimants have started to receive mesothelioma financial compensation from asbestos lawsuits and asbestos bankruptcy trust funds in as few as 90 days.
However, there are many factors that can affect the payout timeline. This includes the type of mesothelioma claim, the statute of limitations in the state where you file, the number of manufacturers being sued, and whether the asbestos case settles or goes to trial.
How to Access Asbestos Compensation From a Lawsuit
Patients and their families can file compensation claims by working with an experienced lawyer.
A mesothelioma lawyer can file a lawsuit or trust fund claims on your behalf. They can also help you gather the documentation you need to access VA benefits. It is important to find a lawyer who has experience in asbestos litigation to ensure your claim is filed correctly.
Here are the steps for accessing compensation:
- Hire a Mesothelioma Lawyer
Connect with an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn your eligibility for different types of compensation and which option(s) are best for you and your family. - Gather Evidence of Asbestos Exposure
In this phase of the claims process, your lawyer will outline the facts and collect documentation that supports your claim. This might include medical records, work history, military service documents, and a list of asbestos-containing products you were exposed to along with their manufacturers. - File a Mesothelioma Compensation Claim
Your lawyer will file a claim for compensation on your behalf. The remaining steps will vary based on the type of claim (lawsuit, asbestos trust funds, etc.). - Receive Compensation
If you file a trust fund claim, you will typically get compensation much faster than through a mesothelioma lawsuit. For lawsuits that reach a settlement, you may receive compensation without going to court. If your lawsuit goes to trial, a judge or jury may award you compensation through an asbestos verdict.
You can avoid any delays that might come with a legal claim by speaking with a mesothelioma law firm. Your legal team will keep you updated throughout the process and fight to get you the most compensation possible.
Start the process of accessing compensation with a free legal consultation.
Other Types of Financial Assistance for Mesothelioma
In addition to legal compensation for asbestos exposure, there are other avenues you can pursue to help cover the costs of a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Learn more about other forms of financial aid for mesothelioma below.
Private Insurance
A portion of your mesothelioma treatment may be covered by health insurance depending on your plan and provider.
However, it’s important to note that most private health insurance carriers will not cover the total cost of treatment, which can easily exceed $500,000, according to mesothelioma nurse Amy Fair.
Additionally, some insurance carriers will refuse to pay for newer therapies they consider to be experimental. This is why many mesothelioma survivors have chosen to file legal claims to finance their treatment.
Learn more about patients who were able to afford life-changing treatment with the help of mesothelioma compensation in our Free Survivors Guide.
Medicaid and Medicare
These government-funded programs can help eligible senior citizens, people with disabilities, and those with limited income pay for medical expenses after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Medicaid and Medicare often have more affordable copays than private insurance plans. However, it is important to note that these federal programs typically do not finance the entire cost of cancer treatment. Patients may still be responsible for deductibles and other costs.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
If mesothelioma has prevented you from working, you may qualify for SSDI. It usually takes a few months to complete the application process and start receiving benefits.
However, the Social Security Administration has a Compassionate Allowances program that reduces the wait time for qualified individuals with serious disabilities such as mesothelioma.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Mesothelioma is typically considered a long-term disability since it has no cure. If you have long-term disability insurance, you may still be able to receive a percentage of your salary while you take time away from work to get treatment.
It usually takes a few months before you start receiving the benefits. Keep in mind that your policy might limit how long you can receive assistance. Also, if you don’t already have long-term disability coverage when you get diagnosed, you might not be able to get a new policy.
You can apply for long-term disability insurance on your own or through your employer.
Cancer Foundations and Advocacy Groups
Cancer foundations and mesothelioma advocacy groups such as CancerCare and the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) offer financial support to cover travel, transportation, and other expenses associated with treatment.
It’s also worth researching and contacting local organizations to ask about financial support options for patients and caregivers.
Seek Compensation for Mesothelioma Today
You should not have to shoulder the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis if you developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure.
Asbestos companies hid the dangers of their products from the public for decades, exposing millions of families to this deadly substance. They should be held accountable if they caused you or a loved one to get sick.
Compensation from a legal claim can help you afford the treatment you need to become a survivor. Compensation may also provide your family with financial security in the future.
Working with a lawyer is the best way to help ensure your claim is successful. Get a free legal consultation today to learn if you can collect mesothelioma compensation.
Mesothelioma Compensation FAQs
Can I claim compensation for mesothelioma?
Yes, if you were exposed to asbestos in the past and it caused you to develop mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
It’s a good idea to talk to a mesothelioma lawyer who knows the ins and outs of the legal process and can fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation possible.
What is the average payout for asbestos cancer?
Patients who file a mesothelioma lawsuit receive $1 million to $11.4 million on average, which includes settlements and trial verdicts.
The amount of money that mesothelioma patients can receive depends on several factors, including the severity of their cancer, the extent of their asbestos exposure, and what type of legal claim they file.
How much is a mesothelioma case worth?
The average mesothelioma settlement is between $1 million and $1.4 million, according to national legal reports.
There are many factors that can impact your potential payout amount. For this reason, the best way to determine your mesothelioma case value is to speak with an asbestos lawyer.
How long do you have to make an asbestos claim?
The deadline for filing is based on the details of your case and where you decide to file your claim. The specific time limit, known as the statute of limitations, differs by state.
Waiting too long might mean you lose the chance to seek compensation, so make sure to speak with a mesothelioma lawyer promptly. They can help you understand the time limits that apply to your situation and guide you through every step of the legal process.
What is the average payout for asbestos trust funds?
People receive $41,000 on average for each asbestos trust fund claim that they file.
Most asbestos victims are able to file claims with multiple trusts, increasing their total payout.
