How Long Does an Asbestos Claim Take?
The time it takes to resolve a claim depends on the type of legal action. Mesothelioma lawsuits can take anywhere from 12-18 months to complete, while trust fund claims are often resolved faster.
Most lawsuits end in a settlement, which occurs when manufacturers of asbestos-containing products (the defendants) pay a mesothelioma victim (the plaintiff) a lump sum of compensation to avoid a trial.
For 2025, the average asbestos claim payout from a settlement is $1 million to $1.4 million.
There are 3 factors that can affect the time frame for asbestos claims payouts:
- If and when the defendants agree to a settlement
- The jurisdiction and state the lawsuit is filed in (some locations hear mesothelioma cases within 1 year)
- When and whether there is a trial date (some defendants will not settle until a trial date approaches)
Asbestos trust fund claims also typically start to pay out within 90 days. How long it takes may depend on which funds you file a claim with and which law firm you work with to file.
Working With a Lawyer for Asbestos Claims Payouts
Asbestos victims can get the most compensation in the shortest amount of time by working with a mesothelioma lawyer. These attorneys can file claims against manufacturers and negotiate lawsuit settlements for you and your family.
Experienced lawyers can also help you access compensation from both lawsuits and asbestos trust funds — which currently contain more than $30 billion — to maximize asbestos claims payouts for patients and families.
See if you’re eligible for asbestos claims payouts without filing a lawsuit or stepping foot in court.
Average Payout for Asbestos Claims
Although every situation will be different based on various factors, there are some average payout amounts to give you an idea of what to expect.
Asbestos Claims Average Payout
- The average mesothelioma settlement payout is $1 million to $1.4 million.
- The average total amount patients receive from trust fund payouts is $300,000 to $400,000.
Many families will be eligible for payouts from both settlements and trust fund claims. Working with an experienced mesothelioma law firm can help you determine all of your financial options.
Attorney Daniel P. Blouin explains how much a mesothelioma case is worth, when you can expect to receive compensation, and how each case's value is different. Call us today at (866) 608-8933 to learn more. View Transcript.
Duration: 1 min 03 sec
The value of mesothelioma cases is varied, but typically quite high. It would be unfair to say a case is worth $400,000 to $5 million because every case is different. But I can tell you that these cases are extremely valuable. From the beginning of the case until the end of the case, it can be years, but typically, we try to resolve the case within a year to two years, typically a year to 18 months, depending on the state. It is important for everyone that our clients, once they meet the priority of their being deposed, that they can step aside and let us do the rest of the work and expedite receiving awards for them as quickly as possible. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, MesotheliomaHope.com and Simmons Hanly Conroy can help.
How to File for Asbestos Lawsuit Payouts
Many asbestos claims follow a similar timeline. However, every case is different, and a settlement can be reached at almost any point in the process once a lawsuit has been filed.
Learn more about the mesothelioma lawsuit timeline below.
1. Get a Free Case Review
Time frame: Before the claim is filed — this first meeting typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.
During this first conversation, a mesothelioma law firm will evaluate your case free of charge and determine if you can file an asbestos claim. If so, you can fill out the initial paperwork during this meeting to get started.
These law firms understand the financial and mental burden of a mesothelioma diagnosis on you and your family members. They have the resources and expertise to secure asbestos settlements for you as quickly as possible.
The best mesothelioma lawyers charge no upfront fees and will only be paid if they win your case, so there’s no risk to work with them.
2. Meet Your Mesothelioma Legal Team
Time frame: Within a few days after completing the initial paperwork. Meetings can be held in person, virtually, or over the phone.
Experienced asbestos law firms will have multiple resources and dedicated team members to give your claim the best chance of success.
Your legal team may consist of:
- Asbestos investigators
- Attorneys
- Medical experts
- Paralegals
Team members will gather evidence such as your work history, medical records related to your diagnosis, and information about products that may have caused your asbestos-related illness.
With this information, the firm can determine which asbestos companies and manufacturers caused your disease.
3. Your Attorney Files Your Asbestos Claim
Time frame: Varies, but the best law firms work quickly. Once the lawsuit is filed, the defendants in the lawsuit must respond within a certain number of days, or they could automatically lose.
Your attorneys will file a mesothelioma lawsuit after compiling information about your illness, identifying key defendants, and writing a formal complaint.
Arthur Putt, a pleural mesothelioma survivor and former auto mechanic, filed his legal claim in 2018 and received “four settlements very quickly” before his lawsuit went to trial in August 2019.
The trial verdict was decided in his favor, and he received a $34 million payout from Ford Motor Company.
Art worked with Simmons Hanly Conroy, our partner firm, to get the asbestos claims payouts he deserved. Get a Free Case Review to see if they can help you too.
Get a Free Mesothelioma Case Review
4. Both Sides Share Information (Discovery)
Time frame: A few weeks to months — both parties will be finding, organizing, and sharing information.
During discovery, legal teams collect evidence to support their claims. Your legal team will spend this time collecting evidence that proves the asbestos companies’ products caused your mesothelioma.
The team may also speak to current or former employees who know how the companies used asbestos in their products.
5. Receive a Settlement or Go to Trial
Time frame: Varies depending on the number of companies sued and their willingness to settle. Nearly all mesothelioma cases settle.
Your mesothelioma attorney will typically try to negotiate settlements with the companies named in the lawsuit.
Most lawsuits are resolved with a mesothelioma settlement since they are less time-consuming and risky than a trial. If the court sides with the defendant in a trial, you will not receive compensation.
| Settlements | Trials |
|---|---|
| Low risk to you | Higher risk to you |
| The lawyer does the legal heavy lifting | You may have to appear in court |
| No risk of appeal | Favorable verdict could be appealed (overturned) |
| Cases often resolve quickly | Cases take longer than if settled |
Settlement time frames can vary with each defendant named in the lawsuit. Some defendants may settle your case in just a few weeks. Other companies may not agree to a settlement until a trial date approaches.
Experienced asbestos attorneys will make your case as strong as possible and fight for you in court in the unlikely event that a settlement can’t be reached.
6. Receive Asbestos Claims Payout
Time frame: Often 90 days or less for the first asbestos claims payouts.
Once the case is resolved through a settlement or trial verdict, you’ll start to receive your asbestos lawsuit payouts.
According to Mealey’s® Litigation Report: Asbestos, the average asbestos payout amount from a mesothelioma settlement ranges from $1 million to $1.4 million, with many families receiving even more than this.
Notable Asbestos Settlement Payouts
- $13.1 millionCarpenter
- $12 millionLaborer
- $10 millionBoiler tender
- $8 millionPipefitter and plumber
All Simmons Hanly Conroy settlement amounts have been fact-checked and verified by our editorial team.
Your attorney will keep you updated through each stage of your lawsuit and work to get you financial compensation as quickly as possible.
How to File an Asbestos Trust Funds Claim
Many families choose to file an asbestos trust fund claim alongside a lawsuit. Trust funds were set up to compensate families who were harmed by asbestos-containing products.
Depending on the nature of your exposure, you may be able to file claims with multiple trusts. Learn the steps to filing a trust fund claim below.
- Choose a mesothelioma law firm. Reputable asbestos law firms have experience filing trust fund claims to get your payout quickly.
- Share your work and medical history. Provide information about where you’ve worked, whether you’ve served in the military, and relevant medical records.
- File claims with trusts. Your attorney will use your information and their expertise to file asbestos trust claims on your behalf.
- Receive asbestos claims payouts. After your claim has been reviewed, you’ll hear from your attorney about the amount you’ll receive and when to expect the first payout.
Our legal partners can help you access asbestos trust funds right now to pursue asbestos claims payouts if you’re eligible.
Factors Affecting Time Frames for Asbestos Claims Payouts
Many factors unique to your case affect if and when you’ll receive asbestos claims payouts. Learn about these factors below.
Asbestos Company Timelines
Some asbestos companies may be motivated to reach settlements quickly, depending on the strength of your evidence and if they have faced other lawsuits in the past. This is why many asbestos compensation claims start to pay out within 90 days or less.
“One check showed up, and then another check showed up, and then another, and they’re still coming in now. It’s been very satisfying, and what I know is that my wife will be taken care of for the rest of her life after I’m gone.”
Statute of Limitations
Statutes of limitations are state laws that limit the amount of time you have to file an asbestos claim or a mesothelioma lawsuit.
Most states set their statute of limitations at 2-3 years from the date you are diagnosed with mesothelioma. However, statutes vary by state and certain case types — such as personal injury and wrongful death claims — often have different deadlines.
Even if you think you’re outside the statute of limitations, it’s helpful to speak with an experienced attorney. They know the laws best and can help explore every path to secure compensation for treatments and other costs.
And if you are outside the statute of limitations, you still may be able to access mesothelioma compensation from asbestos bankruptcy trust funds, which set their own filing deadlines. See if you can access asbestos trust fund compensation now.
State Jurisdictions
In addition to a state’s statute of limitations, some states or court systems hear asbestos lawsuits much sooner than others.
A national mesothelioma law firm can help you file your case in the court system most likely to award you the most compensation in the shortest amount of time.
Trials
In very rare cases when a settlement cannot be reached, the lawsuit must be resolved through a trial. In a trial, the court will evaluate the evidence presented by each side and deliver a mesothelioma verdict.
It can take up to several years for a case to reach a conclusion in an asbestos trial. Because of the length of time and uncertainty of trials, most attorneys will work to get your asbestos claim payouts through settlements or trust funds whenever possible.
Mesothelioma attorneys can help retrieve asbestos claim payouts for you through either trial verdicts or settlements.
Notable Mesothelioma Payout Amounts
Although every case is resolved differently, it can be helpful to see how much compensation other families have received from their mesothelioma claims.
Here are some notable asbestos payouts secured by our partner law firm, Simmons Hanly Conroy.
- $12 million for a laborer in Illinois
- $8 million for a pipefitter and plumber in Texas
- $7 million for a wire installer in California
- $3.4 million for a U.S. Navy veteran in Florida
- $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
“If you’re a victim of this, my advice is to pursue litigation because the big companies knew this was a problem a long way back. The damage it causes is irreversible, and you only have one life. You want to do the best you can for your family.”
How You Can Use Asbestos Claim Payouts
There are no restrictions on what you can do with money recovered through mesothelioma legal claims. In many cases, paying medical bills is the top priority — but everyone and every situation is different.
Some ways asbestos claim payouts can be used include:
- Paying for medical expenses
- Traveling to out-of-state cancer centers
- Covering daily living costs
- Establishing a savings or trust fund to ensure your family is taken care of
- Donating to a cause you care about
- Buying something that will add more joy to your life
Although money can never replace your or your loved one’s health, it can ease the financial pressures that come with a diagnosis.
Get Help With Asbestos Claim Payouts for Mesothelioma
It can feel intimidating to pursue legal action, especially if you haven’t worked with a lawyer before. However, you deserve to be financially supported after your diagnosis — and our team can handle everything needed to file your mesothelioma claim.
We can help you:
- Understand your options based on your unique circumstances
- File a lawsuit quickly and maximize your potential compensation
- Navigate the entire legal process from start to finish
- Start to receive asbestos claims payouts within 90 days in many cases
Call us at (866) 608-8933 to learn more or get started right now with a free case review.
Asbestos Claims Payouts & Timelines FAQs
What is the average settlement for asbestos exposure?
The average asbestos settlement ranges from $1 million to $1.4 million, and the average asbestos verdict ranges from $5 million to $11.4 million, according to Mealey’s® Litigation Report: Asbestos.
The amount awarded in asbestos claims payouts depends on the number of defendants and whether your case is resolved through a settlement or a trial.
What is the average payout for asbestos trust funds?
The average payout from asbestos trust funds for mesothelioma patients is between $300,000 to $400,000. This includes all the trusts a patient is eligible to file a claim with, and will vary based on several factors.
Work with your asbestos lawyer to determine how many trusts you can file with and what your asbestos claims payouts might be.
How long does it take to get a mesothelioma settlement?
Asbestos settlements and trust fund claims often start paying out in 90 days or less. The entire asbestos claims process may take 12-18 months to complete in certain cases.
Your attorney can help you understand when you’ll start to get compensation from asbestos claims payouts.
How do I get compensation for asbestos?
You can work with an attorney to file a claim and get compensation if you have an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma.
Asbestos claim payouts can come in the form of a check or wire transfer. You’ll likely receive multiple asbestos claims payouts, depending on the number of companies named in your lawsuit.
Additionally, you may qualify for compensation from an asbestos trust fund claim. Click here to see if you qualify for asbestos trust fund compensation.
How do you prove asbestos exposure?
When you work with a top mesothelioma attorney, you won’t have to prove your asbestos exposure on your own.
Experienced firms can use information from past claims and databases to prove when, where, and how your asbestos exposure occurred.
You may have to provide employment and medical records to your attorney to help prove exposure in asbestos claims payouts.
How long do you have to make an asbestos claim?
The time limit for making an asbestos claim, known as the statute of limitations, depends on where the lawsuit is filed. Many states set their limit at 2-3 years after diagnosis.
The deadline to file an asbestos claim typically starts from the date of diagnosis or discovery of the illness. However, because statutes vary by state, it’s best to consult an asbestos attorney to understand your potential mesothelioma settlement time frame.
Additionally, mesothelioma trust funds set their own deadlines for filing a claim, so you could still qualify to get compensated even if the statute of limitations has already passed.
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