Washington Mesothelioma & Asbestos Lawyer
Washington is home to numerous large employers that manufactured or processed asbestos products, resulting in a significantly higher death rate from asbestos-related illnesses than the national average. The Lanier Law Firm helps Washington residents diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses seek justice from the companies that wrongfully exposed them.
Legally Reviewed By: Darron E. Berquist
Managing Attorney | Asbestos Litigation
- Page Last Updated:
- August 15, 2025
Legally Reviewed By: Darron Berquist
Managing Attorney | Asbestos Litigation
- Page Last Updated:
- August 15, 2025
Why Our Washington Mesothelioma Lawyers Are the Best Choice To Get Results
Our Featured Washington Mesothelioma & Asbestos Attorneys
What Washington Industries Had Asbestos Exposure?
Are Workers the Only People at Risk of Asbestos Exposure in Washington?
What Compensation Is Available for Mesothelioma and Asbestos in Washington?
What Is the Time Limit To File an Asbestos Exposure Claim in Washington?
How Can a Washington Mesothelioma Lawyer at the Lanier Law Firm Help With My Claim?
Victim Resources: Where to Seek Mesothelioma Treatment in Washington
Why Our Washington Mesothelioma Lawyers Are the Best Choice To Get Results
Our mesothelioma law firm has recovered more than $20 billion in damages for injured individuals, including a $4.69 billion verdict against the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, whose asbestos-contaminated baby powder caused 22 women to contract ovarian cancer.
Our attorneys have achieved individual mesothelioma settlements in Washington ranging from $750,000 to $1 million. This represents a small portion of the compensation our deserving clients have recovered during our 30 years of asbestos litigation.
Recognized by Clients and Peers for Outstanding Mesothelioma Litigation
The Lanier Law Firm is nationally recognized for the results we achieve for clients and for getting mesothelioma and asbestos cases trial ready from day one. Our peers have recognized our lawyers with honors such as:
- Tier I Best Law Firm by U.S. News
- Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers
- Trial Lawyer of the Year by National Trial Lawyers
- Elite Trial Lawyers Award by the National Law Journal
- Top 50 Most Influential Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers
- Super Lawyers by Thomson-Reuters
Learn more about why you should hire a lawyer from the Lanier Law Firm from our very own Darron E. Berquist, who is the Managing Attorney of the Asbestos Litigation practice of our firm and Senior Litigation Counsel, Sam E. Taylor.
Our Featured Washington
Mesothelioma & Asbestos Attorneys
Senior Attorney, Asbestos Exposure
Megan joined the Asbestos Litigation Issues and Appeals section of The Lanier Law Firm in 2012 as a well-seasoned attorney advocating on behalf of the victims of asbestos exposure at other well-recognized plaintiffs’ firms. She is a native Texan but has represented clients all over the country.
Senior Attorney, Asbestos Exposure
Case is a fervent advocate and passionate litigator who has successfully litigated several mesothelioma cases to verdict. He has performed extensive research on the asbestos industry and its harmful products and served as a trial and appellate attorney for clients exposed to asbestos in a variety of circumstances, including veterans of the United States Armed Services.
What Washington Industries Had Asbestos Exposure?
Workers in Washington faced significant asbestos exposure in a variety of industries, primarily due to asbestos’s versatility and unique properties. Asbestos was known as a “miracle mineral” because of its tensile strength, fire and heat resistance, insulating properties, and chemical inertia, making it useful across multiple sectors. The following industries had the highest levels of asbestos exposure:
- Shipbuilding
- Airplane manufacturing and maintenance
- Oil refineries
- Die casting facilities
- Drywall and flooring manufacturers
- Steel mills
- Paper mills
- Power plants
- Industrial facilities
- Home construction and renovation companies
- Automotive brake and clutch shops
- Construction companies
What Are the Jobs With the Highest Risk of Asbestos Exposure in Washington?
Washington workers with the following job titles before 1980 may have been exposed to asbestos:
- Insulators
- Pipefitters
- Welders
- Boiler workers
- Furnace workers
- Electricians
- Millwrights
- Foremen
- Construction Workers
- Mechanics
- Laborers at Industrial Facilities
- Firefighters
Which Washington Companies Exposed Workers to Asbestos?
Companies in Washington with significant occupational asbestos exposure include the following:
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
- Boeing
- ConocoPhillips
- Tosco
- Mobil
- General Petroleum
- Tesoro
- Royal Dutch Shell
- Equilon Enterprises
- Texaco
- US Oil
- BP
- ARCO
Washington is home to a quarter of the 117 shipyards located in the United States, any of which could have exposed workers to significant levels of asbestos.
Are Workers the Only People at Risk of
Asbestos Exposure in Washington?
Workers are not the only individuals exposed to asbestos. Anyone can be exposed to building components and consumer goods containing asbestos. Although asbestos is often encased in materials like cement, microscopic asbestos fibers can be released into the air through several processes:
- Wear and tear
- Drilling or cutting into the product
- Destruction of asbestos-containing materials, such as during building renovations, demolitions, or fires
Home and automobile owners who perform their own repairs may be unaware of the presence or risks of asbestos and may unknowingly cut into materials containing asbestos.
Secondary Asbestos Exposure in Washington
Washington workers exposed to asbestos may unintentionally bring home asbestos fibers, exposing family members. Schoolchildren may be exposed to asbestos in buildings with worn floor tiles. Nearly anyone can be unknowingly exposed to asbestos.
What Compensation Is Available for Mesothelioma and Asbestos in Washington?
There are many mesothelioma and asbestos compensation options available for victims of exposure in Washington. The amount may be substantial but it depends on the type of claim you are eligible to file. Many of our clients have had multiple exposure sources and qualify for more than one of the following mesothelioma claims:
Washington Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
If you qualify for an asbestos-exposure lawsuit, you may be eligible to claim economic, noneconomic, and punitive damages.
- These damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
Can I File a Lawsuit if My Loved One Passed Away as a Result of an Asbestos-Related Illness?
In the tragic loss of a family member, your family may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Washington. In a mesothelioma wrongful death claim, you might recover the following additional damages:
- Burial expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Loss of support
- Loss of companionship
Discover what happens during a mesothelioma lawsuit with the Lanier Law Firm from our founder and top civil trial lawyer, Mark Lanier.
Washington Asbestos Trust Fund Claims
Washington companies that exposed their workers to asbestos began to face significant liability from the vast numbers of claims filed by affected workers and their families once the public became aware of the link between asbestos exposure and the related diseases.
Many of these companies responded by filing for bankruptcy. Section 524(g) of the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code requires bankrupt asbestos companies to establish trust funds for asbestos exposure claimants.
As a result, if a company that exposed you to asbestos has filed for bankruptcy, you may be eligible to file a trust fund claim and receive compensation faster than filing a lawsuit.
Asbestos Trust Fund Compensation and Multiple Claims
Trust fund compensation may include economic and noneconomic damages. Oftentimes, the number of claims received by the asbestos trust funds has far exceeded the numbers initially anticipated. As a result, many of the trust funds are paying a percentage of the claim values. In these cases, this results in claimants receiving pennies on the dollar.
How Can We Help Those Exposed by Bankrupt Asbestos Companies in Washington?
The Washington mesothelioma attorneys at The Lanier Law Firm can help you maximize your trust fund claim and, in many cases, find additional sources of exposure so you can file multiple compensation claims.
VA Claims for Washington Veterans
If your asbestos exposure occurred while you were serving active duty in the military, you may qualify for compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs. If your claim is successful, you will qualify for free medical care and monthly disability compensation.
You cannot sue the military for asbestos exposure. However, in addition to filing a claim for VA benefits, you may qualify to file a lawsuit or trust fund claim against the companies that sold asbestos-containing materials to the military.
Workers’ Compensation Claims in Washington
If you were exposed to asbestos as an employee in Washington, you may qualify for a workers’ compensation claim. Those eligible for workers’ compensation cannot file a lawsuit against the employer because the workers’ compensation laws protect employers from additional liability.
However, in the Washington asbestos exposure case of Walston versus Boeing Co., the court ruled that you can sue an employer if you can prove the employer knowingly caused an injury. Many asbestos companies knew about the risks associated with asbestos exposure and actively concealed this information for decades.
What Is the Time Limit To File an Asbestos
Exposure Claim in Washington?
The asbestos lawsuit statute of limitations in Washington is generally three years from the date of diagnosis. However, this can vary. The asbestos trust funds establish their own statutes of limitations, and many use the state statute of limitations for lawsuits.
The deadline to file a workers’ compensation claim in Washington is two years from the date of diagnosis. The VA does not impose a deadline for VA claims.
Regardless of the time frame, it is crucial to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer in Washington as soon as possible after your diagnosis rather than waiting for the statute of limitations to approach. Your attorney will need time to investigate and prepare your case before it can be filed.
How Can a Washington Mesothelioma Lawyer at the Lanier Law Firm Help With My Claim?
Our award-winning attorneys can help victims pursue legal action against those who exposed them to asbestos. This includes identifying all sources of exposure to recover the total amount of compensation you are due.
Many of our clients are surprised by their diagnoses because they were unaware they had been exposed to asbestos. The Lanier Law Firm has built extensive databases of asbestos products, companies, and internal company documents, including those made public in court cases and documents our private investigators have discovered.
In addition to identifying exposure sources, The Lanier Law Firm can provide vigorous representation to ensure you receive maximum compensation. We will ensure your claim is filed timely and correctly. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Victim Resources: Where to Seek Mesothelioma Treatment in Washington
Treatment of asbestos-related illnesses should be provided by specialists with experience attending to patients whose conditions were caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that few doctors have experience diagnosing or treating.
Specialized mesothelioma treatment centers participate in clinical studies and offer comprehensive care, including the most up-to-date mesothelioma treatment methodologies, comfort measures, and emotional support for the patient and family.
The Fred Hutch Cancer Center at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the region’s leading cancer care center, has a mesothelioma treatment program and is rated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. U.S. News & World Report ranks it as one of the top 10 facilities in the nation for adult cancer care.
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