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Jonathan Rosenfeld
J.D

March 2, 2023

Over $400 Million worth of case results

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Mesothelioma Settlements

Victims in mesothelioma cases recover large sums compared to those in other types of personal injury lawsuits and consistently achieve averages beyond $1,000,000. Below are some examples of mesothelioma settlements.

Turning From Injury to Action: Pursuing Recovery in an Illinois Court of Law

Not long after you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or learn that you were exposed to asbestos, you will begin to wonder what the damage will be. In fact, you might quickly rack up medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.

Cancer is an incredibly serious and complicated illness and it necessitates advanced modern care which can be costly. Thus, many turn to the legal system as a means to recover the money they lost because of this tragic disease. How much can you recover in an Illinois mesothelioma lawsuit?

That question involves a number of legal issues that are all wrinkled by the particular facts and circumstances of your case. However, we know that you need some type of general context when deciding if you should even bring a case at all.

Therefore, we provided some important statistics below related to how past victims of mesothelioma and general asbestos injuries fared in court. Please, do not look at these as an answer to your question. Look at them as a starting point to a larger discussion of what you and your attorney could achieve in a mesothelioma suit.

Illinois Mesothelioma Plaintiff Awards

AmountPercentage of Plaintiffs
$025
$1-$50,0003
$50,000-$100,0001
$100,000-$200,0008
$200,000-$500,0008
$500,000-$1,000,00013
$1,000,000-$2,000,0003
$2,000,000-$5,000,00015
>$5,000,00024

National Mesothelioma Plaintiff Awards

AmountPercentage of Plaintiffs
$027
$1-$50,0004
$50,000-$100,0001
$100,000-$200,0003
$200,000-$500,0005
$500,000-$1,000,0007
$1,000,000-$2,000,00011
$2,000,000-$5,000,00016
>$5,000,00026

The first two tables show you what plaintiffs across the country and in Illinois obtained in litigation for mesothelioma injuries of all sorts. Illinois actually plays host to a high number of cases relative to the national average. When looking at these numbers, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Note Illinois trails the nation in recoveries over $1 million by over 10%.
  • Illinois typically has fewer plaintiffs that recover nothing compared to the national average.
  • Illinois almost doubles the nation in recoveries between $100,000 and $1,000,000.
  • Consequently, plaintiffs across the country receive less than $100,000 at a higher rate (almost 5%) than those in Illinois.

Illinois Asbestos Plaintiff Awards

AmountPercentage of Plaintiffs
$026
$1-$50,00012
$50,000-$100,0002
$100,000-$200,0006
$200,000-$500,00014
$500,000-$1,000,0008
$1,000,000-$2,000,0008
$2,000,000-$5,000,00010
>$5,000,00014

National Asbestos Plaintiff Awards

AmountPercentage of Plaintiffs
$023
$1-$50,00010
$50,000-$100,0003
$100,000-$200,0005
$200,000-$500,0009
$500,000-$1,000,0008
$1,000,000-$2,000,00010
$2,000,000-$5,000,00014
>$5,000,00017

The final two tables illustrate general asbestos claims. They are important because mesothelioma is normally caused by asbestos exposure and inhalation. Again, the national and Illinois figures are provided so you can gain deeper insight. Here are some worthy takeaways:

  • Like in mesothelioma cases, Illinois falls behind the country in recoveries of over $1 million by around 10%.
  • Unlike in mesothelioma cases, Illinois generally has more plaintiffs that obtain nothing in asbestos cases than those that bring actions in other states around the nation.
  • Illinois leads the country in compensation recoveries between $100,000 and $1,000,000 by 6%.
  • Unlike in mesothelioma cases, Illinois plaintiffs recover less than $100,000 in asbestos cases at a higher rate than those in other states.

Mesothelioma Case Awards and Settlements

$1,500,000 ILLINOIS JURY AWARD

This case is typical of many mesothelioma cases. Lots of times, victims were exposed decades earlier. The asbestos that caused their disease arose long ago. The circumstances are hard to remember. The facts get hazy as memories age.

Here, the same problems presented themselves. Two men discovered mesothelioma from asbestos exposures. They were 78 and 64 when they brought the lawsuit. Long ago, they worked for U.S. Steel South Works as electricians. They were union men. The cable they cut and stripped was made by Anaconda Wire & Cable Co.

The two men claimed the wire that Anaconda made had asbestos. As they stripped it, they became exposed to it. That exposure caused their disease. Their main argument was that the company failed to warn them about the dangers of their product.

The disease led to medical bills, shorter lives, pain, and suffering. The older man had hospital bills of around $300,000. The other guy had medical costs of around $100,000. Plus, both of their wives argued for the loss of society and consortium. Anaconda put up a fight.

They corralled the length of time and sketchy facts to their side. Their defense suggested the two men contracted the disease through exposure elsewhere. Who’s to say it wasn’t someone else’s pipes?

Not able to find agreement on the facts, the two sides had to go to court. It was left for a jury to decide how the two men contracted mesothelioma. They adopted the plaintiffs’ tale. They awarded $1.5 million in damages.

$5,564,000 ILLINOIS JURY AWARD

The families of three deceased men brought this case as a group. The men that died were 63, 69, and 73. They were survived by their wives and a number of children. Prior to passing, they each worked at the Union Asbestos & Rubber Company.

Their facility was located in Bloomington, Illinois. The families claimed that the work there exposed the men to asbestos. That exposure gave them mesothelioma which killed them. Further, they contended that the defendant-employer and other companies conspired to keep it a secret.

Allegedly, they made a promise not to tell their respective employees. This failure to warn about possible danger and, in fact, knowledge of actual danger constituted the basis of their wrongful death claims. For compensation, they sought money for the pain the three men felt before dying.

They also sought damages for lost support, companionship, costs, and other losses. The defendants demurred. They tried to disprove that anything they did caused their deaths. The matter went to trial.

Each side put forward its case and testimony. After just a few hours, a jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. The group received about $5.5 million. Here’s what each of the families got.

  • $2,401,000 for the family of the 69-year-old man.
  • $1,303,000 for the family of the 73 -year-old man.
  • $1,860,000 for the family of the 63-year-old man.

$2,000,000 ILLINOIS JURY AWARD.

This was an important case. The man who contracted mesothelioma allegedly did so at a part-time job. For over 20 years, he was a postal worker. To make ends meet, he also worked as a carpenter.

According to his wife, it’s there where the trouble arose. In the suit he filed after his death, she claimed the pipes he used exposed him to asbestos. That exposure led to the disease which took his life according to her. He was diagnosed in his late 60s and died some years after that.

She claimed a loss of consortium, support, and other damages. The defendant had some novel returns. It was the company that made the pipes he used. It said that he could have contracted it through exposure at a young age. For this point, it pointed to materials he might have been around in the home he grew up him.

Alternatively, the defense suggested he might have used pipes not made by them. That would imply another pipe maker was responsible for his disease. Basically, they weren’t going to take the blame. They denied causation which meant a jury would have to look at the matter. After both sides rendered their case, it awarded the woman $2 million in damages. Here’s how they divvied up that sum.

  • $1,000,000 for the decedent’s pain while alive.
  • $250,000 for the way it changed his life.
  • $250,000 for the distress it put him through.
  • $500,000 to the wife for lost consortium

$900,000 ILLINOIS SETTLEMENT

The plaintiff here was the wife of a deceased man. Her husband worked in construction for much of his life. He used all kinds of materials and tools. A lot of his work took him to central Illinois. He did work up by Chicago as well. A few years before his death, his doctor diagnosed him with mesothelioma.

That had to be contracted by asbestos exposure. His wife believed that happened on the job site. She sought relief from the company he worked for. She also sued the maker of some of the materials they used. She alleged the business knew or should have known about the risks its workers face.

Plus, she stated they engaged in a cover-up to keep them working. To the manufacturer, she explained how its warnings were insufficient. In her view, it should have highlighted the risks of asbestos contained in its products. This would have given her husband the chance to act differently and possibly live longer.

Yet, neither of them acted properly in her view, and her husband and she suffered for it. She pleads for economic, non-economic, and wrongful death damages. This case emerged as many others were across the country. The defendants were not eager for it to see the light of the court. Therefore, they agreed to settle for just under $1 million.

$5,519,420 ILLINOIS JURY AWARD

The victim of this mesothelioma case was quite young. He was only in his early 50s when he passed away from the disease. In fact, he didn’t know he had it until about a year earlier. By that point, clearly, it was too late to do anything.

He was survived by a wife and some kids. They brought a lawsuit to recover damages. They alleged that the company he worked for and its insulator supplier conspired together. The plaintiffs thought that the two of them knew about the dangers the workers faced due to asbestos but kept it from them.

Consequently, the victim worked for several years with this insulation. That exposure led to his disease and caused his death. The defendants denied any such conspiracy, cooperation, or responsibility. The matter went to trial. The plaintiffs were able to turn a corporate officer of one of the defendants onto their side. This was crucial in proving their case.

They received a hefty award as a result. Here’s how the jury figured the total.

  • $1,300,000 for the pain of the survivors.
  • $3,750,000 for the wrongful death.
  • $469,420 for the lost consortium and medical bills.

Want to Know More Facts About Mesothelioma Cases?

These facts and figures only tell part of the story surrounding mesothelioma litigation in Illinois and around the United States. If you call our offices at (888) 424-5757, someone from the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can give you a complete understanding of what these suits entail. Plus, we can explain how we can help you on contingency so that you won’t have to worry about paying for our services or any costs whatsoever unless you get the recovery that you deserve.

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