Seattle Mesothelioma Lawyer

Seattle’s shipyards and industrial sites exposed thousands of workers to asbestos. If you or a loved one has a mesothelioma diagnosis, the Nemeroff Law Firm’s Seattle mesothelioma lawyers are here to help.

Explore your legal options now with a free case review

Why Hire a Seattle Mesothelioma Lawyer?

Working with a skilled Seattle mesothelioma lawyer improves your chances of securing significant compensation. A lawyer with experience managing the challenges of asbestos litigation is prepared to identify all legal options in your case, negotiate favorable settlements and argue your case in court, if necessary. Compensation can help cover treatment, travel for medical care, lost wages and other diagnosis-related expenses. 

Working With Seattle Mesothelioma Attorneys

• Case building: We gather medical records, employment documents and witness statements to build the strongest possible claim for you.
• Convenience for clients: The Nemeroff Law Firm’s Seattle office means you have local representation with the resources of a nationally recognized firm behind you.
• Exposure investigation: We review your full work history, identify Seattle-area jobsites and link your exposure to specific asbestos-containing products and the companies responsible.
• Filing your case: Exposure may have happened in Seattle, another Washington city or even another state. Our experienced attorneys know where to file depending on the details of your case.
• Local court knowledge: Seattle mesothelioma cases typically go through King County Superior Court. An attorney who knows the court’s procedures has a real advantage.

Our mesothelioma attorneys combine their knowledge of the city’s history of asbestos exposure in shipbuilding, manufacturing and industrial work and experience in local courts to help you. Our team knows the jobsites and employers in Seattle responsible for asbestos exposure. We have a record of success, securing more than $650 million in verdicts and settlements for clients across the country, including Washington state.

When Do You Need to Hire a Seattle Mesothelioma Attorney?

The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner they can get to work immediately, gathering evidence and building your case. It takes time to investigate your full exposure history and identify all asbestos products and companies involved in your case, all critical details when pursuing compensation.

Washington’s statute of limitations is 3 years from diagnosis to file a personal injury lawsuit or from the loss of a loved one to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Your lawyer can make sure your claim is filed on time, assess if any exceptions to the deadline apply in your case or determine if the location of your exposure or headquarters of the defendant means your case needs to be filed in a different state. 

Our Seattle mesothelioma lawyers will meet with you as soon as possible for a free consultation to quickly review all legal options available to you to pursue justice and every dollar you deserve. We’ll meet with you in your home or wherever is most convenient for you.

Asbestos Exposure in Seattle

Seattle’s position as a major Pacific Coast port city made it a hub for shipbuilding, manufacturing and industrial work throughout the 20th century. Those industries relied heavily on asbestos, putting thousands of Seattle workers at risk for many decades. The EPA reported that 33 locations in Washington received asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from a mine in Libby, Montana, with most shipments going to Seattle and Spokane. Between 1948 and 1993, approximately 63,611 tons of vermiculite arrived in Washington.

Sites Known for Asbestos Exposure in Seattle

• Duwamish Shipyard: The Duwamish Shipyard operated in Seattle and exposed workers to asbestos throughout its operation. Workers built and repaired commercial vessels, including tugboats and barges, with asbestos present throughout each ship.
• Harbor Island Shipyard: A Washington state jury awarded $4.25 million in 2019 to former shipyard worker Douglas Everson and his wife after Everson developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure at work. He worked as a marine electrician in the 1970s at a Lockheed shipyard on Harbor Island in Washington.
• Todd Shipyards, Seattle: Todd Shipyards Corporation operated a yard in Seattle, where workers built and repaired ships that contained asbestos throughout their construction.
• Vigor Shipyards, Seattle: Vigor Industrial acquired Todd Shipyards in February 2011, continuing operations at the Seattle site where workers doing demolition and repair work still encounter legacy asbestos materials.

Seattle’s older commercial and residential buildings also present asbestos risks. Many structures built before 1980 contain asbestos in insulation, flooring, ceiling tiles and roofing materials. Construction and renovation workers who disturb those legacy asbestos materials today still face exposure risk.

Inhaled microscopic asbestos fibers can lodge in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, and cause diseases like mesothelioma. The latency period for mesothelioma is 20 to 60 years, so symptoms appear decades after initial exposure. So Seattle residents can be diagnosed today because of worksite exposure from decades ago.

Occupations & Industries Known for Asbestos Exposure in Seattle

Seattle’s economy built itself around shipbuilding, maritime trade, construction and manufacturing, all industries with significant historic asbestos use. According to a 2003 Wall Street Journal report, veterans’ legal claims make up 26% of mesothelioma lawsuits filed for exposure in military and shipyard construction. Seattle’s location on Puget Sound made it a natural center for that industry, putting generations of local workers at risk.

Occupations with Known Asbestos Exposure in Seattle

• Boilermakers
• Construction workers
• Dockworkers
• Electricians
• Insulation installers
• Machinists
• Navy veterans
• Pipefitters
• Plumbers
• Shipbuilders
• Sheet metal workers
• Welders

Many Seattle workers in these roles have successfully pursued compensation from the companies responsible for their asbestos exposure. Workers didn’t need to handle asbestos directly to face exposure. In Seattle’s shipyards and construction sites, airborne fibers spread to anyone working nearby. Family members also faced secondary exposure when workers brought fibers home on their clothing and skin, resulting in mesothelioma diagnoses. If you have a mesothelioma diagnosis, the Nemeroff Law Firm can help you understand your options.

Asbestos Exposure & Mesothelioma: Seattle & Washington State at a Glance

Indicators	Figure	Source
Washington’s national ranking for mesothelioma deaths	No. 10	CDC
Washington’s national ranking for mesothelioma cases	No. 15	CDC
Washington’s mesothelioma death rate, 1999–2015	Exceeded 20 deaths per million people per year	CDC
Washington’s mesothelioma incidence rate (2021)	0.9 per 100,000 people	CDC/USCS Working Group
Asbestos-containing vermiculite shipped to Washington, 1948–1993	63,611 tons, mostly to Seattle and Spokane	EPA
Share of mesothelioma cases nationally linked to secondary exposure	30%	Journal of Lung Health and Diseases
Share of mesothelioma lawsuits military veterans filed for exposure in military and shipyard construction	26%	Wall Street Journal

Secondary Asbestos Exposure in Seattle

Not everyone with a mesothelioma diagnosis worked directly with asbestos. A Journal of Lung Health and Diseases study found 30% of mesothelioma cases in the U.S. result from secondhand exposure. In Seattle, where so many workers spent careers in shipyards and on construction sites, secondary exposure affected many families.

Secondary exposure happens when workers carry hazardous asbestos fibers home on their clothing, hair or skin. Family members who handled contaminated laundry, embraced a worker after a shift or spent time in spaces where work clothes were stored could have inhaled those fibers without knowing it. 

If you developed mesothelioma and a family member worked in a high-risk Seattle industry, speak to a Seattle asbestos attorney about pursuing compensation. A King County Court jury awarded $1.1 million in 2013 to Phyllis Granville after she developed mesothelioma from contact with dust while laundering her husband’s contaminated work clothes. Her case reflects a pattern that affected many Seattle families, particularly spouses and children of shipyard and construction workers.

What Type of Compensation Am I Entitled To?

People diagnosed with mesothelioma in Seattle may be eligible to pursue several types of financial compensation simultaneously. Compensation can help cover diagnosis-related expenses. An experienced attorney with Nemeroff Law will help you identify every option available to you.

Most mesothelioma settlements range from $1 million to $2 million. Trial verdicts average significantly higher at $20.7 million, according to the Mealey’s Litigation Report. But only about 5% of mesothelioma lawsuits reach a jury verdict. No two cases are the same, and individual results vary.

Beyond lawsuits, Seattle residents may also pursue asbestos trust fund claims. Trust fund claims generally resolve faster than lawsuits, typically within 3 to 6 months, compared to 1 and 3 years for a lawsuit. Many people pursue both options simultaneously. Veterans who developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure during military service may also qualify for VA benefits in addition to legal claims.

Notable Mesothelioma Settlements Nemeroff Law Firm Secured

The Nemeroff Law Firm has a strong record of securing meaningful compensation for clients across the country, including Washington state. Here are examples of verdicts the firm has won for people diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Lawsuits & Settlements Won by Nemeroff Law

• $65.6 million verdict in Falloon et al. v. Westinghouse Electric Corp et al., New York
• $55.5 million verdict in Hernandez v. Kelly Moore Paint Company, Texas
• $12 million verdict in Frederick Schulte v. Crown Cork & Seal, Inc., Louisiana
• $10 million verdict in Schroeder v. Melrath Gasket, Inc. et al., Pennsylvania

The mesothelioma settlements and asbestos verdicts we’ve secured for our clients show our ability to take on major corporations and win. We’re here to work for you and your family.

Filing a Mesothelioma Claim in Seattle

Filing a mesothelioma claim in Seattle begins with a free case evaluation. From there, we’ll build a legal strategy based on your unique exposure history, medical records and the companies responsible for your asbestos exposure. Seattle claims usually go through King County Superior Court, though your attorney may identify other jurisdictions depending on where your exposure occurred or where the companies responsible operated.

Steps to Filing a Seattle Mesothelioma Claim

1. Evidence gathering: Your legal team collects medical records, employment history, witness statements and documentation linking your diagnosis to specific Seattle job sites and asbestos products.
2. Filing your claim: Your attorney files personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits in the appropriate court, most often King County Superior Court, and submits any eligible asbestos trust fund claims at the same time.
3. Free case evaluation: Your attorney reviews your diagnosis, work history and exposure details to determine your legal options and the best path forward.
4. Negotiation or trial: Your attorney negotiates a settlement with the liable companies or takes your case to trial if a fair settlement isn’t reached.

Our experienced asbestos lawyers are familiar with King County’s courts and understand Seattle’s industrial history. Whether your exposure happened at a Seattle shipyard, a construction site or elsewhere in Washington, speak with our team right away to explore all of your options.

What Is It Like to Work With Our Mesothelioma Law Firm?

When you work with the Nemeroff Law Firm’s Seattle office, you get an entire team to handle every aspect of your case from day one. You don’t need to worry about paperwork, court filings or negotiating with defendants on your own. We come to you, whether that means meeting at our Seattle office or traveling to your home. We’ll handle every aspect of your case.

The Nemeroff Law Firm has more than 150 years of collective experience and has secured more than $650 million in verdicts and settlements nationwide. Rick Nemeroff, Jennifer Black and our team of dedicated mesothelioma attorneys are knowledgeable about Seattle’s shipyards, King County’s courts and the companies that put Washington workers at risk for asbestos. 

We work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless we win. Your financial situation doesn’t determine your access to experienced legal help. Seattle families facing a mesothelioma diagnosis deserve a legal team that understands what’s at stake.

Frequently Asked Questions About Seattle Mesothelioma Claims