West Valley City Mesothelioma Lawyer
West Valley City grew through Utah’s industrial boom years. Unfortunately, widespread asbestos exposure came with that growth. If your family is facing a mesothelioma diagnosis, Nemeroff Law Firm can help you explore your options. That understanding can make all the difference.
Hiring a Top-Rated Mesothelioma Lawyer in West Valley City
When a mesothelioma diagnosis affects your family, it’s important to find the right attorney to handle every aspect of your case. From tracking down employment records to negotiating with corporate legal teams, we’ll work for you. Nemeroff Law Firm brings more than 150 years of combined experience to every case we handle in Utah, and we’ve recovered more than $650 million for families nationwide.
Working With a West Valley City Mesothelioma Attorney
- Building a complete picture of your asbestos exposure history, including chemical plant work, construction jobs and any military service in or outside Utah.
- Identifying every liable party, from the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products to the contractors and property owners who put workers in harm’s way.
- Handling every disclosure requirement under Utah law, including a 21-day exposure fact deadline under House Bill 328.
- Filing asbestos trust fund claims with your lawsuit to pursue every available source of compensation.
- Coming to you anywhere in Utah, with home and video visits for those in active treatment.
West Valley City is in the center of Salt Lake County, Utah where chemical plants, refineries, construction operations and manufacturing facilities drove the city’s growth throughout the 20th century. And asbestos was involved in nearly all of these industries.
Salt Lake County’s western corridor, where West Valley City is located, saw some of the heaviest industrial activity in Utah during the mid-20th century. Attorneys who know that history build strong cases.
When Should You Contact a Mesothelioma Attorney?
Contact a mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible after receiving a diagnosis. Utah law generally gives people two years from the time of receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis to file a personal injury claim. Families pursuing wrongful death lawsuits generally have one year from the loss of a loved one. It’s important to speak with a lawyer to ensure your claim is filed on time in Utah or within the statute in another state if your exposure happened somewhere else.
West Valley City workers often built careers that crossed multiple industries and jobsites, sometimes in multiple states. Pinning down where asbestos exposure happened isn’t always straightforward, but at Nemeroff Law Firm we’re experienced in helping people map their exposure history, determine where they should file based on the facts of their case and pursue compensation.
The 2016 Asbestos Litigation Reform Bill requires full disclosure of all asbestos trust fund claims with complete documentation. House Bill 328, passed in 2023, requires plaintiffs to disclose detailed exposure facts within 21 days of filing. Our attorneys stay on top of every requirement, managing your case throughout the process.
Common Types of Asbestos Exposure in West Valley City
West Valley City developed rapidly during the mid-20th century, drawing workers into chemical processing, oil refining, manufacturing and construction at a time when asbestos was heavily used in those industries. The city borders Salt Lake City directly, and many West Valley City residents spent careers commuting between the two, working at refineries, chemical plants and industrial facilities that used asbestos extensively throughout their operations.
Known Asbestos Exposure Sites Near West Valley City
- American Oil Company: Chemical plant operations with documented asbestos use in processing equipment and insulation
- Chevron Chemical Company: Chemical processing operations with asbestos insulation throughout high-heat equipment
- Commercial and industrial buildings: Structures across Salt Lake County built before 1980
- Kennecott Utah Copper: Mining and refining operations with extensive asbestos use throughout the facility
- Standard Oil Refinery in Salt Lake City: Oil refinery operations with documented asbestos exposure among workers
- West Valley City public schools: Pre-1980 school buildings with documented asbestos materials throughout
Chemical plants like American Oil and Chevron operated in the broader Salt Lake County corridor, and construction throughout the city’s rapid growth period relied heavily on asbestos building materials well into the late 1970s. West Valley City public schools built before the 1980s also contain toxic asbestos materials, exposing maintenance workers, custodians and construction crews who worked on those buildings over the decades. Many workers had no idea what they encountered on those job sites until a diagnosis arrived years later.
Utah’s industrial sector relied most heavily on asbestos from the 1940s through the early 1980s. Because mesothelioma takes 20 to 60 years to develop after initial exposure, workers from that era are still receiving diagnoses today.
Jobs and Industries With the Highest Asbestos Exposure Risk in West Valley City
Chemical processing and oil refining gave workers in the West Valley City area significant asbestos exposure risks throughout the mid-20th century. Workers at American Oil, Chevron and Standard Oil facilities handled asbestos insulation on pipes, boilers, valves and processing equipment throughout their careers. Workers who tore out and replaced that insulation faced the greatest risk.
Jobs Linked to Asbestos Exposure in the West Valley City Area
- Boilermakers and power plant operators
- Carpenters, painters and demolition crews
- Chemical plant and refinery workers
- Construction workers, insulators and drywall installers
- Custodians and building maintenance workers
- Electricians and maintenance workers
- Mechanics and equipment repair workers
- Pipefitters and steamfitters
Construction trades also faced significant risk throughout West Valley City’s growth years. The city expanded quickly from the 1950s through the 1970s, and the building materials workers handled during that period regularly contained asbestos. Insulators, carpenters and electricians working on commercial and residential projects were exposed to hazardous asbestos-containing materials on nearly every jobsite.
Many companies operating chemical plants and refineries across Salt Lake County knew about asbestos dangers for decades before regulators forced them to act. Many West Valley City workers developed mesothelioma because of that deliberate concealment.
Secondary Asbestos Exposure in West Valley City
Secondary exposure affects family members who never worked around asbestos directly. Workers at chemical plants and refineries in Salt Lake County, for example, carried microscopic asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin or hair, exposing everyone else in their homes.
The 2021 Utah Supreme Court decision in Boynton v. Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC, established that Utah companies face liability when workers carry asbestos home on their clothing. That ruling matters for West Valley City families. Household members of workers at American Oil, Chevron, Standard Oil and other Salt Lake County facilities may now have grounds for legal claims even without any direct workplace exposure.
Did you live with someone who worked at a chemical plant, refinery or other high-risk job site in the West Valley City area? We can evaluate whether a secondary exposure claim applies to your family’s situation.
How Do I Know if I’m Eligible for Mesothelioma Compensation?
Most families dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis qualify for some form of compensation. The companies that exposed workers to asbestos in West Valley City and across Salt Lake County bear financial responsibility for that decision, and the legal system gives your family a direct path to holding them accountable.
Compensation Categories Available in Mesothelioma Lawsuits
- Funeral and burial expenses (wrongful death lawsuits): Coverage of costs connected to final arrangements and memorial services
- Loss of consortium: Recovery for the impact on spousal relationships, including loss of companionship and support
- Loss of financial support and companionship (wrongful death lawsuits): Compensation for the economic and emotional losses surviving family members carry after a loved one’s death
- Lost wages and earning capacity: Compensation for income that a diagnosis prevents you from earning, calculated on career trajectory and retirement plans
- Medical expenses, past and future: Coverage for surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, clinical trials, medications, home nursing care and ongoing monitoring
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress and the psychological weight of a terminal diagnosis
- Travel costs: Reimbursement for transportation, lodging and meals when traveling to specialized mesothelioma treatment centers
Mesothelioma settlements nationally average between $1 million and $1.4 million, while trial verdicts often reach significantly higher amounts. Compensation amounts vary based on your exposure history, the severity of your diagnosis and the number of liable companies. Nemeroff Law Firm has recovered multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for Utah clients and we know how to build cases that produce real results in Salt Lake County courts.
We pursue every source of compensation your family has access to. We trace liability through the entire chain of distribution to find every company that contributed to your exposure. We file asbestos trust fund claims, pursue VA benefits for veterans and file workers’ compensation claims when applicable.
Asbestos Verdicts and Settlements for West Valley City Clients
Nemeroff Law Firm has secured more than $650 million in asbestos verdicts and settlements for clients across the U.S., including families in Utah with exposure histories tied to chemical plants, refineries and construction sites throughout Salt Lake County. Every case we take gets the same level of preparation, and defendants know our team comes ready for trial.
National Nemeroff Law Firm Mesothelioma Verdicts
- $10.4 million: Collins et al. v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas, mesothelioma verdict in New York
- $10.3 million: Fowers v. Garlock, mesothelioma verdict in California
- $9.25 million: Roberts & Durbin v. Exxon, mesothelioma verdict in Louisiana
- $8.02 million: Nolen v. Foster Wheeler, mesothelioma verdict in California
Our experience litigating against Exxon helps us in West Valley City cases with asbestos exposure from oil refining and chemical processing. Nemeroff Law Firm understands the industries that shaped this city and knows how to connect that history to the defendants who bear responsibility.
Explore your legal options now with a free case review
Steps to Take When Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in West Valley City
Filing a mesothelioma claim in Utah requires an attorney who knows the state’s procedural demands, understands Salt Lake County’s court system and has the resources to move quickly. Our team steps in from day one and handles everything, so your family can stay focused on each other.
Steps to Filing a Mesothelioma Claim in West Valley City
- Free case evaluation: Our attorneys review your diagnosis, exposure history and legal options at no cost and with no obligation.
- Case investigation: We gather medical records and employment history and identify every company responsible for your asbestos exposure.
- Filing the lawsuit: Our team files legal documents against all liable defendants in the correct court before Utah’s statute of limitations expires.
- Discovery phase: Both sides exchange evidence, attorneys take depositions and our team continues building the strongest possible case.
- Settlement negotiations: Most cases resolve through negotiations, which can start at any stage of the process.
- Trial preparation: If defendants don’t offer fair compensation, we prepare fully for courtroom litigation so they know we mean business.
- Resolution: A jury verdict or final settlement agreement closes the case.
Most mesothelioma lawsuits in Utah resolve within 12 to 18 months of filing. Cases involving multiple defendants or complex exposure histories across several industries can take longer, but Nemeroff Law Firm works efficiently to keep things moving without sacrificing the strength of your case.
Get Help From Our Experienced Mesothelioma Attorneys
Nemeroff Law Firm maintains a Salt Lake City office, putting experienced mesothelioma attorneys within reach of every West Valley City family we serve. From your first call, our team gets to work, listening to your story, reviewing your exposure history and laying out every legal option available to you, all at no cost and with no obligation.
Rick Nemeroff, Jennifer Black, D. Carl Money, Barrett Naman and Jeffery O’Connell each give your case the focused attention it deserves. Our firm’s 150+ years of combined experience show up in every negotiation and every courtroom we enter.
We also work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win. Our firm advances every litigation cost, including expert witness fees, court filing expenses and investigation costs. Your family takes on no financial risk when you pursue a claim with us. Call Nemeroff Law Firm today or schedule a free consultation online. et to work on your case.
FAQs on Hiring a Mesothelioma Lawyer in West Valley City
Trial experience in Salt Lake County courts matters. Utah’s strict asbestos litigation requirements, including the 21-day exposure disclosure deadline under House Bill 328, create procedural hurdles that trip up attorneys unfamiliar with the local system.
Nemeroff Law Firm maintains an office in Salt Lake City and has handled mesothelioma cases throughout Utah’s court system. Our attorneys know local judges, understand how Salt Lake County juries evaluate these cases and prepare every case for trial from day one, whether it settles or not.
Many companies that manufactured or distributed asbestos-containing products set up dedicated trust funds before declaring bankruptcy, specifically to compensate people harmed because of their products. More than $30 billion remains available across 60+ active asbestos trust funds nationwide. Nemeroff Law Firm identifies every trust fund your exposure history qualifies for and files those claims with any active litigation, often recovering compensation from multiple sources at the same time.
Yes. Veterans make up roughly one-third of all mesothelioma diagnoses in the U.S. Military service put many West Valley City residents in contact with toxic asbestos through ship insulation, base construction and military equipment. Veterans can pursue VA benefits with a mesothelioma lawsuit or trust fund claim. Nemeroff Law Firm helps veterans and their families pursue every type of compensation they qualify for.
Yes, in certain circumstances. A person diagnosed with mesothelioma can file a personal injury claim. If that person passes away, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim. In some cases, family members who developed mesothelioma through secondary exposure, such as a spouse who handled a worker’s contaminated clothing, can also file their own separate claims. The 2021 Utah Supreme Court decision in Boynton v. Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC, strengthened the legal footing for secondary exposure claims in Utah. Nemeroff Law Firm evaluates every family member’s situation individually to identify every claim worth pursuing.
Barrett Naman
Barrett Naman is a trial attorney at the Nemeroff Law Firm who fights corporate negligence and secures justice for victims.