For many years, asbestos exposure has harmed workers and families across the country. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases can change lives in devastating ways. The Lyon Firm works with individuals and families facing these diagnoses, offering experienced guidance and legal support.
With decades of experience, our asbestos lawsuit lawyers have represented clients in Ohio and nationwide who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace, at home, or through consumer products. We pursue compensation and accountability from the companies responsible for allowing unsafe products to reach workers and consumers.
Your health and security are the priority. Contact our asbestos lawsuit attorneys online or call (513) 381-2333 for a free case review and let us be your voice in the pursuit of justice.
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral once prized for its heat resistance and durability. For decades, companies used asbestos in construction, automotive, shipbuilding, and manufacturing products.
The same qualities that made asbestos useful also made it dangerous. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can remain in the body for decades, eventually causing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other illnesses.
Asbestos-Related Diseases and Their Impact
The health effects of asbestos exposure can take decades to appear, sometimes surfacing 20 to 50 years after initial contact with the fibers. Once symptoms develop, these illnesses are serious and life-altering:
- Mesothelioma: A cancer almost always caused by asbestos. It forms in the lining of the lungs or abdomen and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages.
- Lung Cancer: Asbestos fibers can trigger tumors in the lungs. The risk increases for smokers, but non-smokers have also developed lung cancer after exposure.
- Asbestosis: Long-term exposure can scar lung tissue, leading to chronic shortness of breath, chest pain, and higher risks of additional illness.
- Pleural Disease: The lining of the lungs may thicken or fill with fluid, causing pain and breathing difficulties. These conditions are not cancer but can still be debilitating.
- Other Cancers: Research has linked asbestos to cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and colon.
These conditions have been found in workers across many trades, and even in family members who were exposed secondhand. Understanding where exposure most often occurred helps connect today’s illnesses with past work environments.
How Do I Know If I Was Exposed to Asbestos?
Certain jobs placed workers in regular contact with asbestos-containing materials, usually without adequate warning or protective equipment. If you held one of the following jobs, you may have been exposed:
- Construction Worker: Handling insulation, ceiling tiles, drywall, and other asbestos products during demolition or renovation.
- Shipyard Worker: Asbestos was widely used in ship construction and repair, particularly in engine rooms and insulation.
- Power Plant Worker: Boilers, turbines, and piping systems contained asbestos for heat resistance.
- Manufacturing Worker: Workers producing asbestos-based materials were at high risk.
- HVAC Technician: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems can contain asbestos insulation, putting workers at risk when handling or servicing these systems.
If you suspect asbestos exposure in your industrial workplace, it is crucial to seek medical attention and consult asbestos lawsuit lawyers to explore potential compensation and legal options.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
What to Do If You Were Exposed to Asbestos at Work
Workers often do not realize they have been exposed to asbestos until years later, when symptoms of illness appear. Because asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, it is important to act quickly once you suspect exposure.
Steps to take include:
- See a doctor experienced in occupational health. Let them know the details of your job, the building or equipment you worked on, and any protective gear (or lack of it) you were provided. Ask about baseline chest X-rays or lung function tests that can help detect early changes.
- Keep a record of your work history. Write down the job sites, years worked, job titles, and specific materials you handled. For example, insulation removal, boiler maintenance, or demolition work in older buildings often involved asbestos.
- Identify possible witnesses. Co-workers, union representatives, or supervisors who can confirm asbestos use at a site may strengthen a future claim.
- Request employer safety documentation. Companies are required to keep hazard communication records. These can confirm the presence of asbestos on a site or in products.
- Do not disturb suspected asbestos. If you still work around older buildings or equipment, avoid cutting, sanding, or tearing materials that may contain asbestos, as this releases dangerous fibers into the air.
- Consult an asbestos exposure lawyer. An attorney can help determine if you qualify for compensation, preserve evidence, and make sure deadlines to file a claim are not missed.
Even if you cannot remember every job site, or if the company you worked for has since closed, you may still have legal options. Asbestos lawsuit attorneys often rely on exposure databases, union records, and bankruptcy trust funds to trace responsibility back to manufacturers or employers. Decades may have passed, but there are still ways to build a strong case.
Can You Sue for Being Exposed to Asbestos?
Yes. If asbestos exposure resulted in an illness such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have the right to file an asbestos exposure lawsuit. These cases often trace exposures that happened decades earlier, and claims do not depend on whether the original company is still in business.
Families also have the right to take action if a loved one passed away from an asbestos-related disease. Wrongful death claims can help recover damages for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and the suffering caused by preventable exposures.
Compensation may be available through multiple sources. Bankruptcy trusts established by asbestos manufacturers continue to pay victims, while lawsuits can be filed against active companies. Asbestos exposure attorneys use work records, co-worker statements, and industry databases to establish exposure, even when memories or records are incomplete.
Damages can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and wrongful death compensation. Beyond financial recovery, legal action holds companies accountable for failing to protect workers and the public from known hazards.
Mesothelioma and other illnesses have ravaged the lives of countless hardworking Americans across various occupations. It’s despicable that so many have been punished with painful and sometimes terminal conditions only for doing an honest day’s work.
The Lyon Firm has a long history of advocating for asbestos exposure victims, going to great lengths to get our clients the compensation they are entitled to. Contact us online or call (513) 381-2333 to learn how we can help you.
What Does an Asbestos Exposure Attorney Do for My Case?
For decades, asbestos was built into products and worksites across the country. Many companies knew the risks yet failed to protect workers and families. The Lyon Firm holds these companies accountable and works to recover compensation for victims.
Here’s what we do:
- Investigate your asbestos exposure to trace your exposure history and identify all sources, whether from home products or your work environment.
- Gather strong evidence to show the company responsible for your exposure knew about the hazards of asbestos but used it anyway.
- File your claim against the companies that manufactured, sold, and distributed the products that resulted in your illness.
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf, or should settlement negotiations fall short of a satisfactory resolution, fight for you in court to get a fair sum.
“In a desperate life altering crisis, Joe Lyon quietly entered my life. My husband was losing battle with mesothelioma. Joe came respectfully, professionally, kindly and beneficially towards our family. I felt he was Heaven sent. It has been an honor to know and work with Joe.”
—Marlene Beal, Client
Is There a Deadline for Working with Lawyers for Asbestos Claims?
Yes. Each state sets strict deadlines, called statutes of limitations, for filing an asbestos exposure lawsuit. Missing these deadlines can mean losing the right to compensation.
Because asbestos diseases can take decades to appear, the clock usually starts at the time of diagnosis. That makes it important to talk with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Watch: Filing Deadlines for an Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
In this short video, attorney Joe Lyon explains how time limits work in asbestos cases and why acting quickly helps protect your claim.
What Type of Compensation Can an Asbestos Exposure Attorney Help Me Recover?
We understand that no amount of compensation can reverse the damage caused by asbestos, but it can ease the burdens that follow a diagnosis. The Lyon Firm helps victims and families pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses: Coverage for past and future medical treatment related to mesothelioma.
- Pain and suffering: Financial recovery for the intense physical and emotional distress caused by mesothelioma.
- Lost wages: Coverage for past or future income lost due to the inability to work because of your illness.
- Wrongful death: Compensation for surviving family members in the event of a loved one’s death.
- Punitive damages: Additional monetary awards intended to punish the company responsible for your asbestos exposure.
Additionally, there are options available to you outside of an asbestos exposure lawsuit. Several trust funds have been established by asbestos companies to provide financial relief to victims and their families, even if the responsible company has filed for bankruptcy.
What Can I Expect in an Asbestos Exposure Settlement or Verdict?
The value of an asbestos case depends on factors such as the extent of exposure, the illness diagnosed, and the role a company played in allowing exposure.
Across the country, settlements in asbestos cases often range from $1 million to $2 million, while jury verdicts may reach $5 million or more. While no outcome is guaranteed, asbestos settlements and verdicts can be substantial.
Below are just a few examples of the impressive outcomes achieved by asbestos lawsuit lawyers at The Lyon Firm on behalf of our clients:
- $2.7 million awarded to a surviving spouse in a mesothelioma case tied to steel mill work.
- $2.3 million secured for the family of a former AK Steel employee after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
- $1 million obtained in a mesothelioma claim linked to occupational exposure.
According to the Martindale-Nolo study, injury victims with an attorney recovered an average of $77,600, compared to $17,600 for those without legal help. In asbestos cases involving multiple companies and exposures from decades past, an attorney is critical to maximizing compensation.
How Much Do Asbestos Lawsuit Attorneys Cost?
The Lyon Firm recognizes that asbestos-related illnesses bring overwhelming financial uncertainty. Asbestos exposure can disrupt your ability to provide for your family or can tragically take away a loved one who contributed to your family’s finances.
That’s why we work on a contingency fee system, meaning you don’t pay a cent unless we secure compensation. You can prioritize your health and family without added financial worry.
“I want everyone, regardless of their financial situation, to have a fair chance at justice. Our firm believes that costs should never be a barrier to relief for asbestos exposure victims.”
Joe Lyon,
Founding Partner of the Lyon Firm
Asbestos-Related Disease Resources
For individuals and families seeking more information about asbestos exposure and related illnesses, the following resources may be helpful:
- National Cancer Institute (NCI): Offers detailed information on mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Provides workplace safety standards and asbestos exposure guidelines.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Resources on asbestos in schools, buildings, and the environment.
- American Lung Association: Education and support for patients with lung disease, including asbestosis.
- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation: Advocacy, research updates, and patient support programs.
These resources can help patients understand their condition, access medical guidance, and find community support while exploring legal options with an experienced attorney.
Why Choose The Lyon Firm?
The Lyon Firm has represented thousands of individuals nationwide in toxic exposure cases, securing millions in compensation. Joe Lyon has personally met with clients in their homes and hospital rooms to better understand their circumstances and fight for fair outcomes.
Our firm combines personal attention with deep experience in asbestos litigation. From tracing exposures that happened decades ago to navigating bankruptcy trust claims and lawsuits against active companies, we have the resources to build strong cases for victims and families.
Fill out the form here or call (513) 381-2333 to learn how we can help with your asbestos exposure lawsuit.