Mesothelioma & Asbestos Lawyers in Illinois

Asbestos Exposure in Illinois

Illinois ranks #8 nationally in cumulative mesothelioma deaths. The state's industrial history — steel mills, oil refineries, asbestos product manufacturing, naval bases, and a dense rail and shipping corridor along Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River — produced one of the heaviest worker exposure footprints in the country. Three Illinois sites alone account for thousands of confirmed asbestos-disease cases:

• Johns-Manville Waukegan (Lake County) — 60+ years of asbestos textile, paper, and insulation manufacturing. One of the most heavily-litigated asbestos sites in U.S. history.
• UNARCO/Ford City Plant (Cook County, Chicago) — manufactured Kaylo asbestos insulation using crocidolite (blue asbestos) — the most carcinogenic fiber type — until 1970.
• Granite City Steel (Madison County) — operating since 1893 with continuous heavy asbestos use for furnace and pipe insulation. OSHA cited the operator multiple times under 29 CFR 1910.1001.

Beyond these three, Illinois workers were exposed at petroleum refineries (ExxonMobil Joliet, Citgo Lemont), at Western Electric's Hawthorne Works in Cicero (the largest U.S. manufacturing facility through the 1920s), at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (now an EPA Superfund site), at coal-fired power plants throughout the state, and on construction sites that used asbestos-cement transite pipe and spray-applied fireproofing into the 1980s.

Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyers — How We Help

Whitman Mesothelioma Law Firm represents Illinois mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer victims and their families. Our attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience and have recovered more than $2 billion for clients nationwide. We handle cases in every Illinois county — Cook, Will, Lake, Madison, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Winnebago, and beyond — without requiring clients to travel to our offices. Depositions can be conducted from home via video, and our attorneys travel to clients.

Reviewed by Michelle Whitman, Lead Mesothelioma Attorney. Michelle has spent over 20 years exclusively on asbestos litigation since her admission to the Texas Bar in 2001, and is recognized by Super Lawyers for her work in this field.

Compensation Available to Illinois Victims

Three separate compensation tracks are typically available to Illinois mesothelioma victims:

1. Lawsuits against asbestos product manufacturers and premise owners. Settlements average $1.0–$1.4 million; Illinois jury verdicts in mesothelioma cases have exceeded $5 million in multiple recent cases. Madison County, Illinois has historically been one of the most plaintiff-friendly venues in the country for asbestos litigation, though venue rules now require a closer connection to the county for filing.
2. Asbestos trust fund claims. 60+ active trusts hold over $30 billion in compensation. Illinois workers exposed at Johns-Manville Waukegan or via UNARCO/Ford City products typically qualify for the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust and the UNARCO Asbestos Trust, plus 8–10 other trusts simultaneously based on additional product exposures.
3. VA disability benefits for veterans. Mesothelioma is rated 100% by the VA. Illinois is home to Naval Station Great Lakes (Lake County), and many Illinois veterans served on asbestos-laden ships and bases.

These tracks run in parallel and do not reduce each other. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

How an Illinois Mesothelioma Lawsuit Works

Investigation and Filing

Our attorneys investigate every Illinois client's complete work history to identify all exposure sources, named employers, and asbestos-containing products. We pull OSHA inspection records, Manville Trust facility lists, and union records. The complaint is then filed in the most strategically favorable Illinois venue based on case facts.

Discovery and Depositions

Defendants produce documents about asbestos use at facilities and in products. We depose corporate witnesses, product-identification experts, industrial hygienists, and treating physicians. Plaintiff depositions can be conducted from home.

Trial or Settlement

Most Illinois mesothelioma cases resolve through settlement within 12–18 months. Cases that proceed to trial in Illinois state courts have produced significant verdicts in Madison County, Cook County, and downstate venues.

Illinois-Specific Legal Considerations

Statute of Limitations: 735 ILCS 5/13-202

Illinois imposes a 2-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims, including mesothelioma. The discovery rule applies — the clock begins at diagnosis, not exposure. For wrongful-death claims, 2 years from death. Do not delay. Missing the deadline extinguishes the claim permanently.

Madison County Venue Reform

Illinois reformed its venue rules in 2019 (P.A. 100-1116) to require a stronger connection to the chosen county. Madison County remains an asbestos-litigation hub, but cases must demonstrate the connection. Our attorneys evaluate every Illinois venue (Madison, St. Clair, Cook, Will, federal court) when selecting where to file.

Comparative Fault

Illinois follows modified comparative fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). A plaintiff's recovery is reduced by their percentage of fault, and barred entirely if the plaintiff is more than 50% at fault. In mesothelioma cases, this is rarely a meaningful issue — workers cannot have been "at fault" for the asbestos products their employers used.

Illinois Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Illinois has multiple specialized mesothelioma treatment programs:

• University of Chicago Medicine — Comprehensive cancer center with thoracic oncology mesothelioma program.
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital / Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center — Chicago, multidisciplinary mesothelioma care.
• Rush University Medical Center — Chicago thoracic oncology program.
• Loyola University Medical Center — Maywood, surgical thoracic oncology.
• Carle Cancer Institute — Urbana, central Illinois option.

Mesothelioma compensation can include treatment costs at these centers and elsewhere, including lost wages and out-of-pocket medical expenses.