Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits in New Jersey
Mesothelioma law firms can help file lawsuits for asbestos victims in New Jersey. Residents in more than 100 New Jersey cities and towns have filed lawsuits against asbestos companies. These cases relate to the manufacture, use or sale of products that contained asbestos fibers.
Key Facts
- A mesothelioma victim has two years from the date of their diagnosis to file a mesothelioma lawsuit, and the family of a deceased mesothelioma victim has two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim on the victim’s behalf.
- Attorneys’ fees for mesothelioma lawsuits filed in New Jersey are capped at 33 1/3% for the first $500,000 recovered, 30% for the next $500,000 recovered, 25% for the next $500,000 recovered, and 20% for any recovery over $2,000,000.
- Johnson & Johnson is headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and is facing over 60,000 talc powder lawsuits filed by victims of mesothelioma and other cancers.
New Jersey is home to many industrial sites where workers were historically exposed to asbestos. The state is also home to Johnson & Johnson, whose talcum powder was known to have been contaminated with asbestos. Attorneys can help make claims against solvent asbestos companies and against asbestos trust funds. Bankrupt companies create these trusts to compensate people harmed by asbestos.
Mesothelioma diagnoses and deaths in New Jersey are among the highest in the nation. As of 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 2,964 mesothelioma diagnoses in the state between 1999 and 2021. Within New Jersey, Middlesex County ranks among the top 10 jurisdictions in the country for mesothelioma filings.
Who Is Eligible to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in New Jersey?
New Jersey residents who develop asbestos illnesses from occupational and secondary exposures may be able to file personal injury lawsuits. Families may file wrongful death lawsuits if loved ones pass from mesothelioma.
Asbestos Exposure in New Jersey
New Jersey manufacturing plants, shipyards, oil refineries and power plants posed asbestos risks for workers. The Johns-Manville factory was one of the biggest sites for asbestos exposure in New Jersey. The asbestos manufacturing facility opened in 1912, and the town of Manville was named after it. At the company’s peak during World War II, around 4,500 people worked at the plant.
The average employee had 30 years of service with Johns-Manville. Many breathed asbestos fibers into their lungs regularly. More than 16,000 lawsuits were pending against the asbestos producer when it filed for bankruptcy in 1982.
New Jersey residents have filed mesothelioma lawsuits to seek compensation from manufacturers and distributors of asbestos in numerous cities and towns across the state. The following cities and towns in New Jersey have been home to multiple mesothelioma victims who have filed lawsuits:
- Bayonne, NJ
- Belford, NJ
- Bloomfield, NJ
- Cherry Hill, NJ
- Clifton, NJ
- Cranford, NJ
- Deptford, NJ
- Dover, NJ
- Franklinville, NJ
- Hammonton, NJ
- Harrison, NJ
- Hoboken, NJ
- Howell, NJ
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kearny, NJ
- Linden, NJ
- Manchester, NJ
- Monroe Township, NJ
- Newark, NJ
- Northvale, NJ
- Ocean City, NJ
- Perth Amboy, NJ
- Randolph, NJ
- Saddle River, NJ
- Somers Point, NJ
- Toms River, NJ
- Trenton, NJ
- Turnersville, NJ
- Union, NJ
Deadlines for Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in New Jersey
To file an asbestos lawsuit, people should speak to an experienced lawyer. A lawyer can help people meet any deadlines to preserve their claims. Mesothelioma attorneys can also do the time-consuming work of lawsuit preparation. Their tasks include investigating claims, gathering evidence and recommending compensation options.
This legal assistance helps residents affected by asbestos file personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. The state has statutes of limitations that affect these types of lawsuits. This means a lawsuit must be filed within a certain amount of time after diagnosis or death.
Lawyers can help asbestos victims explore all their legal options. It is best to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible to preserve all options. This may include asbestos trust fund claims. A New Jersey mesothelioma law firm can help identify appropriate funds, determine eligibility and file with the trust.
Filing VA Claims in New Jersey
In 2022, nearly 280,000 veterans were living in New Jersey. Historically, military service has carried significant asbestos exposure risks. As a result, service members from the Navy, Marines and other military branches have developed asbestos illnesses.
Veterans with service-related asbestos diseases may qualify for monthly benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). They may also be able to file lawsuits against asbestos companies or make trust fund claims. Asbestos law firms can help veterans and their loved ones understand their options and handle the filing process for both VA benefits and asbestos lawsuits.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
Top Mesothelioma Law Firms in New Jersey
People in New Jersey harmed by asbestos-related illnesses can get help from dedicated mesothelioma law firms. Lawyers at these firms understand the history and impact of asbestos exposure in New Jersey. These lawyers can help people trace the companies responsible for exposures that caused victims’ diseases.
Asbestos attorneys have filed hundreds of lawsuits on behalf of New Jerseyans. They have the resources and experience to build strong asbestos lawsuits seeking compensation.
More Information About These Top New Jersey Mesothelioma Law Firms
These mesothelioma lawyers work diligently to secure compensation for asbestos victims. They also help provide a sense of reassurance and peace of mind. Law firms can take the legal concerns that come with asbestos illnesses off victims’ shoulders. This help allows victims to put their energy into treatment and spending time with loved ones.
- ELSM: Early Lucarelli Sweeney & Meisenkothen has two attorneys licensed in New Jersey including partner Mark Bibro. Attorney Bibro and ELSM have represented hundreds of mesothelioma victims who lived in or worked around asbestos in New Jersey.
- Halpern Law Firm: The Halpern Law firm represents mesothelioma victims who live or were exposed to asbestos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Founder and Managing Partner Dave Halpern is licensed in New Jersey and the firm has an office at 923 Haddonfield Road, Suite 300, Cherry Hill, NJ.
- Meirowitz & Wasserberg: Meirowitz & Wasserberg have 12 mesothelioma attorneys on staff who are licensed in New Jersey including founding partners Sam Meirowitz and Daniel Wasserberg. The firm has won millions of dollars for mesothelioma victims in New Jersey including over $5 million for a former maintenance mechanic and U.S. Navy machinist mate. Meirowitz & Wasserberg’s New Jersey office is located at 32 Mercer Street, Suite 203, Hackensack, NJ.
- The Gori Law Firm: The Gori Law Firm is one of the largest mesothelioma law firms in the country and has extensive experience representing New Jersey mesothelioma victims. Attorney Patrick Maroney is a native of New Jersey and is licensed to practice in the state.
Experienced Mesothelioma Lawyers Licensed to Practice in New Jersey
The following mesothelioma lawyers are licensed to practice in New Jersey. They are very familiar with New Jersey law and the New Jersey companies and jobsites that exposed victims to asbestos in the state.
Dave Halpern of The Halpern Law Firm is a New Jersey-licensed mesothelioma attorney actively representing the rights of victims of asbestos exposure in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for over 35 years. His commitment and dedication to his clients has resulted in many millions of dollars recovered for New Jersey and Pennsylvania asbestos cancer victims from at-fault companies.
Mark Bibro of Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen manages the firm’s New Jersey asbestos docket and has personally filed dozens of mesothelioma cases in New Jersey courts. Attorney Bibro has been selected for inclusion in the lawyer rating publication, Best Lawyers.
Laurence V. Nassif of Simmons Hanly Conroy is the firm’s managing partner and has been representing New Jersey mesothelioma victims for over 25 years. Attorney Nassif is a member of the New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association and has been named to The Best Lawyers in America Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions list from 2018-2025.
Sam Meirowitz of Meirowitz & Wasserberg is a founding partner of the firm and accomplished New Jersey and New York mesothelioma lawyer, trial attorney and relentless advocate for his clients. Attorney Meirowitz is a member of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers.
Matt Park of Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen is a seasoned litigator representing New Jersey individuals and families harmed by asbestos. Attorney Park received his Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law and was named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star”.
Perry Shusterman of Meirowitz & Wasserberg has been a partner of the firm since 2021 and has represented New Jersey mesothelioma victims since 2015. Attorney Shusterman has extensive experience investigating, managing and prosecuting New Jersey asbestos cases.
Leah C. Kagan of Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC is a New Jersey trial attorney and firm shareholder. In 2013, Attorney Kagan jointly won a groundbreaking New Jersey mesothelioma verdict in the first cosmetic talcum powder exposure case tried against the distributor of asbestos-containing talc to the Shulton Company, maker of Old Spice. Attorney Kagan received her law degree from Rutgers School of Law and has been included on the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars listing.
Mesothelioma Settlements in New Jersey
New Jersey mesothelioma lawyers have secured compensation for many asbestos victims. Lawsuit settlements can help cover the costs of treatment for asbestos cancers and other conditions.
A settlement is an agreement between a victim and an asbestos company to end a lawsuit in exchange for a sum of money. Other companies being sued may also choose to settle as part of a separate agreement. New Jersey residents have received millions in compensation through lawsuit settlements.
Some details from New Jersey mesothelioma settlements include:
- $6 million for a 64-year-old Navy veteran and plumber
- $4.6 million for a 66-year-old Navy veteran and insulator
- $4.6 million for a 68-year-old boilermaker
- $4.3 million for an 81-year-old Army veteran, foreman and yard worker
- $4 million for a 52-year-old machine operator
- $3.8 million for a 54-year-old steel worker
- $3.6 million for a 65-year-old Navy veteran and boiler operator (Bethlehem Steel Shipyard)
- $3.5 million for an 81-year-old construction worker and contractor
- $2.9 million for an 82-year-old Army veteran and plumbing/heating business owner
- $2.9 million for a 60-year-old steamfitter and mechanical engineer (World Trade Center)
Mesothelioma Verdicts in New Jersey
Asbestos victims have gotten compensation through verdicts in New Jersey. If a victim wins at trial, a judge or jury determines the verdict amount. Example verdicts include:
- $90.5 million for families of mesothelioma patients: A New Jersey court heard testimony from 11 families of people who died of mesothelioma. Their cancers were linked to asbestos used at Johns-Manville. The judge awarded the families for their losses.
- $2.4 million for the family of a Union Carbide worker: This case involved a man who worked for over 40 years at a Union Carbide plant that used asbestos and later died of mesothelioma. His wife won a wrongful death lawsuit she filed after his death.
In general, mesothelioma verdicts average around $2.4 million.
Note: Each lawsuit is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in the future. Contact a reputable New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer to understand how much compensation you may be eligible to receive.
New Jersey Asbestos Laws & Regulations
Despite health hazards, asbestos use has not been completely banned in the United States. Although federal laws are in place, New Jersey has implemented its own laws to regulate asbestos.
Several state agencies have specific powers to monitor asbestos removal and handling. New Jersey legislators also enacted a state asbestos ban in 2019. The law, enacted as NJ A4416, prohibits the sale and distribution of products containing asbestos in New Jersey.
New Jersey Laws Affecting Asbestos Litigation
New Jersey also has laws and protocols related to asbestos litigation:
- Components made by third parties: In 2020, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that equipment makers and distributors can be held responsible for failing to warn about asbestos in product components. The ruling includes replacement components, even if made or supplied by a third party.
- Take-home exposure liability: Take-home exposure refers to asbestos brought home on a worker’s clothing and skin, putting people in the household at risk. Some states may limit liability to a worker’s spouse. But the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that it may extend beyond a spouse in certain circumstances. This ruling may empower more people to pursue compensation going forward.
An experienced asbestos lawyer in New Jersey can explain how these laws may apply to individual cases.
Key New Jersey Asbestos Exposure Sites
For decades, individuals employed in New Jersey shipyards, refineries, and manufacturing plants have unknowingly been exposed to harmful asbestos fibers, leading to serious medical conditions, including mesothelioma. Below are just a few of the many industrial sites across the state where men and women frequently worked around asbestos.
Johns-Manville Plant
Named for the company, Manville, NJ was home to Johns-Manville’s flagship factory which opened in the town in 1912. Manville was known for its “snow” in August, when white asbestos flakes released from the plant would fall from the sky and workers became known as “snowmen” because of the asbestos fibers covering the clothing. Known widely for its production of asbestos products, Johns-Manville filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1982 due to mounting mesothelioma and asbestos lawsuits.
Bayway Refinery
The Bayway Refinery, once owned by Exxon, is located in Linden and Elizabeth on the banks of Morses Creek. Refinery workers were frequently exposed to refractories, sealants and insulation that contained asbestos due to the high-heat environment of the refinery. The Bayway refinery is a jobsite list for at least a dozen asbestos bankruptcy trusts. The site has produced many asbestos-related lawsuits and a major environmental contamination lawsuit with the state of New Jersey.
New Jersey Shipyards
Newark, Camden and Kearny, among other cities, were all once home to shipyards and shipbuilding facilities. The Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was an important supplier of ships to the U.S. Navy during World War II. The New York Shipbuilding Corporation was headquartered in Camden, operating until 1968 and supplying over 500 ships to the U.S. Navy, Merchant Marines and Coast Guard. Shipbuilding was once highly asbestos-intensive, with asbestos-containing components and insulation used throughout ships for its heat and fire-resistant properties.
Dupont Chemical Plants
DuPont de Nemours, Inc., known simply as DuPont, is a multinational company that has operated several plants in the state of New Jersey. While many are closed or under different ownership today, the New Jersey chemical plant locations include:
- Carneys Point
- Deepwater
- Gibbstown
- Haskell
- Linden
- Newark
- Parlin
- Penns Grove
- Pompton Lakes
- Wayne
DuPont produced various chemicals and products at these sites. Asbestos was used in adhesives, insulation and protective coatings in many of the company’s manufacturing processes.
