Top Mesothelioma Law Firms in Iowa
Experienced mesothelioma law firms help Iowa residents exposed to asbestos seek compensation. Iowans with mesothelioma and their families may qualify for different legal options. A mesothelioma lawyer can explain available options.
People living or working in Iowa can seek legal support from the following asbestos law firms for their case:
Mesothelioma lawyers have experience building successful asbestos lawsuits and claims. They can research clients’ cases to find possible sources of asbestos exposure. With their extensive resources, lawyers may uncover asbestos products their clients may have used.
They can also determine the best place to file a lawsuit. Sometimes, a mesothelioma lawyer may recommend filing in another state if its laws are more favorable to an individual’s case.
Filing Mesothelioma Lawsuits in Iowa
Mesothelioma lawyers file lawsuits on behalf of Iowa residents affected by asbestos exposure. They can negotiate settlements with asbestos companies. Lawyers can also help Iowans file mesothelioma claims, including asbestos trust fund claims.
Many workers and residents have developed asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. From 1999 through 2020, Iowa had 668 new mesothelioma diagnoses. During that same period, about 560 Iowans died from the disease.
Who Is Eligible to File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Iowa?
Iowans may qualify to file mesothelioma lawsuits after they have developed asbestos-related diseases. Family members of people who died from mesothelioma may be able to file wrongful death lawsuits.
Both residents and workers in the state have faced asbestos exposure. Some high-risk occupations in Iowa include construction and power plant workers. For example, Davenport, Iowa, is home to Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation. This company once installed and sold asbestos insulation that construction workers used on the job. Today, the company provides asbestos abatement services.
Common asbestos jobsites in Iowa include:
- Food processing facilities: These include the Clinton Corn Processing Plant, Quaker Oats facilities and Wilson Foods Corporation meatpacking plants.
- Manufacturing facilities: These include facilities operated by U.S. Gypsum Company, National Gypsum Company and Georgia-Pacific Corporation.
- Power plants: These include the MidAmerican Energy Company, Iowa Electric Light & Power Company, Cedar Rapids Electric Light and Power Company and the Ames Municipal Power Plant.
- Tire plants: These include those operated by Bridgestone, Firestone and Pirelli.
Residents of the following Iowa towns and cities have filed mesothelioma lawsuits:
- Ames, IA
- Baldwin, IA
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Clinton, IA
- Davenport, IA
- Decorah, IA
- Denison, IA
- Des Moines, IA
- Dubuque, IA
- Forest City, IA
- Fort Madison, IA
- Keokuk, IA
- Marshalltown, IA
- Oskaloosa, IA
- Traer, IA
- Truro, IA
- Underwood, IA
- Waterloo, IA
- West Des Moines, IA
- Westfield, IA
Deadlines for Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Iowa
Iowa has laws called the statutes of limitations that affect when cases should be filed. These laws set the time frames for bringing personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.
Mesothelioma patients and their family members may qualify for additional compensation from other sources. These options include asbestos trust fund claims and VA claims for veterans. An asbestos attorney can explain the available options.
Mesothelioma Settlements in Iowa
Sometimes, asbestos companies settle lawsuits with victims outside of court. When a mesothelioma case settles, a victim agrees to end the lawsuit against a company in exchange for a sum of money. It can happen before, during or after trial.
Settlements can amount to millions of dollars. Mesothelioma patients can use this compensation to help cover medical costs, lost income, housing and more.
Some examples of mesothelioma settlements in Iowa include:
- $4.2 million for a 70-year-old Navy veteran and boilermaker
- $3.2 million for a 63-year-old manufacturing worker with secondary exposure
- $3 million for a 64-year-old clerk with secondary exposure
- $2.9 million for a 78-year-old assembly line worker and metal worker
- $2.5 million for a 71-year-old Air Force veteran and home renovator
- $2 million for a 67-year-old Navy veteran and boiler worker
- $1.9 million for a 72-year-old teacher and auto mechanic
- $1.9 million for a 54-year-old office worker (Honeywell)
- $1.2 million for an 82-year-old Air Force veteran and auto mechanic
Mesothelioma Verdicts in Iowa
Some lawsuits in Iowa have resulted in verdicts. A verdict is a decision made by a jury or a judge at the end of a trial.
In one case, the wife of a man who died from mesothelioma sued several companies for the man’s asbestos exposure. One of those companies was Owens-Corning Fiberglas. A jury found Owens Corning responsible for the man’s mesothelioma and awarded the wife and her husband’s estate $2.9 million.
Note: Each lawsuit is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in the future. Contact a reputable Iowa mesothelioma lawyer to understand how much compensation you may be eligible to receive.
Iowa Asbestos Laws & Regulations
Iowa follows federal asbestos regulations. The state also has laws to manage local asbestos issues. Certain agencies administer state asbestos laws.
The Iowa agencies responsible for asbestos regulation include:
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR): This agency enforces air quality and emissions regulations, including those related to asbestos.
- Iowa Division of Labor: This agency administers Iowa’s asbestos licensing and permitting programs. The Division of Labor also enforces asbestos regulations that protect workers.
Iowa requires anyone performing asbestos abatement to notify appropriate agencies. Abatement professionals must notify the Iowa Occupational Safety Health Administration and the DNR.
Iowa Laws Affecting Asbestos Litigation
Some court decisions affect how courts handle future asbestos lawsuits. Iowa has had cases that may affect a lawsuit. Two relevant outcomes include:
- Scope of liability: In 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court interpreted a 2017 law about the scope of asbestos companies’ liabilities. According to the court, the statute should be read narrowly to protect only certain manufacturers. It rejected a broad interpretation of the statute that would have shielded many employers from liability for exposures.
- Secondary exposure: In 2008, the Iowa Court of Appeals helped define the scope of secondary exposure liability in the state. It held that, in general, landowners are not liable for secondary exposures caused by independent contractors on their property.
Also, Iowa has passed laws that directly impact mesothelioma lawsuits. These laws are in the Iowa Code and include:
- Statute of repose: This law sets a timeline for filing a lawsuit in the event of certain asbestos-related projects.
- Successor liability: This law limits the liability of a company that acquires another with asbestos liabilities to the value of the company being acquired.
- Trust transparency: This law requires a victim to submit a statement detailing all asbestos trust claims that have been investigated and filed.
- “Two-disease” rule: This law establishes that lawsuits for non-malignant diseases are separate actions from those for asbestos cancers.
Mesothelioma lawyers can explain how these rulings and laws affect cases.
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