How Much Is a Mesothelioma Case Worth?

Mesothelioma victims often want to know how much compensation they could recover by pursuing a legal claim.

The amount of money mesothelioma patients and their loved ones may receive depends on several factors, including the length and degree of asbestos exposure, medical bills associated with the illness, and where the case is filed.

However, families may have options for increasing their mesothelioma case value. One of the best ways to maximize the potential value of your case is by working with Sokolove Law — an experienced mesothelioma law firm with a nationwide reach.

Sokolove Law has over 40 years of experience in handling personal injury claims. We have an office and a licensed mesothelioma attorney in nearly every state to help maximize your mesothelioma case value, and it costs nothing out of pocket to hire us.

Call Sokolove Law right now at (800) 647-3434 if you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.

Our Past Mesothelioma Case Settlements & Verdicts

As of March 2023, Sokolove Law has recovered over $5 Billion for patients with asbestos-related diseases and their families.

A few of our notable mesothelioma case settlements and verdicts include:

• $10.2 Million for a U.S. Navy veteran from Washington state
• $9.5 Million for a construction worker from California
• $9.3 Million for a U.S. Navy veteran from Massachusetts
• $6.5 Million for a U.S. Army veteran and oil field worker from Louisiana

Our asbestos attorneys have the skills, experience, and knowledge required to maximize your mesothelioma compensation.

Average Settlements for Mesothelioma Cases

The exact value of your mesothelioma case settlement cannot be determined until your potential case is fully investigated. That said, the average settlement for a mesothelioma case is between $1 Million and $1.4 Million.

Mesothelioma case values can increase or decrease based on a host of factors, and because every case is different, previous results don’t guarantee or predict future outcomes.

Average Mesothelioma Verdicts

A case that goes to trial may be able to recover more money through a mesothelioma jury verdict than through a settlement. The average mesothelioma jury award is between $5 Million and $11.4 Million, which is even higher than the average settlement amount.

That said, there’s no guarantee of success when a case goes to court, especially when companies can appeal these results in court for years.

In some cases, settlements are reached after a jury verdict is rendered, when liable companies decide not to appeal a mesothelioma verdict and instead opt to settle with a victim.

Factors That Determine Mesothelioma Case Values

When you work with Sokolove Law, the lawyers who represent you will assess several factors to determine your mesothelioma case value.

Mesothelioma case values may depend on:

• Degree of asbestos exposure
• Proof of exposure and company negligence
• Which companies are at fault
• Costs created by your illness
• Medical bills (for mesothelioma treatments)
• Age/health of the person at the time of diagnosis
• Loss of income
• The number of dependents you have
• In which state(s) your case can be filed
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral expenses

This is not an exhaustive list, and case values may depend on other factors as well. Find out more about each of the factors that affect mesothelioma case values below.

Asbestos-Related Disease Diagnosis

The foundation of any asbestos-related lawsuit is a diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma. This deadly form of cancer only develops in people who have been exposed to asbestos, which is why mesothelioma patients and their family members may be able to recover compensation from the companies responsible for their exposure.

The type and severity of the asbestos-related disease you have been diagnosed with — mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or a pleural disease — will affect your case value.

Generally speaking, the more severe the disease, the higher the case value will be. But even less serious, more treatable diseases can still qualify a patient for compensation.

Degree of Asbestos Exposure

The degree of asbestos exposure is a major factor in determining your mesothelioma case value.

For example, someone who handled asbestos-containing materials for years in a factory likely inhaled or ingested more asbestos fibers than someone who was exposed at a summer job one year.

However, this does not mean the latter case has no value. Even minimal exposure to asbestos could lead to serious illness and, in turn, eligibility for financial compensation.

Strength of Evidence

Along with your degree of exposure, your legal team must prove that the company (or companies) in question knew or should have known the risks of asbestos — and ignored them or failed to warn you about them.

When building your case, Sokolove Law will gather certain information from you to help identify which products you were exposed to, the level of exposure, and the duration of the exposure.

Your work history will be most useful in determining which companies may have caused your exposure and, more specifically, which of the companies’ products or equipment you handled that contained asbestos.

Which Companies Are at Fault

Your case value may depend on which manufacturers who sold asbestos-containing products are responsible for your cancer. Your dedicated legal team will determine the companies to pursue legal action against based on your exposure history. Here are some important points to consider:

• Multiple Points of Exposure: If you or people around you used multiple asbestos-containing products, some or all of their manufacturers could be liable. This could increase your chances of a larger recovery.
• Military Experience: Mesothelioma claims are made against the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, not the United States military or government. If you served in the U.S. military, asbestos-containing product manufacturers who sold goods to the military could be added to the suit.
• Company Under New Management: Many companies that manufactured asbestos products have since been acquired by larger corporations. Your legal team will work to establish which companies have been purchased or merged and to determine which parties should be held accountable for your injuries.

Medical Expenses and Economic Losses

Your mesothelioma case value is also determined by how mesothelioma impacts your finances. Diagnosing and treating mesothelioma is expensive, particularly because the disease is often hard to identify properly before it has spread.

Once the cancer has been diagnosed, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are the standard treatments. The financial fallout from these medical expenses can often add up to over $400,000.

Medical care can be even harder to afford if someone stops working as a result of their mesothelioma diagnosis. This loss of income can potentially be recovered through a lawsuit, boosting the value of a mesothelioma case.

If a loved one must now care for the mesothelioma patient full-time, leaving them unable to work, their loss of income could also raise the value of a case.

It’s important to note that even if a mesothelioma patient is deceased, their loved ones may still be able to pursue justice and financial security by filing a lawsuit.

As your Sokolove Law legal team builds your case, they will factor the costs of care, lost wages, and any other related expenses into the amount they request on your behalf.

Family Members and Dependents

A mesothelioma diagnosis does not just impact one person — it impacts entire families.

The number of dependents can affect the value of an asbestos case. If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents, the value of your claim can increase because they need to be provided for.

While other adult, non-dependent children certainly also suffer loss, it’s not to the same extent financially as it is for those family members dependent on the injured.

For those still working when diagnosed, their spouses and children lose a source of household income. This can make it hard for families to pay for the cost of living.

Whether working or not, a mesothelioma diagnosis and its symptoms prevent the family from receiving the same level of care and comfort as they did before.

Settling Your Case vs. Going to Court

Whether or not you and your legal team decide to settle out of court or go to trial depends on the facts of your case.

Factors in this decision may include:

• How long a mesothelioma victim or family can wait for potential compensation
• Whether or not a settlement amount — if offered — seems appropriate
• Whether or not the victim or family members want to take the case to court
• The odds of a jury siding with a victim’s mesothelioma or asbestos case
• How much time a patient with an asbestos-related illness has left to live
• The overall strength of the case, including the number of companies involved and the strength of the testimony and evidence collected

Sokolove Law works hard to secure the compensation you may deserve — and the overwhelming majority of the time, this is through a mesothelioma settlement. We settle over 99% of mesothelioma lawsuits, for a couple reasons:

• It’s less risky. With a settlement, there is no chance that a jury will decide that the mesothelioma patient or their family is not entitled to sufficient compensation — or that the defendants will appeal a verdict that favors the plaintiff.
• Clients can recover compensation faster. A long trial or appeal can delay compensation for months or even years. With settlements, some clients start to receive compensation in as few as 90 days.

Additional Factors

Here are some additional factors that can impact your mesothelioma case value:

• Defendant Status: This involves understanding the status of the companies that exposed you to asbestos. Solvent companies can afford to pay full compensation, while some bankrupt companies were court-ordered to set aside money in the form of bankruptcy trusts for future victims of asbestos exposure. These asbestos trust funds ensure that the manufacturer of asbestos-containing products is still held liable for their negligence, even if their business has since declared bankruptcy.
• Jurisdiction: The national reach of Sokolove Law allows your case to be litigated in any state that the law allows, increasing its potential value. You may not be able to do this if you work with a local law firm that is limited to just the state you’re located in.
• Current Health: Your health prior to your mesothelioma diagnosis will also be taken into account to determine how severely mesothelioma has affected your quality of life and well-being.
• Age of Person Affected: Since most mesothelioma patients are diagnosed in their 60s or 70s, this deadly and rare cancer robs them of the ability to enjoy their well-earned retirement years. Many victims have suffered years of poor health due to the worsening damage from asbestos fibers. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can develop in younger adults, teenagers, and even children. This can emotionally and financially destroy the affected family. The younger you are and more affected your overall life and well-being are by your asbestos-related disease, the more your case may be worth.
• Pain and Suffering: The amount of physical and emotional pain a mesothelioma patient experiences can also affect the value of their case. While pain (particularly psychological pain) can be hard to quantify, the more pain and suffering sustained by the patient and their family, the higher the value of their case.

Who Qualifies for Compensation?

You may qualify for compensation if you were exposed to asbestos and were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease (like lung cancer or asbestosis) as a result.

The following people may be able to file a mesothelioma lawsuit:

• Patients with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease
• Their family or dependents (such as spouses or children)
• Their estate representatives

Many mesothelioma patients develop the disease after being exposed to asbestos through their jobs. Jobs with a high risk of asbestos exposure include:

Don't see your job on the list? That doesn't mean your job didn't put you at risk of asbestos exposure. You can also search our job site database for known areas of asbestos exposure to see if your workplace is listed there.

Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

Importantly, though, not all mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos through their jobs. Many were exposed to asbestos by a loved one, like a spouse or parent, who unwittingly brought the asbestos fibers into their home while working in an industry such as construction.

This is known as secondhand or take-home asbestos exposure, and it too can qualify a mesothelioma patient for compensation.

The Mesothelioma Case Process: How to File a Claim

Though every mesothelioma claim is different, the mesothelioma case process with Sokolove Law often looks something like this:

1. You contact us: A mesothelioma patient or their family member contacts Sokolove Law for a free case review.
2. We collect evidence: Next, our mesothelioma lawyers gather information, pore over medical records, and comb through our database of known asbestos exposure sites to compile the evidence needed to build a strong case.
3. We file a claim: We send a demand letter to the defendant(s), requesting compensation for our client. If they refuse, we file a mesothelioma claim in the court that best fits the specific claim, in order to maximize the potential compensation.
4. We (most likely) reach a settlement: In the discovery phase, each team of attorneys presents evidence in support of their client. The vast majority of mesothelioma lawsuits (99%) are settled after the discovery phase. Some clients start receiving compensation in as few as 90 days.
5. In rare cases, we go to trial: In the unlikely event that a fair settlement can’t be reached, we go to court to fight for what our client deserves.

No matter what form the process takes, Sokolove Law always works to maximize your compensation, minimize your stress, and obtain justice on your behalf.

Over the last 40 years, Sokolove Law has secured over $5 Billion for mesothelioma victims and their families.

Types of Mesothelioma Financial Compensation

Each mesothelioma compensation option has different eligibility requirements. It’s a good idea to discuss your legal options with a mesothelioma law firm like Sokolove Law to avoid any missteps that could reduce your mesothelioma financial compensation.

Your mesothelioma lawyers can help determine the best mesothelioma compensation options for your case. To find out if you qualify for legal action, contact us today for a free case review.

Mesothelioma Lawsuit

By filing a mesothelioma lawsuit against the companies that manufactured the asbestos-containing products responsible for your or your loved one’s exposure, you may be able to recover compensation in the form of a settlement or jury verdict.

The vast majority of mesothelioma lawsuits are settled before they go to court. Though every case is different, and there's no guarantee of compensation, the average settlement amount in these cases is $1 Million to $1.4 Million.

Some clients start receiving this compensation in as few as 90 days. In the unlikely event that your mesothelioma lawsuit goes to trial, Sokolove Law is fully prepared to represent you in court and fight for what you deserve.

Asbestos Trust Funds

In the 1970s, when the deceit of asbestos-containing product manufacturers was discovered and a wave of mesothelioma lawsuits followed, many of these companies ran to bankruptcy courts looking to avoid paying those they had injured.

Although these companies were allowed to avoid some liability through bankruptcy — and not pay each of their asbestos victims what they deserve — they were ordered by the court to set aside money for current and future asbestos claims.

The estimated value of asbestos trust funds is around $30 Billion. As of March 2023, we've helped thousands access a portion of this money through bankruptcy trust fund payouts. 

Get a free, no-obligation legal review today to see if you may be eligible to file asbestos and mesothelioma trust fund claims.

Mesothelioma Veterans Benefits

Companies sold asbestos products to the U.S. military for decades. As a result, it’s estimated that over 20 million American veterans have been exposed to asbestos during their service.

For veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their service and developed mesothelioma as a result, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers health care services and monthly payments.

Sokolove Law also has VA-accredited asbestos attorneys who can put you in touch with a Veteran Service Officer (VSO). Your VSO will then work with the VA and help you file your claim.

Find Out How Much Your Asbestos Case Is Worth

Sokolove Law was founded over 40 years ago to stand up to companies that knowingly harmed innocent workers to maximize their profits.

Our experienced mesothelioma lawyers have helped thousands of families recover over $5 Billion in compensation for asbestos-related diseases.

To help right the wrongs these companies caused, contact Sokolove Law today for a free, no-obligation legal case review.

One of our dedicated, caring team members will listen to your story and help give you a better idea of what your legal options are and what your case may be worth.

Get your free case review today or call (800) 647-3434 to get a better idea of what your legal options are and how much your case may be worth.

Mesothelioma Case Value FAQs