Illinois industrial landscape

Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyers

Illinois ranks eighth nationally for mesothelioma diagnoses, with 105 new cases and 175 deaths each year. The age-adjusted rate of 0.7 per 100,000 residents is near the national average. Between 1999 and 2021, more than 2,400 people in Illinois were diagnosed.

Filing Deadlines in Illinois

Illinois sets a statute of limitations on mesothelioma lawsuits. The clock starts at diagnosis, not exposure.

Personal Injury
2 Years from Diagnosis
For claims filed by mesothelioma patients
Wrongful Death
2 Years from Death
For claims filed by surviving family members

Missing these deadlines can permanently bar a family's right to compensation.

When the Clock Starts

In Illinois, the statute of limitations begins on the date of diagnosis, not the date of asbestos exposure. This is called the "discovery rule."

Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. Without the discovery rule, most patients would lose their right to file before they even knew they were sick.

The clock starts when:

  • A physician provides a formal mesothelioma diagnosis
  • Symptoms reasonably indicated the disease was present

Personal Injury Claims in Illinois

Illinois allows 2 years from diagnosis to file a personal injury claim. These claims are filed by the patient and typically seek recovery for medical expenses (past and future treatment), lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life, meaning the impact of the disease on daily activities, relationships, and ability to work.

Wrongful Death Claims in Illinois

Illinois allows 2 years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. These claims can be filed by:

  • Surviving spouse
  • Children (including adult children)
  • Parents (in some cases)
  • Estate representative

Wrongful death claims can recover compensation for:

  • Medical expenses incurred before death
  • Funeral and burial costs
  • Loss of financial support
  • Loss of companionship and guidance

Asbestos Exposure Sites in Illinois

Illinois has 218 cities with documented asbestos exposure sites and 798 liable parties on record. Workers in these areas may have grounds for mesothelioma claims.

Map of documented asbestos exposure sites in Illinois

Select a city to view specific exposure sites, companies, and facilities with known asbestos exposure history.

Chicago 144 sites Granite City 56 sites East St. Louis 38 sites Alton 32 sites Belleville 25 sites Edwardsville 17 sites Centralia 15 sites Springfield 15 sites Wood River 15 sites Decatur 12 sites Highland 12 sites Joliet 12 sites Madison 11 sites Peoria 10 sites East Alton 9 sites Rockford 9 sites Cairo 8 sites Sauget 8 sites Arlington Heights 7 sites Hartford 7 sites East Chicago 6 sites Tuscola 6 sites Waukegan 6 sites Carbondale 5 sites Mt. Vernon 5 sites Oak Brook 5 sites Carlinville 4 sites Chicago Heights 4 sites Columbia 4 sites Deerfield 4 sites
View all 90 cities
DeKalb 4 sites Franklin Park 4 sites Harvard 4 sites Jacksonville 4 sites McCook 4 sites Melrose Park 4 sites Mt. Carmel 4 sites Naperville 4 sites Salem 4 sites Addison 3 sites Aurora 3 sites Broadview 3 sites Carol Stream 3 sites Caseyville 3 sites Cicero 3 sites Cordova 3 sites Glen Carbon 3 sites Glen Ellyn 3 sites Havana 3 sites Lake Forest 3 sites Litchfield 3 sites Millstadt 3 sites Morton 3 sites Mount Vernon 3 sites Niles 3 sites Pekin 3 sites Princeton 3 sites Quincy 3 sites Roxana 3 sites Skokie 3 sites Baldwin 2 sites Bartonville 2 sites Bedford Park 2 sites Bloomington 2 sites Cahokia 2 sites Carlyle 2 sites Carpentersville 2 sites Champaign 2 sites Clinton 2 sites Coffeen 2 sites Collinsville 2 sites Des Plaines 2 sites Downers Grove 2 sites Elk Grove Village 2 sites Glenview 2 sites Godfrey 2 sites Hillsboro 2 sites Lansing 2 sites Lawrenceville 2 sites Lockport 2 sites Mattoon 2 sites Moline 2 sites North Chicago 2 sites Pocahontas 2 sites River Forest 2 sites River Grove 2 sites Schiller Park 2 sites Staunton 2 sites Venice 2 sites Warrenville 2 sites

Illinois has 5 cancer centers specializing in mesothelioma treatment. For a complete list of documented asbestos exposure sites in Illinois, see our exposure database.

MesoWatch Investigations: Illinois

MesoWatch publishes original primary-source investigations relevant to people affected by asbestos exposure in Illinois.

Recent Illinois Coverage

Recent reporting from MesoWatch on asbestos exposure, litigation, and treatment relevant to Illinois.

Kroger, Contractor Pay $108K for Asbestos in Open Taylorville Store Kroger and contractor SSI Services pay $108K to Illinois AG after leaving chipped asbestos floor tiles in public areas of an open Taylorville store. Asbestos Trust Funds for Illinois Workers Asbestos trust funds for Illinois workers: Madison and St. Clair venue history, IL Supreme Court precedent, and 2-year SOL under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Chicago Steel Mills: The Southeast Side Asbestos Legacy How U.S. Steel South Works, Wisconsin Steel, and Republic Steel exposed generations of Chicago workers and families to asbestos.

Types of Compensation in Illinois

Families in Illinois affected by mesothelioma may qualify for multiple forms of compensation. Most cases involve a combination of trust fund claims and litigation.

Lawsuits and Settlements

Personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits can be filed against companies responsible for asbestos exposure. Most cases settle before trial, with average mesothelioma settlements ranging from amounts that vary widely by case. Total compensation can be significantly higher when combining multiple sources. Illinois courts generally allow expedited scheduling for mesothelioma cases.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Over 60 bankruptcy trusts hold more than $30 billion for people harmed by asbestos exposure. These claims are separate from lawsuits and can be filed regardless of whether a company is still operating. Trust fund claims have their own deadlines and requirements.

Learn about trust fund claims →

Asbestos Exposure History in Illinois

Steel mills in Chicago and Granite City exposed workers through insulation and fireproofing. The Johns-Manville facility in Waukegan, the UNARCO plant in Bloomington, and railroad repair sites added further risk through brake components and insulation. Refineries including Texaco in Lockport, Union Oil in Lemont, Shell in Wood River, and Amoco in Joliet all contributed. Power plants like Braidwood and Zion added to the toll.

Vermiculite processing brought contaminated material from Libby, Montana to Chicago, Girard, Peoria, Quincy, Buda, and Calumet City. More than 372,000 tons were imported.

Illinois stands out for its dense industrial corridors along Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. The state had no local asbestos mines but imported and processed massive quantities. That created 670 documented exposure sites in 90 cities across 36 counties. At Waukegan, waste was dumped on beaches and into Lake Michigan, spreading environmental contamination.

Steelworkers, railroad mechanics, refinery operators, power plant constructors, and vermiculite processors were all affected. So were maintenance workers in older schools, hospitals, and pre-1980s homes. Over 1,900 deaths from mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer occurred between 1999 and 2013, ranking the state seventh nationally.

Choosing a Illinois Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma litigation is a focused practice area. Not every personal injury attorney has the exposure databases, product identification resources, or trial experience these cases require. Our guide to choosing a mesothelioma law firm covers this in detail.

A few things to look at when narrowing a shortlist. Attorneys who concentrate on mesothelioma and asbestos cases typically maintain databases of products, manufacturers, and job sites that most general personal injury firms don't have. A firm's past settlements and verdicts in asbestos cases say more about depth than general trial experience. Familiarity with Illinois procedures, judges, and filing requirements shortens the learning curve, especially in an expedited docket. And most mesothelioma attorneys work on contingency, so the family pays nothing unless compensation is recovered.

Learn more about mesothelioma lawyer costs and how contingency fees work.

Legal Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the statute of limitations for a mesothelioma lawsuit in Illinois?

In Illinois, claims for mesothelioma generally must be filed within two years from the date of diagnosis. Wrongful death claims brought by surviving family members face the same two-year window, measured from the date of the patient's death. Illinois courts handle a substantial volume of asbestos litigation, and meeting filing deadlines is a foundational requirement for any claim to proceed.

How many people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in Illinois each year?

Illinois records approximately 105 new mesothelioma diagnoses per year, with roughly 175 deaths from the disease annually. The state's incidence rate is 0.7 cases per 100,000 residents. Between 1999 and 2021, Illinois recorded 2,400 total cases. Illinois ranks eighth in the nation in total mesothelioma cases, consistent with its long industrial history in steel, manufacturing, and rail.

What industries caused asbestos exposure in Illinois?

The industries most associated with asbestos exposure in Illinois are steel mills, manufacturing facilities, and railroads. These sectors used asbestos extensively in insulation, boilers, locomotive components, and industrial equipment throughout the 20th century. Illinois has 670 documented exposure sites across 90 cities, one of the largest site counts in the country.

Where can people with mesothelioma get treatment in Illinois?

Illinois has four major cancer treatment facilities serving people with mesothelioma: the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rush University Cancer Center, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, and Edward Cancer Center in Naperville. These institutions offer multimodal mesothelioma care including surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trial enrollment.

What is the average payout for an asbestos claim?

Average payouts for asbestos claims vary by disease type and resolution method. People with mesothelioma typically receive $1 million to $2.4 million in lawsuit settlements from multiple defendants, plus $300,000 to $400,000 from trust funds. Asbestos-related lung cancer claims average $250,000 overall, while non-malignant conditions like asbestosis yield $10,000 to $50,000. Trial verdicts for mesothelioma average $5 million to $11.4 million but are less common than settlements. These figures reflect reported trends from law firm data as of 2026.