2023 Mesothelioma Verdicts: $40M+ Awards

Juries across the United States returned substantial verdicts for mesothelioma patients and their families in 2023, continuing a decade-long trend of increasing awards in asbestos cases. Several trials resulted in verdicts exceeding $30 million.

Largest Verdicts of 2023

$40.5 Million — Illinois

In one of the year’s largest awards, an Illinois jury found John Crane Inc. liable for the mesothelioma death of a man who worked at oil refineries and production fields from 1963 to 1996. The plaintiff was exposed to asbestos through gaskets, packing materials, and other products during his decades in the oil industry.

The verdict reflected the jury’s determination that John Crane knew its products contained dangerous asbestos but failed to adequately warn workers of the risks.

$38 Million — New York

A New York jury awarded $38 million to a plaintiff who worked on commercial boilers during the 1970s and 1980s. The verdict included $6.5 million in punitive damages, signaling the jury’s view that the defendant’s conduct warranted punishment beyond compensating the victim.

Boiler work has long been recognized as a high-risk occupation for asbestos exposure, with workers frequently handling asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and cement.

$22.5 Million — Connecticut

The family of a man who died of mesothelioma in 2023 received a $22.5 million verdict in Connecticut. The initial compensatory award of $15 million was increased after the jury added punitive damages.

$7.2 Million — Illinois (Pipefitter)

In a wrongful death case, an Illinois jury awarded $7.2 million to the family of a pipefitter who died at age 62 from mesothelioma. The amount was later reduced to $3.7 million based on comparative negligence findings.

Broader Trends

The 2023 verdicts continued a pattern of increasing asbestos awards documented by legal industry analysts:

Several factors contribute to rising verdicts:

Compelling evidence: Decades of corporate documents showing that many asbestos manufacturers knew their products were dangerous but concealed the risks have made for persuasive trial presentations.

Jury sympathy: Mesothelioma’s severity—with a median survival of 12 to 21 months—generates significant sympathy from jurors.

Aging population: Many mesothelioma patients diagnosed today were exposed during the peak asbestos era of the 1950s through 1970s. Jurors often view elderly plaintiffs who worked hard throughout their lives as particularly deserving of compensation.

Inflation and medical costs: Rising healthcare costs and general inflation have pushed verdict amounts upward over time.

Settlement Pressures

Large verdicts create pressure on defendants to settle pending cases rather than risk trial. According to industry sources, the average mesothelioma settlement in 2023 ranged from $1 million to $2 million, though amounts varied widely based on exposure evidence, defendant resources, and other factors.

Defendants with particularly damaging evidence of corporate knowledge often settled for substantially more to avoid the unpredictability of jury trials.

Trial Versus Settlement

Most mesothelioma cases settle before trial. Of the thousands of cases filed annually, only a small percentage reach a jury verdict. Settlements offer certainty for both sides, while trials carry risks:

For plaintiffs: A jury might return a verdict lower than settlement offers, or defendants could prevail entirely. Appeals can delay payment for years.

For defendants: Jury verdicts can exceed settlement amounts by multiples, and large verdicts attract publicity that may encourage additional lawsuits.

The 2023 verdicts underscore that juries continue to hold asbestos defendants accountable and that trial remains a viable option for plaintiffs with strong cases.

Looking Ahead

With approximately 3,000 new mesothelioma diagnoses annually in the United States and the disease’s long latency period of 20 to 50 years, asbestos litigation is expected to continue for decades. The 2023 verdicts signal that juries remain willing to award substantial damages when evidence establishes corporate responsibility for asbestos exposure.