Asbestos Trust Funds for New York Workers

New York workers, particularly those in the construction trades and Brooklyn Navy Yard, have some of the strongest asbestos trust fund claims in the country. A steamfitter who worked on building projects across Manhattan for 20 years, or a Navy Yard worker who spent a career below deck on warships, encountered asbestos products from dozens of manufacturers. Each manufacturer’s bankruptcy trust represents a separate claim.

More than $30 billion remains in 60+ active trusts. These trusts accept new claims and pay qualifying claimants on a rolling basis. For New York families dealing with the state’s high mesothelioma case volume, trust fund claims represent a significant and accessible source of compensation alongside lawsuit settlements and verdicts.

Trusts Most Relevant to New York Workers

Construction Tradespeople

Construction workers in New York City have the broadest trust fund eligibility because the city’s building boom placed them in contact with asbestos products from many different manufacturers across many job sites. A single steamfitter or insulator who worked on commercial buildings in Manhattan over a two-decade career might have been exposed to pipe insulation from one company, fireproofing from another, gaskets from a third, and joint compound from a fourth, each at a different building.

An experienced attorney can trace these connections using union records, employer records, and product identification databases that match specific asbestos products to specific buildings and time periods.

Brooklyn Navy Yard Workers

Shipyard workers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard were exposed to some of the highest concentrations of asbestos in any occupation. Pipe insulation, boiler lagging, gaskets, fireproofing, and electrical insulation came from different manufacturers, and each represents a separate trust fund claim. Navy records and shipyard employment records provide strong documentation of exposure. The same manufacturers that supplied the Brooklyn Navy Yard also supplied California’s Hunters Point and Long Beach yards, Georgia’s Savannah port, and Florida’s Jacksonville yards, meaning workers at all of these facilities file against many of the same trusts.

9/11 Responders and Recovery Workers

People with mesothelioma linked to 9/11 asbestos exposure may file trust fund claims against the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products that were present in the World Trade Center buildings. These claims are separate from the WTC Victim Compensation Fund and can be pursued simultaneously.

Manufacturing Workers

Upstate New York manufacturing workers, including those at steel mills in Buffalo, the Carrier Corporation in Syracuse, and Grumman on Long Island, were exposed to asbestos insulation and components from companies that now have active trusts. These workers can typically identify five to 10 applicable trusts based on the specific products used at their facility.

Filing Process

1. Diagnosis documentation. Pathology reports confirming mesothelioma.
2. Exposure evidence. Work history placing the claimant at sites where specific products were used.
3. Claim submission. Forms filed with each applicable trust.
4. Review and payment. Trusts review and pay claims, typically within three to 12 months.

Trust Claims and Other Compensation

Trust fund claims are independent of other compensation sources. Filing a trust claim does not reduce, offset, or affect:

• Lawsuit settlements or verdicts
• WTC Victim Compensation Fund awards for 9/11-related claims
• VA disability benefits for veterans exposed during military service
• Workers’ compensation claims through the state system

Most families pursue all applicable sources simultaneously. For New York workers with exposure across multiple sites and industries, the combined total can be substantial. The 2026 treatment landscape covers the medical options that are often pursued in parallel with the claims process.