Asbestos Trust Claims: No Court Appearance Necessary

If you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may qualify for compensation from asbestos bankruptcy trusts without ever filing a lawsuit or setting foot in a courtroom.

These trusts hold billions of dollars set aside specifically to compensate people harmed by asbestos. They were established by companies that manufactured asbestos products and later filed for bankruptcy after facing thousands of lawsuits. The claims process is administrative rather than legal: our firm submits documentation proving your diagnosis and exposure history, the trust reviews it, and if you qualify, you get paid. Most families qualify for claims with multiple trusts, and the payments are cumulative, meaning each trust makes one settlement payment, and the total of all settlements can be significant.

Where the Trusts Came From

In 1969, a Texas insulation worker named Clarence Borel sued twelve asbestos manufacturers for failing to warn him that their products were deadly. He died of mesothelioma in 1970, before his case reached trial. In 1971, a jury returned a verdict for his widow against eleven of the twelve companies, and in 1973 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed it, making Borel's the first successful failure-to-warn lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers. His case proved that these companies knew their products were deadly but chose not to warn anyone. That ruling opened the floodgates, and over the following decades, hundreds of thousands of workers and families filed lawsuits. As a result of that litigation more than 60 asbestos companies eventually filed for bankruptcy. But bankruptcy didn't let them off the hook. Companies that reorganized under Section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code were required to establish a trust fund to compensate victims, paid for by the company itself and by the general liability insurance policies it had bought to protect itself from liability lawsuits, including asbestos lawsuits. Asbestos trust funds are not funded by taxpayers. They're funded by the companies that caused the harm and their insurers.

Learn more about Clarence Borel and the case that started it all

Who Qualifies for Asbestos Trust Fund Settlements

Every trust asks the same two questions: Do you have a qualifying diagnosis? And were you exposed to that company's products before the trust's cutoff date, which is usually the end of 1982 or 1986?

Qualifying diagnoses include mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and certain other cancers including laryngeal, stomach, and colon cancer. Mesothelioma claims are the most straightforward from a medical perspective because the disease is caused almost exclusively by asbestos, so if you have the diagnosis, you likely have a claim. Mesothelioma claims also require less exposure than any other type of claim. Other diseases require additional documentation linking your condition to asbestos exposure, such as evidence of asbestosis or pleural disease.

Exposure can be direct or indirect. If you worked directly with asbestos products or if you worked in an industry that relied upon asbestos (construction, shipbuilding, refining, manufacturing, automotive repair, etc.) you likely have claims. But you don't have to have worked with asbestos yourself. Spouses who washed contaminated work clothes, children who hugged parents who came home covered in dust, anyone who lived with an asbestos worker may also qualify through what's called secondary or take-home exposure.

And if you smoked, you still qualify. Smoking doesn't disqualify you from trust claims. That's a common misconception that stops too many families from pursuing compensation available to them.

Learn more about eligibility requirements and how claims are evaluated

How Much Do Trust Claims Pay?

Individual trust payments for mesothelioma typically range from a few thousand dollars to over $200,000, depending on the trust and the strength of your claim. That might not sound life-changing on its own, but most families don't file with just one trust.

With thorough investigation, we often identify a dozen or more trusts a single client can claim against. Those payments add up. Total trust recovery for mesothelioma cases routinely reaches six figures, and can sometimes exceed $1 million.

See current payment amounts for specific trusts

Why Choose Our Firm to Handle Your Trust Claims

Trust claims look simple on paper, but the details matter. Each trust has its own filing requirements, its own medical documentation standards, and its own procedural rules. A claim that's accepted by one trust might be rejected by another over a missing phrase in a medical report. Getting it right requires precision and expertise.

Several of our claims specialists spent years working at the trusts before joining our firm. They know exactly what trust reviewers look for, what triggers rejections, and how to document a claim so it moves through the process without unnecessary delays. And our proprietary research database (containing over 200,000 verified exposure sites and decades of court records) helps us identify trusts you may qualify for that other firms miss entirely.

More trusts means more claims, and more claims means more money for your family.

Learn more about our approach to asbestos claims

Trust Claims Are Often Just the Beginning

Most families we represent qualify for more than just trust claims. Depending on your situation, you may also have lawsuits against companies that never went bankrupt, workers' compensation claims, VA disability benefits if you're a veteran, or Social Security Disability if your illness prevents you from working. Each of these has its own rules and deadlines, but pursued together strategically they can significantly increase your family's total recovery. We help you identify every option and coordinate them so they work together.

Explore all the legal options available to your family

How Trust Claims Work: FAQ

Do I need a lawyer to file a trust claim, or can I file it myself?

You can file on your own, and some people do. The reason most families work with us is that every trust has its own forms, documentation standards, and procedural rules, and a claim one trust accepts can be rejected by another over a single missing phrase in a medical report. We also tend to identify trusts a work history qualifies for that a person filing alone would never know to claim against, and more trusts means more recovery.

Do I have to know which companies made the products I worked with?

No. Almost no one remembers brand names from decades ago, and you don't need to. We match your work history to the specific products used at your jobsites through employment and union records, coworker accounts, and our own exposure database, then trace each product to the trust that covers it. We also have an extensive collection of photographs and brochures to help refresh your memory of the products you worked with.

Is there a deadline to file a trust claim?

There can be, from two directions. Individual trusts set their own filing rules, and many of them borrow your state's deadline. Separately, the time limit tied to your diagnosis (the one that governs any lawsuit) can shape the larger strategy. Some of these windows are short, so the safest step is to call soon after a diagnosis rather than waiting.

Are asbestos trust payments taxable?

Generally, money you receive for a physical illness like mesothelioma isn't treated as taxable income by the IRS. Some pieces of a recovery, such as interest or any punitive portion, can be taxable, and state rules vary. We're not tax advisors, so it's worth confirming your own situation with one.

If I file a trust claim, can I still sue other companies?

Yes. You file a trust claim against a company that went bankrupt, and you can still sue the companies that are still in business, because those are different defendants. Filing with the trusts doesn't waive anything against the solvent manufacturers or the property owners where you worked. Most families do both.

Find Out What You May Qualify For

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may have trust claims waiting to be filed. When you call, a member of our litigation team—not a screener—answers the phone. We'll review your situation, explain which trusts you may qualify for, and help you understand the full range of options available to your family.

Consultations are free, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Call us at 833-4-ASBESTOS (833-427-2378) or schedule a free consultation online.

Legal Disclaimer

This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no such relationship exists until you and the firm sign a written representation agreement. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee, promise, or predict the outcome of any future matter. Asbestos claims are subject to strict filing deadlines that vary by state, disease, and defendant; if you believe you may have a claim, speak with a licensed attorney promptly, because waiting can permanently bar your right to recover.