Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer [2026 Update]

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A Florida mesothelioma lawyer helps people file lawsuits and trust fund claims after they or a family member is diagnosed with mesothelioma. Our experienced attorneys bring focused experience and resources to asbestos lawsuits. We can help people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Florida understand their compensation options.

Our attorneys have multijurisdictional capabilities and deep knowledge of asbestos companies and databases. We work hard to recover the best possible compensation based on each person’s specific circumstances.

This page will break down what a Florida asbestos attorney does, how they can help asbestos patients in Florida maximize their compensation, and things to consider when choosing a lawyer to represent an asbestos case.

About the Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer

Why Choose a Mesothelioma Lawyer for My Claim in Florida?

A lawyer will help you trace your exposure to specific products and companies and create a legal plan to secure you fair compensation. Even if you live in Florida, your claim(s) will likely be filed in other states and jurisdictions. So, choosing a lawyer with national reach is important to filing a successful case.

An experienced asbestos lawyer can assist with the complex investigations often required to track down the companies responsible for your exposure. Most people were exposed to asbestos many years ago. Building a strong legal case based on historical information takes deduction, knowledge, and experience.

How to Choose a Lawyer to Represent My Asbestos Claim in Florida

You want to choose a reputable lawyer who has experience in asbestos litigation to represent your case. You will want to research your prospective mesothelioma attorney to see if they are a good fit for your needs.

When you choose a lawyer to represent your legal claim, you should take the following considerations:

• Does the lawyer have experience handling similar mesothelioma cases to your own?
• Does your legal team stay in regular communication and treat you with respect?
• Do your attorney and their legal partners have a track record of securing compensation through settlement, trial, or trust fund claim?
• What services and assistance does your attorney provide?
• When and how much will you be charged for your attorney’s services?
• Does the attorney have access to databases and case histories to trace your asbestos exposure?
• Does the attorney have national reach to file cases in whichever jurisdiction is most advantageous for your case?

As a potential plaintiff, getting clear answers to these questions is important. It will help you have a clear understanding of what services your attorney offers and how they will build a strong legal case for you and your family.

Why Are Many Florida Mesothelioma Claims Filed Out of State?

Your attorney will gather information and identify where you were exposed to asbestos and what products exposed you to asbestos. Based on this information, your claim may need to be filed in another state. Reasons your Florida claim might be filed in another state include:

• The company responsible for your asbestos exposure is headquartered in another state.
• You lived or were stationed in another state at the time of your asbestos exposure.
• The company responsible for your exposure operated in another state at the time it exposed you to asbestos.

There are additional considerations your attorney will make when deciding what jurisdiction to file your asbestos claim in.

Benefits of Working With an Experienced Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer

People diagnosed with mesothelioma can benefit from working with an experienced and knowledgeable asbestos lawyer. The benefits of working with an attorney for your Florida asbestos claim include:

• Selecting a legal strategy that gives you the best chance of securing the most compensation for you and your surviving family
• Having someone who understands how to pursue payouts from lawsuits, trust fund claims, workers’ compensation, and VA benefits simultaneously
• Having someone build your case and trace your asbestos exposure while you focus on treatment and increasing your quality of life

Mesothelioma lawsuits can be quite complex, involving multiple defendants based in more than one state. With that in mind, a mesothelioma lawyer offers some distinct advantages over pursuing a claim on your own or even with a general personal injury lawyer. For example, a Florida asbestos lawyer can:

• File your claim in the most advantageous jurisdiction
• Utilize exposure databases to track down products and defendants
• Expedite claims with asbestos bankruptcy trust funds
• Help you maximize your potential compensation
• Save you and your family time and effort during a difficult time
• Work on a contingency basis, getting paid only if you do

Asbestos Exposure in Florida

An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will be familiar with common sources of asbestos exposure within the State of Florida and beyond. Most asbestos exposures happen on the job. This is especially true in Florida, which does not have naturally occurring asbestos. However, Florida is home to many shipyards, ports, bases, and other hotbeds for asbestos exposure.

As a coastal state, Florida is home to military installations and private industries that rely on the state’s accessible ports. Many of the industries that operated in Florida used asbestos, including military facilities that housed Navy and Marine veterans. Some known sites of asbestos exposure within Florida include:

• Atlantic Dry Dock (Jacksonville)
• Bellinger Shipyard (Jacksonville)
• Gulf Marine Repair (Tampa)
• Hendry Corp. (Tampa)
• Hooker’s Point Yard (Tampa)
• Crist Power Plant (Pensacola)
• St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (St. Lucie)
• Naval Air Station Jacksonville
• Naval Air Station Key West
• Naval Support Activity Panama
• MacDill Air Force Base
• Eglin Air Force Base
• Tyndall Air Force Base

Counties in Florida with high rates of exposure or those known as asbestos hotspots include:

• Citrus
• Indian River
• Hernando
• Sumter
• Charlotte
• Martin
• Sarasota
• Pasco
• Volusia
• Brevard
• Lee
• Pinellas
• Palm Beach
• Duval

People who worked within certain industries within these geographic areas may be at a higher risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, like mesothelioma.

Companies in Florida That Exposed Employees to Asbestos

An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will be familiar with companies that have a history of exposing employees to asbestos in Florida. The companies may have produced asbestos products or used them to produce devices at their own facilities.

Industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing (especially steel, paper, and chemical), power generation, and construction commonly used asbestos prior to 1980. Some of that asbestos is still present in buildings, roofing, flooring, insulation, and other products.

These companies also frequently failed to provide adequate safety protections to workers, leaving them and their families at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Companies known or alleged to have exposed employees to asbestos in Florida include:

• Armstrong World Industries
• Babcock & Wilcox
• Bechtel Corp.
• Celotex Corp.
• Florida Power & Light
• Foster Wheeler
• Georgia-Pacific
• Johnson & Johnson
• Johns-Manville Corporation
• Owens-Corning
• Raybestos/Raymark
• Union Carbide Corp.
• Vanderbilt Minerals
• W.R. Grace & Co.

These companies produced asbestos or created asbestos products that put workers and their families at risk. Most people who file asbestos lawsuits file lawsuits against the companies that made and supplied asbestos products. Most people do not sue their employers, unless their employers made or transported asbestos products.

Occupations in Florida Most at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Most asbestos exposures happen on the job. Jobs that involve working with asbestos-laden materials present the highest risk to workers. These include:

• Pipefitters
• Electricians
• Construction workers
• Boilermakers
• Mechanics
• Firemen
• Shipyard occupations
• Military veterans (e.g., Air Force, Marines, and Navy)

These occupations also carry secondary risks to family members who may be exposed to asbestos fibers accidentally carried home on clothing. People who developed asbestos-related diseases may be able to file a lawsuit.

Who Can File a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in Florida?

Individuals who have a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis, or the families of individuals who have recently died due to mesothelioma, can file a lawsuit in Florida, provided they are domiciled within the state or exposed there.

Mesothelioma patients may file a lawsuit and pursue a bankruptcy trust claim simultaneously. The statute of limitations in Florida is four years from diagnosis, or two years from death for personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, respectively.

Note, however, that Floridians do not necessarily have to file their mesothelioma case in Florida. It is not unusual for individuals who were exposed out of state to file in another jurisdiction (i.e., another state or federal court).

Depending on circumstances, family members can also file mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of incapacitated members or those who have passed away from asbestos exposure.

Potential Compensation in Florida Mesothelioma Lawsuits

People diagnosed with mesothelioma may be eligible for multiple types of compensation if they pursue a lawsuit in Florida. Plaintiffs may be able to recoup economic damages like:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Lost future earning potential
• Funeral costs (wrongful death cases)

They may also sue for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of companionship (i.e., loss of consortium). Cases that go to trial may be awarded punitive damages by a jury. This happens if the asbestos company (defendant) demonstrated gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

Patients may also pursue claims with asbestos bankruptcy trusts, which, while they are not lawsuits, still require some burden of proof and supply compensation.

Florida Mesothelioma Settlements and Verdicts in 2025

People who are diagnosed with mesothelioma in Florida often pursue compensation through a lawsuit. These asbestos lawsuits conclude in settlements or jury decisions. Depending on the outcome of the case, most people who file asbestos claims are awarded compensation.

The exact details of many mesothelioma cases, particularly those that end in settlements, are private. However, when juries award plaintiffs compensation, that is a matter of public record. Here are some examples:

October 2025 – Florida Family Awarded $20 Million in Wrongful Death Lawsuit. A jury awarded the family of Alberto Casaretto Jr. $20 million. The family alleged that Casaretto, who died after a battle with mesothelioma, was exposed to asbestos in Johnson & Johnson’s talc products.

May 2025 – Florida Jury Awards $18 Million to a Mesothelioma Patient. A 64-year-old woman who had developed mesothelioma after secondary exposure to brake dust. Her father had operated a brake grinder made by Ammco. Johnson & Johnson and several auto parts makers were also held liable.

June 2019 – Jury Awards $70 Million to Former Lab Tech. Charles E. Thornton, a former Miami laboratory technician, prevailed in his case against GEA Mechanical. Thornton’s job involved maintaining equipment that he had been unaware contained asbestos.

August 2015 – Georgia-Pacific Held Liable for $17 Million. A Miami-Dade jury awarded a former painter over $17 million after he developed mesothelioma due to being exposed to a compound containing asbestos in the 1970s.

Other Florida mesothelioma settlements include:

• $3.9 million to a former brake mechanic
• $7.1 million to a Navy veteran
• $2.7 million to a construction worker
• $2.7 million to a Navy veteran

Asbestos settlements are unique to each person and depend on several factors, including how a person was exposed to asbestos, which companies are responsible, the age of the person, and dozens of other factors. These case examples do not guarantee similar outcomes for other clients.

How to Find a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Florida

An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will have national reach, so you do not necessarily need to choose one headquartered in Florida. In fact, your case may not ultimately be filed in Florida at all. Select a lawyer who can best accommodate the particular circumstances of your case and who has a track record of securing compensation in cases similar to your own.

When initially conducting your research, look for attorneys who demonstrate thorough knowledge of your condition and the process of filing a mesothelioma lawsuit.

How to Hire a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Florida to File An Asbestos Claim

When you are ready to look for a Florida mesothelioma lawyer, there are a few practical steps to take when choosing a mesothelioma lawyer. These steps are:

1. Look for free consultations with no obligation. Avoid firms that engage in high-pressure sales tactics.
2. Look for a track record of securing compensation in Florida asbestos cases. Ask for examples if they are not publicly available.
3. Confirm that they have trial experience. While your case may not go to trial, you want to feel confident that you could prevail in court if needed.
4. Check communication style. Do you have a good rapport with your attorney? Do they stay in regular communication?
5. Make sure they have nationwide reach. Asbestos cases are complicated and often involve defendants based in other states. Make sure they can pursue claims and investigations across state lines.

Ultimately, you should choose legal representation that meets your needs, communication style, and that you trust to fight for you.

What Is the Cost to Hire a Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer?

Mesothelioma lawyers generally work on a contingency basis. Rather than charge a fee up front, these attorneys collect a percentage of the compensation you get from a successful settlement, claim, or verdict. Any upfront expenses should be advanced by the firm.

This model incentivizes your lawyer to maximize the amount of compensation you receive while enabling families to pursue claims regardless of their income.

Questions to Ask a Mesothelioma Lawyer in Florida

During your consultation with your prospective mesothelioma lawyer, you will want to ask some questions to get a sense of their experience, abilities, and communication style. You will also want to have a clear sense of the terms involved with hiring them.

Here are some questions to consider asking.

How Much Do You Charge?

As noted earlier, your mesothelioma lawyer should be working on contingency, so there should not be any upfront fee. However, you will still want to know the percentage of the award they plan to take if your claim is successful. You will also want to make sure you will not be on the hook for fees if your claim fails.

How Much Do You Think My Case Is Worth?

Although your attorney will not be able to give you a precise answer, they should be able to give you a range that your mesothelioma compensation could fall into. This can help set your expectations and paint a clearer picture of your lawyer’s contingency fee.

Are You Prepared To Go To Trial?

Though many cases settle out of court, your lawyer should have the ability and confidence to take your case to trial if necessary. You may also want to ask how long your mesothelioma case will take. You will want to compare timelines for settlements, verdicts, and trust fund claims and weigh those choices with your desired compensation.

What Is Your Track Record With Meso Cases?

You want an attorney who knows how to win mesothelioma cases. If they have losses, ask follow-up questions about what kinds of obstacles those cases presented.

How Often Will You Update Me?

Try to get a sense of how and how often the attorney will update you about the status of your case. Ask what you can expect if you need to urgently contact them.

Florida’s Deadlines to File Asbestos Claims

Personal injury and wrongful death asbestos claims need to be filed within a period of time called the statute of limitations. Statutes of limitations vary from state to state, with most ranging from 1 to 3 years. Typically, the statute of limitations begins at the date of the patient’s injury or death. However, because of mesothelioma’s long disease latency, the statute of limitations for personal injury typically begins at the time of diagnosis.

In Florida, the statute of limitations  (Florida Statute 95.11) for personal injury mesothelioma cases is 4 years. For wrongful death cases, it is 2 years. Remember, however, that your case may be filed in another state.

Contact a Florida Lawyer Today

Mesothelioma’s tragic impact on families is profound, but you do not have to seek justice for your injuries alone. The experienced legal partners at King Law are reviewing mesothelioma cases in Florida and offer contingency-based representation to families like yours. Contact us today for a free consultation with no obligation.

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